When good design fails: the mouse you cannot use while charging
Reem Al Jishi
A look back at a product design that missed the mark, and the lessons for every designer.
Even the most admired design teams get it wrong sometimes.
What went wrong
A charging port placed underneath a mouse meant it could not be used while charging. It looked clean in photos and frustrated people every day.
Form versus use
The lesson is simple: a design is only good if it works in real life, not just on a product page.
Test with real people
Watch someone use your design for a week. The problems you miss in the studio show up quickly at home.