Design Lessons from an Exhibition About Ayurvedic Medicine
A few years ago, I saw a display of ceramic jars in an exhibition about traditional South Asian medicine and thought, wow, this is such a clever design. The jars had a slight indent in the middle, just enough to reach in and grab one without jostling any of the others.
Unfortunately, I don’t have any photos from the exhibition, so you’ll have to make do with my artistic interpretation. If you’re curious, page 9 of this exhibition synopsis has a photo and short description!
It might not seem like a big deal to be able to pick one specific jar off a shelf. But think about how frustrating it is to try and find one specific spice in a disorganized, cluttered spice cabinet. You search around, pick up loads of different containers to find the one you’re looking for, and leave the cupboard even messier than when you started. Nothing stays in one spot, so next time you’re cooking you have to go through the whole rigamarole again.
Sure, it’s not going to ruin your day. But it adds friction and makes the whole experience less enjoyable. And while my food probably won’t taste the best if I mix up the ground coriander and cumin, it’s not going to hurt me. But that isn’t true in the context of medicine! The cost of using the wrong ingredient when mixing up a salve for a patient could literally be life or death. Being able to quickly and reliably access the right ingredients was probably super important to the people who originally used these ceramic jars.
I love making connections between things, so of course I wanted to ask, what can I learn from this and apply to designing digital products?
1. Information is often task- or context-specific
So much of design is about helping people find the information that they need. We do that through clear information architecture and visual hierarchy. This also often means making sure that users can easily tune out what they don’t need. It’s not as simple as just not including this information - just as a doctor needs different ingredients for different treatments, users need different information for different tasks. We have to think about balancing flexibility and findability so people can find what they need when they need it.
2. Predictability increases efficiency
Muscle memory is strong! If you know that the turmeric is always second from the left, you can reach into a spice cabinet and get it without even thinking. The same is true of digital experiences. That can make redesigns challenging because you’re disrupting that predictability. That’s why it’s so important for us to do research to understand our users’ mental models.
3. Prevent unintended consequences
The thoughtful design of the ceramic jars means that there aren’t any unintended consequences from grabbing something off the shelf. Everything else stays in the same place, so the next time you have to get something it’s just as easy. In digital experiences, unintended consequences can be extra frustrating, especially if you don’t understand why something is happening. If taking an action will have consequences other than the immediate desired effect, it’s really important to communicate that clearly so users aren’t unpleasantly surprised.
4. Inspiration can come from anywhere
I saw this exhibition years ago, long before I even knew that UX design existed! It just goes to show that design inspiration doesn’t have to come from websites or other digital products. Thoughtful design is at the heart of so many things that improve my everyday life: a dish rack that drains water back into the sink or text alerts telling me when a prescription is ready to pick up. Any of these can be sources of inspiration if you take a moment to get curious about what you can learn.
Do you have any favorite examples of design in the wild? I love seeing what inspires other people, so let me know if you do!