In order for design to be successful, it must meet people´s basic needs before it can attempt to satisfy higher level needs.
Functionality needs – meeting the most basic design requirements. Video recorder must at minimum provide capability to record, play and rewind. Design at this level has no value.
Reliability needs – stable and consistent performance. Video recorder at this level should perform consistently and play back programs at an acceptable level of quality. Design at this level is of a low value.
Usability needs – how easy and forgiving a design is to use. Configuration of a video recorder to record programs at a later time. Design at this level is of a moderate level.
Proficiency needs – empowering people to do things better than they could previously. Enabling people to do things not previously possible. Design at this level is of a high level.
Creativity – is the level in hierarchy where all needs have been satisfied, and people begin to interact with the design in innovative ways. For example, Alessi vine opener is not only an effective vine opener but also a decorative artifact. Design at this level is of a high value.
Considering the hierarchy of needs in design, and ensuring that lower-level needs are satisfied before resources are devoted to higher-level needs is of great importance. Hierarchy of needs should be used for evaluation of existing designs to determine where modifications should be made.
