Can You Find the Missing Link in Target’s “Itso Builder”?

So the other day, I stumbled across a cool project called Itso Storage that IDEO did for Target some time last year. The product is the typical IDEO output: clever, practical and elegant. However, the web aspect of Itso appears to be missing an important feature. Either that or I’m blind. (Was that a bad joke?)

First, some background info. Target wanted to provide customers with a storage system that could fit a diverse array of lifestyles. IDEO developed the Itso storage system – a series of modular components capable of virtually infinite configurations. To top it off, Target had a fun little application added to their site – the Itso Builder. It lets customers experiment with possible configurations in a virtual environment, then print, share or save the list of necessary components to create their dream storage system.

So what’s missing? The ability to add all required items directly to your shopping cart. See, when you finish your configuration, your options are to print the list of components, send the list to a friend via email, or send it to yourself via email. The intent is that customers would bring their printed list to a Target store and purchase the items there. But when I first used the application, I expected shopping cart integration and was completely shocked that they didn’t have it.

The lesson to be learned here is that User Experience isn’t just about the usability of whatever features you decide to include, it’s also about determining and/or provoking user expectation, and then meeting that fully. Somewhere along the way, my expectations were established, and in the end they were not met, resulting in disappointment. And blogging about it. Yeah, I will probably still buy the product because it’s genius and I need a good cabinet type thing on top of which to place my pet fish. But they could have made it so much easier for me.

I wonder how many other users of the Itso Builder application expected it to integrate with the shopping cart? Am I the only one? Or maybe I’m just missing some really obvious link or button somewhere.