I was reading this interesting design article in Fast Company a while back. It’s pointing out a recent shift in some companies to specifically take into account the ways in which women might use a product. Here are the main points:
- Emphasize benefits over features. Don’t be so darned technical all the time, tout why the product is useful and how it will make life easier.
- Learn her body. Women are built differently from men. Simply shrinking a product doesn’t always make it easier for a woman to use.
- Craft a cohesive story. Women don’t just want a product, they want an experience. Advertising, packaging, retail place and customer service should all take this into consideration.
- Identify a spot on the spectrum. Extensive use of the color pink with lots of flowers, frills and bows might be more offensive than welcome. Figure out where on the pink-scale the product lies.
- Remember her life stages. Is the design aimed at the young or the old?
I’m not currently involved in any women-centric web/desktop/mobile app designs – but when I do…
