Products are designed to solve a particular challenge for customers. Quite often the product can do more than the original intent. A great example of this situation is Kutol Products’ most successful product – a wallpaper cleaner designed to safely remove soot. Its more successful use, and more well-known, is Play-Doh. (The Accidental Invention of Play-Doh – Smithsonian Magazine). Those unintended uses can be more successful than the original intent.
This evaluation process can begin with the manufacturer on the product side, or on the application side with the integrator, or anywhere in between. The evaluation is not just theoretical, it is based on real world experience. If needed the product in question will be tested by Advisist to verify the application objectives can be met successfully. Application objectives don’t just apply for the hardware involved, but also the software or user interface. The usability of the software is also evaluated. The proper software and interface can have huge implications as the iPod showed. The ability to store and play compressed audio files was not unique to Apple. The user experience, more importantly the ease of it, made the iPod a success. This same impact happens with equipment like digital signal processors and how the human machine interface (HMI) functions. A seamless software experience is as an important part of the experience for users, as is the technology used. The ability for the software interface to change the adoption process of equipment cannot be overstated. Advisist believes that some products can be considered for alternative uses. For example, people in corporate environments often think digital signage for uses outside of meeting rooms. Placing a digital signage player in a meeting space can allow for easily showing marketing content during a meeting. Triggering the content from a touch screen or control screen makes the process more reproducible.
These are just some examples of examining the use of products. Please reach out for more information.