A UX Designer Walks Into a Tesla Bar

Point 1: 1+1=3

Edward Tufte has this visual rule that 1+1=3. With a single line on the screen, you have just that single object, but adding a second line does something interesting, it adds a third ‘object’ on the screen, the negative space between the two. All good visual designers deeply understand this effect.

In UX design we have a cognitive equivalent. If you have two buttons, there is a third ‘object’ created, the decision a user must make on which button to tap. This cognitive load is invisible and rarely discussed but it can be a real source of confusion.

But in moving to v11, this icon bar was changed. The defroster icon is now gone. No amount of “scanning for a known icon” will work. Instead of a light task anyone can do in the moment, it’s replaced with a task that needs training: I have to KNOW where it’s hiding. I actually must RTFM. I’ll admit, this isn’t the world’s hardest thing to learn. But when I’m moving at 70mph on a busy highway with the screen fogging up, being a little bit harder isn’t great. This is why automotive UX is so hard. It’s the context and the severe consequences that make it far more impactful than a poorly designed phone app.