A while back NYC added TVs to the back seat of cabs, however it appears they missed the mark.

The majority of riders either turn it off or simply ignore it. This is a good example of adding a feature without adding much value for the end user (or the cabbie).

Think how much more useful it could be if instead of reruns of Jerry Springer they allowed a rider to figure out the cab fare plus correct tip amount, directions, places nearby to eat, etc. Maybe for Manhattenites who use cabs on a regular basis, traffic status so they can communicate with whomever they are meeting about how late they will be, or a listing flight schedules (on time / delayed).

At times it’s hard to resist. Features are fun, sexy and cool. But all too often to get these features user experience is sacrificed. The role of any good UX designer or UX team should be that of dissuading teams from creating products that are bloated with features that most users won’t find useful or use.

Contact me if you’re interesting in learning more about usability design, best practices, or how usability can increase your ROI.