50 Genius Product Design Ideas That Genuinely Surprised People

According to Professor Johnson, from Hult International Business School and Harvard University, there are two main questions that we need to consider at the product level. First of all, we have to evaluate how well it serves the functional need of the customer. And, secondly, we have to ask how well (if at all!) it provides an emotional connection, such as comfort or humor. He told Bored Panda that the functionality of a product is of primary concern.

"If the product doesn’t actually solve a problem for the consumer, or make their life easier, it will either create frustration or will be ignored completely. And if this is the case, there will be no opportunity to develop a deeper, emotional connection," he explained.

"The best plan of attack for product functionality is copious amounts of market research—not just asking how the product would be used in principle, but how they are used in practice, and how they would fit into the consumer’s life. One approach here is to perform ethnographies of the consumer demographic in question, to understand the role of the product within their lives," the professor said that the people behind the design process ought to research consumer behavior, wants, and needs.

However, even after the product is launched, the job isn't done. "Even with extensive research, it’s very rare that the product is perfect the first time from a user-friendly standpoint. For this reason, it's crucial that the company continues to collect data from users on how it’s being used, and what can be improved. And then with this data, to continuously adapt and iterate the product. It’s at this stage that the company can understand the emotional impact of the product and make adjustments accordingly," Professor Johnson said that companies have to follow up after the launch and create better versions of their initial idea. Data-driven adaptation and flexibility lead to better results (and potentially happier, more loyal customers).

In the expert's opinion, "there is strong potential" for various add-ons to "enhance the consumer experience and to engender brand loyalty." Provided that the product itself works well. However, the professor warned that the strategy of adding additional features should be considered high-risk, high-yield. Success isn't guaranteed.

"It is much easier for these additional features to fail than to succeed. There’s a major risk that it detracts from the overall functionality of the product, or that the consumer simply doesn’t get the intended humor. There’s also a risk that the consumer, even if they get the humor, doesn’t appreciate the context in which it appears, or that the feature brings down the perceived prestige of the product," Professor Johnson explained what some of the potential pitfalls might look like.