A joy to use. Kevin Perlinger explains V-ZUG’s approach to User Experience Design

V-ZUG’s design philosophy is straightforward: creating the most beautiful, timeless and minimalist products on the market. What about its approach to functionality? “Well, actually, we have a word for that. It’s simplexity, which means making something complex feel simple in every possible way,” says Kevin Perlinger, User Experience Designer at V-ZUG.

User Experience (UX) Design is relatively recent. Originating in the 1970s, it focuses on designing products with user interaction in mind, aiming to create seamless, intuitive and enjoyable experiences. “Intuitive means something different to everyone. It depends on other products we’re surrounded by and how we expect them to function. Of course, some established rules have been tested, and we take inspiration from them,” Perlinger notes.

This is why V-ZUG places a strong emphasis on testing. “In UX Design, we always improve our user personas, because people evolve quickly. Users change, and it’s crucial to keep up to date. What sets new generations apart from older ones? Are they truly digital natives? How do they interact with artificial intelligence?” illustrates Perlinger. Market research plays a key role in helping V-ZUG understand its users. “We’re an international company, so we operate across different continents. And, as you know, Swiss are different to other Europeans, and Europeans from Asians – this diversity is also something we always consider.”

But what does UX Design at V-ZUG mean in practice? A prime example is the iconic Circle Slider, which allows people to operate the oven in an entirely new, more intimate way, thanks to the tactile sensation of carved glass beneath their fingertips. Transparent and effortlessly connected to the user interface, the Circle Slider functions both as a user input interface and as a display for information provided by the appliance – a dual-function feature in the same space as a traditional knob.

For the industrial designer the goal is for people to notice the perfection of the circle and the elegance of the glass, while the UX designer’s success lies in people not noticing anything – because everything is seamless. So, what brings satisfaction to Kevin Perlinger? «My pleasure comes from seeing how easily people interact with our appliances. During testing, when I give users a task and they complete it effortlessly, like it’s obvious – that’s my joy.»