# 249: It Depends

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2018-06-15
- Length: 1h 13m
- Episode: 249
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-06-15-249-it-depends
- Listen: https://makingembeddedsystems.libsyn.com/249-it-depends

## Summary

Claire Rowland, lead author of 'Designing Connected Products' and a UX consultant specializing in the Internet of Things, discusses the critical role of user experience in hardware-enabled services. She argues that reliability and local control are often sacrificed for connectivity, leading to frustrating user interactions where devices fail or behave unpredictably. Rowland emphasizes that good IoT design requires treating the product as a holistic system, integrating technical architecture, business models, and privacy considerations rather than just focusing on the interface.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-06-15-249-it-depends#t=6) Introduction and Background
- [6:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-06-15-249-it-depends#t=370) The Reality of IoT User Experience
- [10:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-06-15-249-it-depends#t=611) Reliability and the Failure of Smart Home Dreams
- [17:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-06-15-249-it-depends#t=1030) Ecosystem Lock-in and Interoperability
- [23:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-06-15-249-it-depends#t=1397) Voice Interfaces and the Command Line Problem
- [27:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-06-15-249-it-depends#t=1656) Designing for Failure and Uncertainty
- [36:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-06-15-249-it-depends#t=2203) Cross-Functional Communication and Testing
- [56:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-06-15-249-it-depends#t=3411) Security, Privacy, and GDPR
- [1:10:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-06-15-249-it-depends#t=4224) Holistic UX and Conclusion

## Topics

- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Security & privacy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/security-and-privacy)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- O'Reilly (company)
- Alert Me (company)
- British Gas Hive (company)
- Apple Watch (product)
- HomeKit (product)
- Philips Hue (product)
- Amazon Echo (product)
- Tesla (company)
- Model 3 (product)
- GDPR (other)
- Strava (product)
- IoT UK (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [The Importance of UX Design for IoT Adoption | Velavu's Rob Shudra & Dominic Peters | Internet of Things Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2023-10-24-the-importance-of-ux-design-for-iot-adoption-velavus-rob-shudra-dominic-peters-i) (IoT For All Podcast)
- [Why IoT Needs Design to Thrive | Hannah White, VP of Design at Leverege | #AskIoT E001](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2019-02-11-why-iot-needs-design-to-thrive-hannah-white-vp-of-design-at-leverege-askiot-e001) (IoT For All Podcast)
- [#017 - How *not* to think about IoT, with Michael Vladimer of Orange IoT Studio, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-03-15-017-how-not-to-think-about-iot-with-michael-vladimer-of-orange-iot-studio-usa) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [IoT’s Power to Innovate and Disrupt | Eseye's Nick Earle](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2021-05-10-iots-power-to-innovate-and-disrupt-eseyes-nick-earle) (IoT For All Podcast)
- [How to Design and Build Connected Devices | Wai Loong-Lim, Founder and CEO of Y Studios | #AskIoT E023](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2019-04-17-how-to-design-and-build-connected-devices-wai-loong-lim-founder-and-ceo-of-y-stu) (IoT For All Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-06-15-249-it-depends. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Embedded.fm.