I’m a huge fan of reducing technical barriers to improve access. While computers have certainly come a long way and have penetrated most advanced countries, technology still continues to be a challenge for people that are just getting computers. Their age range varies, but their goals do not. Common goals include:
- Communication.
- Viewing photos and videos.
- Access to information (fictional / non fictional)
While the above list just indicates 3 items, the list has a far reaching impact. Nearly all major websites fit into that category — Google, Yahoo! Mail, Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, Netflix, Amazon, etc. The potential is endless.
From a software perspective (web software such as Amazon.com), the process is simple enough. Amazon spends a lot of time and money into user-experience to ensure that users can purchase products in the easiest way possible.
However, hardware continues to be a challenge. Companies like Microsoft, Dell and HP have made things harder over time. Examples include:
- Microsoft: The company has introduced half-a-dozen versions of their core operating system — Windows Vista and now Windows 7. Why is Microsoft trying to confuse consumers? Why not offer a version to consumers and another to business professionals?
- Dell: If you go to Dell’s site, they have more than a dozen computer models. Almost all of them do the same thing. They just vary in speed and form factor. Does a company really need to market 3 different products that do the exact same thing in a nearly identical form factor?
- HP: HP has been growing in the PC space quite rapidly. Similar to Dell, they also have too many products that essentially offer the same thing. Why not simplify the offering and make it easy for the consumer to purchase a product?
I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some large companies and have analyzed numerous user-experience cases. A majority of consumers look for stability, ease of use and ease of purchase. While I’m not a fan of the way Apple does business, I’m very impressed in the way they offer their products. Companies that try to falsely diversify their product portfolio are hurting themselves and their consumers.
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