Killer Feature

Killer Feature is a post dedicated to the small, sometimes subtle interactions that unknowingly make our days easier and may even bring a smile to our faces.

Design: Apple
Interactions: Connecting a new device to WiFi

Everyone has been through it. That moment when you’re setting up a connected device in your home for the first time and a prompt pops up asking you for your WiFi network and password. Then begins the hunt through drawers and folders for the dreaded details that are needed just a few times a year at most.

The other day, when adding an iPad to my home network, I looked to my iPhone to access 1Password for the key when I was greeted by the following message prompt:

The importance of this interaction is way bigger than the sum of its parts. Password managers aren’t widely used, and couple that with an above average difficultly level to change the standard issued WiFi password leaves average Joe foraging in cupboards and drawers far and wide seeking out the sacred code card that connects their latest shiny consumer tech birthday presents to the network. Having this single point of resolve is a huge time save and reflects a level of consideration that means something to the everyday user.

Ok, I may be over-egging the pudding here as owning multiple hundreds-of-dollars Apple devices isn’t a smart or cheap way to solve this particular problem, but what it does do is reinforce users’ view of the Apple ecosystem so that if the small interactions are considered to such a minute level, imagine what else has been considered.

“Make it simple, but significant”
Don Draper

Throughout life there are moments when humans wince at the smallest repetitious activities, especially when they obstruct the final goal. Being mindful of these sorts of pain points allows CX teams to really connect with the user and build trust throughout the journey through a combination of many small considerations that can lead to much bigger wins.

Apple surprised me the other day. I was all set for a usual tiresome password procedure when my dull expectations were pleasantly flipped into a warm, fuzzy feeling of relief. It’s these interactions that make for great experiences which goes to show micro moments are just as important as macro visions. Good work Apple. 👏

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