Example 1: Take a look at the bent chair.  It does not have a flat surface to sit on and consequently it is unusable and has no utility value to the user.

Example 2:  Consider the design of the salt and pepper shakers.  The hour-glass shape of the shakers makes the salt and pepper settle down into the lower compartment, making it inconvenient to use. You will end up shaking the shaker for a long time to sprinkle a small amount of salt or pepper on your plate.

Example 3: Consider the lock and handle mounted on the door.  The door cannot be locked because the handle obstructs the key from being inserted.  As a result, the lock offers no utility value to the user.

Example 4: See the water tap mounted on the bath tub.  The tap does not have sufficient length, allowing the water to flow over and out of the bath tub rather than fall into the bath tub.  As a result, the tap has no utility value to the user.

Example 1: Take a look at the red kettle. Although, it has a sleek design, its usability is rather poor.  The kettle is not convenient to use simply because the mouth of the kettle and the handle to hold the kettle are on the same side that makes it not only inconvenient for a user to pour tea from it, but the user is likely to spill hot tea on himself / herself in the process.  Moreover, holding the handle on the side to carry a fully-filled kettle requires more effort and puts strain on the user's wrist.

Contrast this design with the blue-colored kettle. It has a handle at the top that not only makes it convenient to carry it around, but also requires little or no effort to use it.  It also does not involve strain to pour tea from it. Its usability is much better than the earlier one.

Example 2: Consider the yellow-colored MP3 player.  It has multiple buttons that make it confusing and hard to use.  In addition, the user needs to push the forward or backward buttons repeatedly to locate a desired song stored on the device and play it.

Contrast this with the grey-colored iPod.  The user can gently move his/her finger-tips in clockwise or counter-clockwise direction on the circular "click-wheel" to navigate through various songs stored on the device and play any of them by just tapping the central button. The iPod's user interface is highly intuitive, effective, fast and enjoyable, while being smaller in size and weighing much less than many of its counterparts.

Example 1: Consider a battery-powered vacuum cleaner and compare its performance with that of a 240 volts AC powered vacuum cleaner. While both products are meant to clean dust from table tops, furniture, beds and other small surfaces, the AC powered cleaner can do a better job of cleaning dust than the battery-powered one as it packs greater suction power.  This is because, the small-sized battery within the battery-powered cleaner can provide limited power to the vacuum pump within the cleaner, which in turn limits its ability to suck dust. The AC-powered cleaner, on the other hand, can draw more power from the mains power supply to operate its higher-capacity vacuum pump.  As a result, this cleaner can suck dust better and does a better job of cleaning the surface. 

The cleaner with AC mains power supply can also operate longer compared to the battery-powered one whose battery will drain out after a few minutes of use and needs to be re-charged before it can be used again.  In summary, we can say the performance of the AC powered cleaner is superior to that of the battery-powered one.

Example 2: A computer with higher processing power, more memory and storage usually gives better performance in running a particular software application when compared to another one that has limited processing power, memory and storage space.

Examples:  Here are four examples of aesthetically designed products that have attractive looks:

• • A car with sporty looks

  • A watch with trendy looks

  • A furniture with contemporary looks

  • A computer with curved edges and sleek finish

Durability of a product is usually measured in terms of "years of life", "hours of use", or "number of operational cycles".  A new product has to go through durability and sturdiness tests by government approved certification agencies before they can be sold in the market.  Most product manufacturers offer time-bound warranty on their products to assure their customers that their product is durable / sturdy.  In case the product were to inadvertently fail within the warranty period, the manufacturer promises to replace the failed product or product component freely to the customer.

Example 1: Let's consider the TV remote control. Remote control is a product that we operate in our hand, either while seated, standing or even while walking around at home.  At times, the remote control slips out of our hands and falls to the ground.  What if the electronics within the unit comes loose and the unit stops working the moment it drops to the ground?  What if the batteries fly out the moment the unit drops to the ground?  What if the remote control casing cracks or breaks upon impact with the ground?  Well, if any of these happens, then its clear that the product is not sturdy.  We would rather not buy such a product.  

Example 2: A sturdy remote control unit will likely have a strong casing or one that makes use of shock-absorbing materials to ensure that the unit continues to function and doesn't break upon falling to the ground from a reasonable height.

Example 3: What if you buy a new car and one or more of its tyres wear out within a year.  Would those tyres be considered durable?  No !   Because the worn out tyre has less grip on the road and can skid easily.  You would rather like to buy a tyre that lasts at least 4 to 5 years.

Example 4:  A car tyre that has deeper grooves on its running surface will have better grip on the road.  If the car tyre can retain its groovers longer, it will be more durable as it has less chances of skidding on roads.

Example 1: Consider the conventional TV remote control. It has several small-sized buttons, and often users find it challenging to locate one among the many buttons to perform a specific operation on the TV, for e.g., muting the TV, adjusting the volume, changing the channel, etc. It is also cumbersome to switch the TV to the desired channel if one does not know the channel number.  One has to scroll through the list of channels in the Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) until one finds the desired channel.  

Example 2:  Now consider the TV remote provided with Amazon Fire TV Stick.  The device allows you to remotely control a TV through voice commands.  You can use voice commands to search for TV shows, movies, and other programmes from different streaming media service providers such as NetFlix, Hot Star, etc.  It significantly enhances the user experience by improving the usability of the TV as you don't have to fumble with the small buttons on the remote control anymore.  You can just speak what you need by voice commands, and the TV responds. The Fire TV stick enhances the accessibility of TV programmes since you can directly ask it for a specific TV show or movie rather than worry about the channel number. The Fire TV stick also improves customer's desire for new and simpler way of accessing TV programmes compared to conventional TV remote controls.

Example 1: A furniture or a table with sharp edges can potentially cause injury to a person if he/she accidentally moves past its corners.  Sharp edges of furniture can also get chipped while being transported.  A better furniture design will have rounded corners. 

Example 2: If the bread toaster at home burns your finger or gives electrical shock when touched, then its not safe to use.  A good toaster design will have an insulating cover around its body that protects people from heat or shock when touched.

Example 3: If the microwave oven at home leaks microwave radiation, then its not safe to use.  Microwave radiation can heat body tissues the same way it heats food. Exposure to high levels of microwaves can cause painful burn.  Some research even suggests that exposure to microwave radiation can cause cancer.  A good microwave design ensures that its door cannot be opened when the oven is turned on.

Example 4: Some mobile phones heat up especially when using gaming apps that consume significant processing power, which in turn draws more power from the battery. This may result in the battery heating up and the phone potentially exploding.  A good phone design ensures that the phone doesn't heat up, or cools it down by stopping some of the CPU-hogging apps.

Example 1: What can be a better example of a customized product than a suit, shirt or dress tailor-made for your size and style?  

Example 2: Most car manufacturers give you the ability to customize the car's interiors and exteriors by installing additional accessories such as seat covers, foot mats, fog lamps, stereo system, etc.  These accessories need be additionally purchased by you and the dealer can fit them for you at the time of purchase or later.

Example 3: Nike is an international brand that makes shoes.  The company allows its customers to 'custom design' their own shoes which will then be made and shipped by Nike to the customer.

Example 4: People often hire the services of a carpenter to build custom furniture to suit their personal tastes, styles and needs. 

In all the above examples, the products are customized by the seller or manufacturer as per the needs and expectations of their customers.