In the world of high-level design strategy, we often see a specific image recirculated: a glass Heinz bottle labeled “Design” and a plastic squeeze bottle labeled “User Experience.” The implication is that the plastic bottle is “better” because it is more efficient.
This is a fundamentally immature view of what it means to design an experience. It confuses utility with sophistication.
1. The Poverty of “Ease of Use”
If the only metric for success is the path of least resistance, then a paper plate is “better UX” than fine china. After all, you don’t have to wash the paper plate.
But UX is not merely the absence of friction; it is the presence of a specific, intended emotion. The glass Heinz bottle – found in five-star hotels and heritage steakhouses – is a deliberate choice. Its weight, its coldness to the touch, and even its legendary “slowness” are tactile cues of quality and preservation. To replace that with a crinkling, stained plastic bottle from a “shitty taco stand” doesn’t improve the UX; it degrades the brand.
2. The Misappropriation of “UI”
We need to stop using “UI” to describe physical ergonomics. User Interface refers to the space where a human interacts with a machine or software. A bottle is a vessel. A cap is a closure. Using “UI” to describe a bottle’s shape is a linguistic shortcut that reveals a lack of technical depth.
When an executive discusses the “Interface,” they are discussing the bridge between digital logic and human intuition. When they discuss a bottle, they are discussing Industrial Design and Sensory Marketing. Let’s use the correct lexicon.
3. Sophistication vs. The “Cheap Shit” Trap
The plastic squeeze bottle is a solution for high-volume, low-margin environments where speed is the only variable that matters. It is “cheap shit” designed for efficiency.
The glass bottle is a solution for an environment where the ritual is part of the product. The “thwack” on the 57-mark is a user interaction that rewards patience with a sense of tradition. High-level design understands that sometimes, the “friction” is the experience.
