Don't focus on technology and features. Heck, don't focus on the "product." Focus on the experience you want to create, and build a system that gets you there. The audio is from my talk at http://2007.dconstruct.org/.

1. Experience is the product
Peter Merholz
peterme@adaptivepath.com

3. A new photographic apparatus

4. A new photographic apparatus

5. A NEW PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS.
This apparatus consists of a box containing a camera, A, and a
frame, C, containing the desired number of plates, each held in a
small frame of black Bristol board. The camera contains a mirror,
M, which pivots upon an axis and is maneuvered by the extreme
bottom, B. This mirror stops at an angle of 45°, and sends the
image coming from the objective to the horizontal plate, D, at the
upper part of the camera. The image thus reflected is righted
A new photographic apparatus
upon this plate.
As the objective is of short focus, every object situated beyond a
distance of three yards from the apparatus is in focus. In
exceptional cases, where the operator might be nearer the object
to be photographed, the focusing would be done by means of the
rack of the objective. The latter can also slide up and down, so
that the apparatus need not be inclined when buildings or high
trees are being photographed. The door, E, performs the role of a
shade. When the apparatus has been fixed upon its tripod and
properly directed, all the operator has to do is to close the door, P,
and raise the mirror, M, by turning the button, B, and then
expose the plate. The sensitized plates are introduced into the
apparatus through the door, I, and are always brought
automatically to the focus of the objective through the pressure
of the springs, R. The shutter of the frame, B, opens through a
hook, H, with in the pocket, N. After exposure, each plate is lifted
by means of the extractor, K, into the pocket, whence it is taken
by hand and introduced through a slit, S, behind the springs, R,
and the other plates that the frame contains. All these operations
are performed in the interior of the pocket, N, through the
impermeable, triple fabric of which no light can enter.
An automatic marker shows the number of plates exposed. When
the operations are finished, the objective is put back in the
interior of the camera, the doors, P and E, are closed, and the
pocket is rolled up. The apparatus is thus hermetically closed,
and, containing all the accessories, forms one of the most
practical of systems for the itinerant photographer.

6. A NEW PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS.
This apparatus consists of a box containing a camera, A, and a
frame, C, containing the desired number of plates, each held in a
small frame of black Bristol board. The camera contains a mirror,
M, which pivots upon an axis and is maneuvered by the extreme
bottom, B. This mirror stops at an angle of 45°, and sends the
image coming from the objective to the horizontal plate, D, at the
upper part of the camera. The image thus reflected is righted
A new photographic apparatus
upon this plate.
As the objective is of short focus, every object situated beyond a
distance of three yards from the apparatus is in focus. In
exceptional cases, where the operator might be nearer the object
to be photographed, the focusing would be done by means of the
rack of the objective. The latter can also slide up and down, so
that the apparatus need not be inclined when buildings or high
trees are being photographed. The door, E, performs the role of a
shade. When the apparatus has been fixed upon its tripod and
properly directed, all the operator has to do is to close the door, P,
and raise the mirror, M, by turning the button, B, and then
expose the plate. The sensitized plates are introduced into the
apparatus through the door, I, and are always brought
automatically to the focus of the objective through the pressure
of the springs, R. The shutter of the frame, B, opens through a
hook, H, with in the pocket, N. After exposure, each plate is lifted
by means of the extractor, K, into the pocket, whence it is taken
by hand and introduced through a slit, S, behind the springs, R,
and the other plates that the frame contains. All these operations
are performed in the interior of the pocket, N, through the
impermeable, triple fabric of which no light can enter.
An automatic marker shows the number of plates exposed. When
the operations are finished, the objective is put back in the
interior of the camera, the doors, P and E, are closed, and the
pocket is rolled up. The apparatus is thus hermetically closed,
and, containing all the accessories, forms one of the most
practical of systems for the itinerant photographer.

8. “You press the button,
we do the rest”

14. You press the button...

16. ... we do the rest

18. What’s the highest
compliment?

19. “Highly profitable.”

20. “Never breaks.”

22. “Cool.”

24. “When you start
looking at a problem
and it seems really
simple with all these
simple solutions,
you don’t really
understand the
complexity of the
problem. And your
solutions are way
too oversimplified,
and they don’t
work.”

26. technology

30. “Like a dog’s walking
on his hind legs, it is
not done well; but you
are surprised to find it
done at all.”
— Samuel Johnson

33. “...Then you get into
the problem, and
you see it’s really
complicated. And
you come up with all
these convoluted
solutions. That’s
sort of the middle,
and that’s where
most people stop,
and the solutions
tend to work for a
while....”

