Developing Products that are Easy to Use
Improving the User Experience through Collaboration with Seniors
The product catalog published by Shimadzu Corporation in 1882, the Science Equipment Catalog List, stated: “We will gladly undertake the manufacture of whatever you may request of us.” That customer-focused philosophy continues today. In the three-year medium-term management plan launched this fiscal year, Shimadzu Corporation has set the goal of becoming “a technology-based, end-to-end solutions partner with a customer-in*1 model.”
This article introduces its current initiatives to better understand customer needs and develop easy-to-use products in collaboration with seniors.
- *1: Providing optimal products and services based on the needs of each individual customer
Delivering Products that are Easy to Use
Shimadzu products are used by a wide range of customers, with varying levels of experience and operating environments. Meeting these diverse needs requires not only high product performance but also an improved user experience (UX: the overall experience users have when using a product or service).
To achieve this, Shimadzu Corporation follows the human-centered design process defined in the international standard ISO9241-210, repeatedly conducting field studies and evaluations in simulated operating environments to incorporate customers’ usage patterns and needs into product development. These UX improvement activities have been led by Corporate Product Design Center of Shimadzu Corporation since 2018, alongside efforts to develop UX specialists and support the acquisition of relevant certifications.
Challenges Identified during Product Development
As part of its UX improvement activities, Shimadzu Corporation established a product evaluation program involving senior users in 2024 in collaboration with the Shimadzu Senior Venture Club (SSVC). The initiative grew out of concerns identified by Kuniko Yoshimi (Assistant Manager, Design Strategy Group, Product Design Unit, Corporate Product Design Center) during product development.
Kuniko Yoshimi, Corporate Product Design Center
During the development of one product, we asked older patients at a hospital to evaluate its usability. They identified a number of issues that had not been raised by users in their twenties and thirties. That experience made me realize how important it is to involve senior users in product evaluations. Another challenge was the difficulty of recruiting participants with specialist product knowledge, while the age profile of participants was heavily weighted toward younger adults (20s and 30s) and middle-aged users (40s and 50s).
While considering possible solutions, we learned about SSVC, whose members are retired Shimadzu Group employees. Their desire to continue contributing to society and the company by applying the technical expertise and specialized knowledge they developed during their careers aligned with our objectives, and this led to the start of the collaboration.
When older adults participate in usability testing*2, they can identify issues—such as difficulty reading text, the amount of force required to perform tasks, and the precision needed for finger movements—that younger generations might overlook. For example, “The text on the software is too small,” “It takes a lot of force to open and close the device’s cover,” “My hands shake, making it difficult to operate,” and “I get confused when there are many controls or steps to follow.” Addressing these issues helps create products that are easier for everyone to use, not just for a particular age group.
- *2: An evaluation method in which actual users or people matching the target user profile operate a product to identify usability issues and assess ease of use.
Members of SSVC taking part in a usability test. The facilitator conducts the session while paying close attention to participants’ physical and mental well-being, using appropriate conversation to help them relax and encouraging them to stay hydrated
Commenting on the results of the collaboration with SSVC, Yoshimi said, “We are currently evaluating analytical and measuring products as well as products for care facilities. The evaluations have revealed usability issues that are easily overlooked when testing is limited to younger participants. Recognizing these issues during product development has opened up new opportunities to improve user experience. We have also learned that, when working with senior participants, it is important to proceed without making them feel rushed and to listen carefully to what they are thinking and where they encounter difficulties when using a product. Through repeated evaluations, we have also developed greater expertise in facilitating usability tests.”
Driving the Development of Future Products
Although the UX improvement program was launched to provide customers with better products, the collaboration with SSVC has also produced unexpected benefits.
Yoshimi has received comments from SSVC members such as, “I’m pleased to know I can still contribute to society,” and “It brought back memories of my working days and was enjoyable.” Usability testing has also become an opportunity for current development engineers and former employees to interact. “One former employee who tried one of our latest models commented that he was impressed by its specifications. It was memorable to see how pleased the development team was to receive praise from a senior colleague,” recalls Yoshimi.
Looking ahead, Yoshimi said:
The desire of our employees to develop better products and the desire of our retired employees to continue contributing to society have come together in this initiative, providing the driving force for the products of the future. By continuing to value customer needs and user feedback, we will keep developing products that people of all generations can use with confidence.
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