Two great phrases came my way in the last 12 months and I keep coming back to them:
Vuja De
I heard this one from Tom Kelley of IDEO at the GAIN conference in New York. Whereas Deja Vu is apparently repeating a familiar experience, Vuja De is experiencing a familiar experience in a fresh new way. The main thing I really like about Vuja De is when it applies to something that is routine or dogmatic. It’s always good to question the things you do out of habit to see if it’s time for a change. So often at work I run into people doing ineffectual processes or actions simply because they never paused to take a second look and ask whether it’s still making sense. It’s an extra mental effort to take a step back and search for a Vuja De moment on something very natural and familiar. It’s really worth it.
Pokey Yoke
I forget where this came up, but I understand that it’s a concept originated in Japan. Essentially it’s a design concept that means that a thing has been created to be fundamentally fool-proof. It’s the plug that is shaped to only fit the right way into the socket; it’s the UI control that just works without explanation. It sounds pretty obvious but the value in something that just works, where no figuring out is necessary, is highly important for creating really exceptional experiences. How many digital experiences can you name where there truly was Pokey Yoke? I like the high standard it sets – it’s what we should aspire to.
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