Why Sci-Fi Is Bad for Design

Tech that looks cool in the movies is often distracting and frustrating for real users

Amazon’s Home of the Future consists mostly of voice-activated parlor tricks. Photos courtesy of the author.

Science fiction visions, especially as presented in movies and television shows, have infected our approach to UX and product design. They have nudged us to mistake visualizations that were created for maximum dramatic appeal for solutions that are feasible and desirable…