General Electric (GE) and Juicero, a now-defunct juice company, both demonstrate the potential pitfalls of over-engineering products. GE’s predilection for “adding features” to their appliances, such as refrigerators with hot water dispensers, has led to increased complexity and potential for failure. Similarly, Juicero’s high-tech juicer, which required Wi-Fi to operate and had a scanner for QR codes on juice packs, was criticised for its excessive complexity compared to traditional juicers.
While these features may seem innovative, they can often detract from the core functionality of the product. GE’s appliances, for example, became more prone to breakdowns due to the added features, leading to customer dissatisfaction. Juicero’s product, despite its high-tech features, didn’t perform the basic task of juicing any better than a simple hand-squeeze.
The lesson from these two cases is that businesses should focus on delivering a reliable, functional product rather than overloading it with unnecessary features. Over-engineering not only increases the potential for failure but can also lead to a product that doesn’t meet basic consumer needs.
Go to source article: http://interconnected.org/home/2017/09/06/ge_and_juicero