100 Performance vs. Preference
Increasing performance does not necessarily increase desirability.
• People often believe that a functionally superior design—the proverbial “better mousetrap”—is good design. This is not necessarily correct.
• The reasons people favor one design over another is a combination of many factors, and may have nothing to do with performance, but with preference.
• Preferences may be based on innate tendencies, cultural biases, aesthetic or emotional considerations, or legacy practices and conventions.
• Success in design is multivariate. Consider both performance and preference factors in design to maximize the probability of success. Beware the trap of creating a superior product in one dimension, but having it fail due to neglect of other dimensions.
See Also Aesthetic-Usability Effect • Control • Desire Lines Flexibility Trade-Offs • Hierarchy of Needs
