Does It Actually Work?

The best design in the world can’t replace a test drive.

For example:

• The signage in many airports tells you how to get to other terminals, but rarely indicates which terminal you’re currently in.  If you’re trying to describe your location to the driver picking you up, that is very useful information.  But it didn't get noticed in design because no one anticipated (or tested for) the needs of an arriving passenger.
• It’s easy to tell which vacation homes are rental properties that have never been lived in by their owner, and which ones are regularly occupied by the owner. The rental properties are frequently missing basics that would quickly become apparent if someone lived there. For example: a bedroom or bathroom with no wastebasket, or a kitchen stocked with knives but no cutting board.
• The company's new potato chip bag was constructed with the latest easy-open design, but the technology was never tested on this particular bag material. And now customers are complaining they can’t get the bag open without scissors.

Good planning always helps, but ultimately a crucial test of great design is: does it work? and that usually requires a test drive.