34. technology

35. features
technology

38. 8-event/1-month timer with 3-hour backup.

40. “... But the really
great person will
keep on going and
find the key,
underlying principle
of the problem. And
come up with a
beautiful elegant
solution that
works.”
Steve Jobs

41. “... But the really
great person will
keep on going and
find the key,
underlying principle
of the problem. And
come up with a
beautiful elegant
solution that
works.”
Steve Jobs
1984

42. features
technology

43. experience
features
technology

46. Girls gone Wii!

47. http://www.scottweisbrod.com/index.php/?p=187 The New York Times, June 8, 2007

48. products are people too

51. they know who they are

52. user interface
logic
data

53. user interface

54. user interface
MAGIC

55. user interface
logic
data

56. user interface
logic
data

57. user interface
logic
data

58. user interface
logic
data

61. experience vision

62. “You press the button,
we do the rest”

63. “You press the button,
we do the rest”

65. Our Vision
The Road to Google Calendar:
(it’s important to have one)
for you
works
• Set out to build a calendar that
to use
Fast, visually appealing, and joyous
–
into the calendar
Drop dead simple to get information
–
inders, invitations, etc.)
More than boxes on a screen (rem
–
r whole life in one place
Easy to share so you can see you
–
where not everyone
• Designed for a consumer world
me system)
has a calendar (or one on the sa
)
– Open APIs (import and publish
– Invitations for everyone
t Manager
Presented by Carl Sjogreen, Produc

66. Our Vision
The Road to Google Calendar:
(it’s important to have one)
for you
works
• Set out to build a calendar that
to use
Fast, visually appealing, and joyous
–
into the calendar
Drop dead simple to get information
–
inders, invitations, etc.)
More than boxes on a screen (rem
–
r whole life in one place
Easy to share so you can see you
–
where not everyone
• Designed for a consumer world
me system)
has a calendar (or one on the sa
)
– Open APIs (import and publish
– Invitations for everyone
t Manager
Presented by Carl Sjogreen, Produc

67. Our Vision
The Road to Google Calendar:
(it’s important to have one)
for you
works
• Set out to build a calendar that
to use
Fast, visually appealing, and joyous
–
into the calendar
Drop dead simple to get information
–
inders, invitations, etc.)
More than boxes on a screen (rem
–
r whole life in one place
Easy to share so you can see you
–
where not everyone
• Designed for a consumer world
me system)
has a calendar (or one on the sa
)
– Open APIs (import and publish
– Invitations for everyone
t Manager
Presented by Carl Sjogreen, Produc

68. Tandy Zoomer Newton MessagePad

69. G oa ls
1. Fi ts in sh ir t po cket
2. Sy nc s se am le ss ly w it h PC
3. Fa st an d ea sy to use
4. Co sts no m ore th an $299

70. G oa ls
1. Fi ts in sh ir t po cket
2. Sy nc s se am le ss ly w it h PC
3. Fa st an d ea sy to use
4. Co sts no m ore th an $299

71. leverage the system

73. Capture image
Advance film

74. Capture image Develop film
Advance film Print film
Refill camera

75. Photographic system
Capture image Develop film
Advance film Print film
Refill camera

77. Browse audio
Play audio
Rate audio

78. Product
Browse audio
Play audio
Rate audio

79. Browse audio
Play audio
Rate audio

80. Browse audio Browse audio Delete audio
Play audio Play audio Make playlists
Rate audio Rate audio Stream radio
Alter metadata Burn CDs
Add audio etc...

81. Browse audio Browse audio Delete audio
Play audio Play audio Make playlists
Rate audio Rate audio Stream radio
Alter metadata Burn CDs
Add audio etc...

