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The principle of universal design argues that solving for extreme use cases uncovers fundamental problems that benefit all users. Curb cuts made for wheelchairs help people with strollers, and lighter body armor designed for female soldiers proved superior for many male soldiers.
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The US Air Force's attempt to design a fighter pilot seat based on the average dimensions of all pilots resulted in a seat that fit zero individuals. This illustrates a critical flaw in design and advice: optimizing for a statistical average often creates a solution that is ill-suited for any single real person.
Product design often targets a mythical "average" person, which means it serves no one perfectly. Superior design, like HumanScale's Freedom chair, adapts automatically to the individual user's weight and shape, providing tailored support without manual adjustments.
Instead of designing for the 'happy path' user, start with the most marginalized or struggling users. Solving their complex problems first creates clarity and simplicity that has a 'halo effect,' improving the experience for every other user as a byproduct.
It's easy to let edge cases and non-ideal user paths lower the ceiling of an experience. It's often better to downplay the impact on a small percentage of users if it means creating a truly special and optimized experience for your core target persona.
Major product breakthroughs often come from solving a problem for a niche group with extreme needs. The solution developed for this 'extreme user' can then be adapted and applied to a much broader general population, creating a significant market opportunity.
The classic case of military jet crashes reveals a critical design flaw: cockpits were built for the "average" pilot. Out of 4,000 pilots, none fit the average on ten key dimensions. This illustrates how designing for an abstract average can fail everyone in practice.
Drawing from service dog training, building trust requires designing for the edge scenario, not the average use case. A system's value is proven by its ability to handle what goes wrong, not just what goes right. This is where user confidence is truly forged.
Stanford designer Dave Evans advises that constraints (family, finances, location) are not obstacles to be transcended but helpful boundaries. They narrow the field of what you have to worry about, focusing the design task on making the most of what is possible within your reality, rather than trying to "beat gravity."
By designing a high-performance basketball shoe for an athlete with cerebral palsy, Nike solved for the most challenging use case. This "highest order of need" approach creates a superior, non-token solution that ultimately benefits a broader audience with similar, less-extreme needs.
Product teams often build on modern, powerful devices. In the public sector, users have varied access to technology. Success requires designing for older hardware, slower connections, and less tech-savvy users, ensuring accessibility for the most vulnerable populations.