I’m sitting in the airport at small table designed for notebook users. It’s more like a bar, with stools and plug ins (a precious resource in an airport). There’s just one problem. I’m sitting at the end of the bar. The stool was placed too close to the small steel pillar that supports my side of the bar–making it impossible for me to keep my legs on the support beam without smashing my leg into the steel pillar. To get both my feet on the support beam I have to contort my body leaving me with a kink in my neck.

Now, you might be thinking, "Good grief Dave, you sound like a spoiled American." OK, I know. But stay with me. Did the person who designed the bar actually sit in it before sending it on to be manufactured? One or two simple changes to the design, and the my legs and neck would be happier.

Here’s my real point (other than the whining): When you’re designing something for your customers–whether a product or a service–try it out or really think through the implications of the design before you send it "out there."

Design matters. The better the design, the happier the client.