Best Fit Product - Emotional Engineering - page 30

from case to case, producers consider operational conditions when they settle a
contract. This is an idea of how the B to B win-win relation can be established. The
statistical reliability engineering can be applied in this case.
But if we focus on individual product, we have to develop another approach.
Software development provides us with a cue. Although they too are focusing their
attention to operational conditions, they are interested in individual performance. In
other words, the above discussion of aircraft engines is an example of B to B, but
software development is focused on B to C.
Then, how can we build up trust for an individual product? That is an imminent
issue calling for solution these days of diversi ! cation and personalization. But we
have not discussed the problem too much until today.
7 Satis ! cing
This problem boils down to the issue how we can provide a best ! t product to each
customer.
The idea proposed by Herbert Simon as “Satis ! cing” or “Satisfy enough” [ 3 , 4 ]
is very effective. If a customer is satis ! ed enough, the product is good, no matter
whether its functions are good or not in the absolute sense. In fact, we feel happy
when our products break in and come to ! fit us very well.
8 Communicating with Products
Software development pays attention to the interaction or the communication
between a user and a system. In the case of hardware, shoes, for example, it is the
interaction between a shoe and a foot. Hardware engineers, especially mechanical
engineers, do not discuss too much about such communications between human
and product. We know in our daily life that if we can communicate better, we can
build up trust with others. We have to explore the problem of such human-product
communications.
This is different from the current human-interface studies. Most of them discuss
usability, and they focus on how well users can operate a product. They are not
discussing the issue of the best ! t.
But the communication discussed here is an issue of Satis ! cing. If a product
communicates better or in other words if it “learns” how to deal with its user, then it
will break in very well.
Software development is communication-based. Software systems speak a little
and then listen to what you will say and respond. Software developers know how
you can enjoy communication with their system. But hardware development is
“talk, talk and talk”. They have no ears. They only have a mouth. We have to
change our hardware development style to more communication-oriented.