What Product Design can learn from Point Break
The older I get, the more I am shortchanged by time. This trend correlates with specific ‘firsts’ in my life: first broadband connection, first MacBook, first smartphone. Each one is a fantastic innovation, each one has nonchalantly chewed away at my 24/7 over the years. But the advent of social media was when things got really bad.
Yet, I didn’t fight this. Even worse, I propagated the problem by creating social media ad campaigns at creative agencies on both sides of the pond. In 2019, I read Cal Newport’s Digital Minimalism and things popped into technicolor — I felt how people feel when they see a polar bear stranded on a melting iceberg.
Sick of selling people things they didn’t want or need, I decided to retrain as a Product Designer. I want to help people live better, healthier and happier lives, which for me means less screen time.
That’s where 90s surf epic ‘Point Break’ comes in. Because I believe a good digital product should be like a bank heist: get in, get what you need and get out, as fast as you can.
Conversely, banking apps are the antithesis of this belief. Whether you’ve emptied your account or saved money, they are joyless. Security is a valid concern, but sending someone money is convoluted. That’s why I love Venmo because it goes beyond simply solving an intangible need.
Venmo sweetens the pill of paying someone. It’s low-friction, fast and encourages creativity. Sure, you could send someone $30 for “Dinner” but using an emoji sprinkles gold dust on the transaction instead. Plus it’s fun (albeit voyeuristic) to see what your friends are spending their money on, which if the emojis are true, is a solid diet of alcohol and eggplants.
I’m particularly fascinated by digital products that facilitate offline experiences. The Pacific Northwest has an overwhelming number of hiking trails. With AllTrails, users can search for trails by length, difficulty, footfall and more. On your hike, the app negates the need for a map and compass by integrating GPS to chart your progress and point out when you’re lost. Is it the prettiest app? No. But it’s a portal to a healthy mind and body, and has me looking up at trees, not down at my phone.
Hiking is best in Fall. Unfortunately this clashes with the NFL season. If there’s one app I’m “addicted to” it is ESPN Fantasy. I used to play fantasy soccer by cutting a form out of a newspaper, sending it back at the start of every season and hoping for the best. With the ESPN app, I can constantly tweak my lineup, get injury updates, points predictions and more.
Today, the global fantasy sports market is valued at $18.6bn. Without any doubt, digital products have facilitated this growth. Product designers have identified a need, designed a richer, more accessible experience, and subsequently helped build a billion dollar industry.
While I’d like to delete social media apps from my phone, they serve a purpose by connecting me with friends across the world — especially during this pandemic. But, as much as Zuck would like to convince us otherwise, digital products work best when they facilitate real-world connections. And it is this belief that fuels my own design adventure.
Because as Patrick Swayze says at the end of ‘Point Break’, “Why be a servant to the law, when you can be its master?”.