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When a product has achieved a level of influence and perfection that transcends time and culture, it is considered to have a quintessential design. It ultimately becomes the standard by which all similar products are measured.
The word “quintessential” comes from the ancient Greek and Roman concept of the fifth element, an invisible force that permeates everything. While the universe is made up of four elements (fire, air, earth, and water), the fifth element is the most dominant, and is the very soul or spirit of existence.
Behind every quintessential design is a creator's passion and soul. The designs not only look good, but also work exceptionally well, in line with the soul and spirit of society. Quintessential products oftentimes outlast their creators. So, why can they not be improved?
The Sunbeam toaster, which automatically lowers and raises bread, is an example of an exemplary design in a product. It was invented in 1949, and even though it made toasting bread easy and precise, it isn’t the standard design used for all toasters today. Why is that?
Although the Sunbeam toaster offered convenience, it was expensive to produce and buy. In 1949, it cost one-third of an average week’s salary. The toaster’s complex assembly also increased the likelihood of mechanical failure.
For a design to be considered quintessential, it must be high quality and reliable, widely scaled, and also cost-effective. It should set a standard for production, while being both practical and affordable. Unfortunately, the Sunbeam toaster lacked some of these essential features.
Pushing a lever on a toaster, although a simple action, adds a tangible and tactile experience that users appreciate. For many people, the ability to push the lever offers a sense of control, which is almost always more appealing than automatic designs.
Quintessential designs need to be mass-produced to be used everywhere. While niche designs like the Sunbeam toaster excite certain enthusiasts, they rarely achieve mainstream success, which is what quintessential products are meant to achieve.
The humble paperclip is an example of a quintessential design, due to its efficient manufacturing process. A simple wire bent three times in a cost-effective, high-speed operation ensures that billions of them can be produced. The process, not just the design, makes it universally popular.
Despite more effective paperclip designs existing (such as those that hold papers more securely), they never gained popularity. The practicality of the standard paperclip's manufacturing process makes it unbeatable.
The Maglite flashlight is an example of how legal strategies can also create quintessential designs. The company’s success hinged not only on the product’s quality, but also on aggressive enforcement of the flashlight’s patent. Ultimately, they dominated the market.
Maglite's founder, Tony Maga, sued competitors to protect his design, spending millions on lawsuits. One of the lawsuits was against major retail chains, and they were required to buy Maglite products as part of the settlement. This ensured that the brand became widespread.
A product’s quintessential attributes also come from its reputation. Maglite benefited from strategic connections with US presidents, which helped the company secure contracts to supply law enforcement with flashlights. Its durability made it a favorite among police officers, and the company developed a reputation that cannot easily be overshadowed.
Even though video gaming consoles have evolved significantly, their controllers haven’t changed that much. The layout that was established by Nintendo and refined by PlayStation became a standard for all future designs.
Sony’s introduction of thumbsticks on the PlayStation controller made navigating 3D game worlds much easier. This innovation created a design that feels ‘right’ in the hands of diverse gamers.
If PlayStation were to redesign their controller, there would significant backlash from gamers. After all, players spend thousands of hours honing their gaming skills (ultimately developing muscle memory), and even minor modifications can feel disruptive.
When Nintendo released their motion-controlled Wii remote, they aimed to redefine gaming. They succeeded temporarily but the controller didn’t become a new standard because it didn’t offer much diversity to gamers.
Video game controllers must also work for a wide range of hand sizes, from the smallest 5% to the largest 95%. This need for inclusivity restricts design changes. Indeed, controllers have to fit nearly everyone, which limits how much innovation that companies can implement.
The QWERTY keyboard was created to prevent jams in typewriters, but it remains the standard even though typewriters are now obsolete. Although some alternative layouts are faster, people stick with QWERTY because it's what they're familiar with.
Switching from QWERTY to a more efficient layout isn’t worth the effort for most people. The time needed to relearn typing skills wouldn’t offer enough benefit. Similarly, PlayStation controllers persist because the small benefits that could come from redesigns rarely outweigh the cost.
The Ford Model T, released in 1908, revolutionized transportation by being affordable and reliable. Unlike expensive, luxurious cars of the time, the Model T stripped away nonessential elements to lower costs, which made car ownership accessible to the average person.
Henry Ford’s assembly line also transformed car manufacturing by reducing assembly time from 12 hours to 93 minutes. This efficiency was critical to the Model T’s popularity, and proved how a well-designed production process can be as important as the product itself.
Despite its success, the Model T couldn’t keep up with consumer demands for more features and options. General Motors introduced cars in various colors and styles, forcing Ford to innovate. The Model A (pictured) saved the company, but the Model T's simplicity remains legendary and influential to this day.
When the iPhone was released, it became the archetype for smartphones, setting the standard for design and functionality with its full touchscreen interface. Despite the criticism of being addictive, smartphones are now indispensable for billions of people.
Smartphones, especially the iPhone, allowed information to be accessed in a wide variety of regions. It became a quintessential design because of its ubiquity, since it even provided internet access to those living in developing regions of the world.
Quintessential designs don’t require improvement because they evoke emotional responses. Whether it’s the comfort of a familiar controller or the allure of a sleek smartphone, these products connect on an instinctual level, which is why they last so long.
Creating quintessential designs involves more than following formulas. It requires a balance of structure and freedom while allowing room for the unexpected. Products that already achieve this don’t really have any need to improve.
Despite advances in technology, some designs remain iconic and irreplaceable. The blend of functionality and emotional connection gives these designs a lasting presence. They remind us of the human element in innovation, where not everything can be measured or predicted.
As society moves forward, the focus should be on integrating design with human well-being. The next great innovations will need to balance technology’s capabilities with the complexity of human life. After all, the most successful designs have always been those that respect our humanity.
Sources: (International Journal of Design) (The Futur) (Interaction Design Foundation)
See also: Products with a lifetime warranty you only need to buy once
If anyone were to take a trip through history and study every product ever made, they would notice one common theme. Indeed, some product designs have become practically timeless, persisting unchanged for decades or even centuries despite advances in technology and evolving consumer needs. The enduring success of such products isn’t due to a lack of innovation, but rather something deeper that tells the story of how certain objects can remain functional despite never changing.
Products like these are considered to be quintessential and at the very height of design. But why do they endure for so long? What makes these designs irreplaceable while others fade away? Click through this gallery to find out.
Why some product designs are impossible to improve
There are some things that are simply too perfect to change
LIFESTYLE Innovation
If anyone were to take a trip through history and study every product ever made, they would notice one common theme. Indeed, some product designs have become practically timeless, persisting unchanged for decades or even centuries despite advances in technology and evolving consumer needs. The enduring success of such products isn’t due to a lack of innovation, but rather something deeper that tells the story of how certain objects can remain functional despite never changing.
Products like these are considered to be quintessential and at the very height of design. But why do they endure for so long? What makes these designs irreplaceable while others fade away? Click through this gallery to find out.