There is a temptation with everything in life to make it look as polished and sleek as possible. When you’re designing and preparing new product lines, be it online experiences, hi-tech gadgets, or even new foods, it’s important to remember that sometimes the items that don’t look the best yield better results for a company’s bottom line.
Products that look pleasing to the eye but don’t deliver frustrating customer experiences can leave a lasting impression – for all the wrong reasons.
Within this article, we’ll explore this concept in greater detail across a trio of popular industries, presenting the unique challenges of each sector when it comes to balancing polish with practicality.
Tech Gadgets
Perfection is one of the biggest objectives in the world of hi-tech gadgets. Whether it’s ultra-slim laptops or folding smartphones, these stunning designs can look and feel like a dreamy accessory to have in your pocket – at least until you try to use them.
It could be surprisingly low battery life, a keyboard that’s not intuitive enough, or a device’s material that overheats within a matter of minutes. The first wave of foldable mobiles was the perfect case in point. Although they looked futuristic and sleek, they suffered from poor manufacturing, such as weak hinges, which impeded usability.
The best tech companies keep a close eye on the bread and butter of what a gadget is supposed to achieve. They look beyond the aesthetics and find the winning balance between style and functionality.
Slot Game Development
In the iGaming industry, the market for slot game providers is increasingly competitive. There’s more independent software studios churning out online slot experiences than ever before, thanks largely to the accessibility and cross-platform nature of HTML5 technology.
The issue game developers have with slots is that a visually stunning game may not translate so well in an online casino’s game library. Although it may have console-like animations and immersive audio, if the mechanics, features, and payout potential don’t get players’ juices flowing, it’s all for nothing.
Different slot formats have their own specific challenges when it comes to striving for perfection too. Retro-style fruit machine slots don’t actually need the overcomplexities of HD animations and audio to be enjoyed. When it comes to progressive jackpot slots, the stakes are, quite literally, high. That’s because a tiny fraction of every player’s wager on these games gets added to the jackpot, helping it to rise progressively over time – hence the name. Developers must balance the potential for life-changing payouts with realistic odds and responsible gaming mechanics. If the jackpot feels impossible to hit, or the gameplay leading up to it is dull, players will simply look elsewhere.
Food Packaging for New Product Lines
Form and functionality are equally important for food producers releasing new product lines. Ever struggled to open a snack bag without it exploding everywhere? Or perhaps you’ve been drawn to a beautifully packaged snack or dessert on the supermarket shelves, only to find its contents don’t match the initial appeal? Producers’ food packaging is a prime example of how looks can be deceiving to consumers.
Premium chocolate bars are a useful yardstick. Some come in gorgeous, intricately designed packaging, but when you finally get to the chocolate, it’s a letdown – either in taste or portion size. On the flip side, you have brands that focus on clear, simple packaging that keeps products fresh and easy to open. That’s the real win.
The number-one takeaway here is that perfection is about balance. It needs to look good but perform equally well to keep customers coming back for more.
