This is entry two of a ten-part series based on Dieter Rams’ Ten Principles of Good Design. The Journal asked writers and illustrators to contribute to the project. Each writer wrote on one of Rams’ principles; each illustrator reacted to a writer’s essay.

What does it mean to make something usable? ‘Usable’ can be a pretty vague term, differing from one person to the next in its degree of relevancy. However, there is a common threshold where the form, functionality, and aesthetic appeal converge to evoke a psychological and emotional response in the user. More often than not, this is the result of careful consideration and the removal of everything that could possibly hinder the user from accomplishing their goals.

Every product intends to be useful; however, users are frequently left over-promised and under-delivered. Good design aims to minimize this discrepancy by decreasing the chance of failure and increasing a sense of accomplishment. The clearer a design’s basic functions are to the user, the more likely they are to succeed at the task at hand and feel a sense of connection with the product.

As we have become a much more web-centric culture, we find the influence of online experiences shaping the way we see and interact with more and more physical products. Take the ATM, for example. In 2008, Wells Fargo rolled out a brand new interface for their ATMs that was clearly built  around the customer’s needs, concerns and actual goals. The experience was much closer to a well-designed form on a website as opposed to the traditional ATM. The use of larger buttons in a clearly defined grid on a touch-screen interface made it less likely for the user to make a mistake. The addition of a custom side panel – with quick links to the tasks most often performed by that specific card-holder – made the experience less frustrating and a little more personal.

Whether it’s the delight of not having to vacuum in back-and-forth-adjust-the-angle-try-and-get-around-the-furniture lines (thank you, Dyson) or ketchup that delivers on demand without the bottom-of-the-bottle-smacking by simply inverting the shape of the container (nice one, Heinz) – these examples of good design prove that relieving frustration and turning the mundane into a simple, momentary pleasure can fundamentally alter the usefulness and the emotional attachment felt when using the product.

A poorly designed product is rarely usable. However, the testament of good design is a useful product.

Joshua Brewer wrote on Rams’ second principle, Good design is useful. Mr Brewer is a San Francisco-based designer and the Director of User Experience at SocialCast. He co-founded 52 Weeks of UX, an educational online weekly centered around usability on the web. The Journal drew inspiration for the Rams series from Mr Brewer’s Week 8 post on Rams’ Principles. Adam Garcia created the above illustration based on Mr Brewer’s essay. Mr Garcia works under the studio name The Pressure. He is a graphic designer at Nike Sportswear and illustrates for local and national publications.