82. Browse audio Browse audio Delete audio Find media
Play audio Play audio Make playlists
Buy media
Rate audio Rate audio Stream radio
Alter metadata Burn CDs Buy games
Add audio etc...
Subscribe to podcasts

83. Play
Browse audio Browse audio Delete audio Find media
Play audio Play audio Make playlists
Buy media
Rate audio Rate audio Stream radio
Alter metadata Burn CDs Buy games
Add audio etc...
Subscribe to podcasts

84. anage
Play M
Browse audio Browse audio Delete audio Find media
Play audio Play audio Make playlists
Buy media
Rate audio Rate audio Stream radio
Alter metadata Burn CDs Buy games
Add audio etc...
Subscribe to podcasts

85. anage cquire
Play A
M
Browse audio Browse audio Delete audio Find media
Play audio Play audio Make playlists
Buy media
Rate audio Rate audio Stream radio
Alter metadata Burn CDs Buy games
Add audio etc...
Subscribe to podcasts

86. System
anage cquire
Play A
M
Browse audio Browse audio Delete audio Find media
Play audio Play audio Make playlists
Buy media
Rate audio Rate audio Stream radio
Alter metadata Burn CDs Buy games
Add audio etc...
Subscribe to podcasts

87. http://www.flickr.com/photos/coming_soon/309102389/

88. http://www.flickr.com/photos/bartificial/122164551/

89. “People want to know the name of the drug first,
then how they should take it. “

90. “People want to know the name of the drug first,
then how they should take it. “
Experiential Requirements
At-a-glance drug identification
At-a-glance ID for each family member
Easy to read
Clear intake instructions
Additional information at hand

91. “People want to know the name of the drug first,
then how they should take it. “
Experiential Requirements Solution
At-a-glance drug identification Prominent drug name display
At-a-glance ID for each family member Color-coded for each family member
Easy to read Re-shaped bottle for easier reading
Clear intake instructions Attached information card
Additional information at hand Clear intake instructions

92. “People want to know the name of the drug first,
then how they should take it. “
Experiential Requirements Solution
At-a-glance drug identification
At-a-glance ID for each family member
Easy to read
Clear intake instructions
Additional information at hand

93. Managing Tradeoffs
Color printers too expensive
But color-coding is helpful
How about....

94. Managing Tradeoffs
Color printers too expensive
But color-coding is helpful
How about....
Rings!

101. 2. We want to enable new ways
1. We want to help people make
of organizing photos.
their photos available to the
people who matter to them. it is all too easy to get
Once you make the switch to digital,
of photos you take with that
overwhelmed with the sheer number
cipal way people go about
moments captured on their itchy trigger finger. Albums, the prin
Maybe they want to keep a blog of -- until you get to 20 or 30 or 50 of
to show off their best pictures to organizing photos today, are great
cameraphone, or maybe they want ing rolls of film developed, but
brity. Or maybe they want to them. They worked in the days of gett
the whole world in a bid for web cele te need of a Florida condo and full
of their kids with their family the quot;albumquot; metaphor is in despera
securely and privately share photos
these things possible and more!
across the country. Flickr makes all retirement.
Part of the solution is to make
To do this, we want to get photos
the process of organizing photos
into and out of the system in as
many ways as we can: fromand from,whatever collaborative. In Flickr, you can give your friends, family,
the web from
r photos - not just to
anize you
and other contacts permission to org
puters e com
mobile devices, from the users' hom tags. People like to ooh and ahh,
their photos. And we want to be add comments, but also notes and
software they are using to manage n sharing photos. Why not give
s as possible: on the Flickr laugh and cry, make wisecracks whe
able to push them out in as many way look at them over the internet?
posting to outside blogs or ways we them the ability to do this when they
website, in RSS feeds, by email, by the photos as metadata, you can
we going to use those smart And as all this info accretes around
haven't thought of yet. What else are since all this info is also searchable.
find them so much easier later on,
refrigerators for?
Flickr is the WD-40 that makes
it easy to get photos from one
person to another in whatever way
they want.

102. Charmr
A diabetes management prototype

103. Peter Merholz
peterme@adaptivepath.com

104. Peter Merholz
peterme@adaptivepath.com

105. Our Vision
The Road to Google Calendar:
(it’s important to have one)
for you
works
• Set out to build a calendar that
to use
Fast, visually appealing, and joyous
–
ion into the calendar
Drop dead simple to get informat
–
rs, invitations, etc.)
More than boxes on a screen (reminde
–
whole life in one place
Easy to share so you can see your
–
where not everyone
• Designed for a consumer world
system)
has a calendar (or one on the same
– Open APIs (import and publish)
– Invitations for everyone
Peter Merholz
peterme@adaptivepath.com

106. Peter Merholz
peterme@adaptivepath.com

107. Peter Merholz
peterme@adaptivepath.com

108. Peter Merholz
peterme@adaptivepath.com

109. the experience
is the product
Peter Merholz
peterme@adaptivepath.com

110. Peter Merholz
peterme@adaptivepath.com