Buttons

My wife and I bought our Tesla in 2018, long before Elon Musk was rebranded as a chainsaw swinging “budget consultant”.  One of the things that stood out was the simple elegance of the interior.  Whenever friends rode in our car, their first question was always the same – “Where are all the controls?”

Another visionary billionaire entrepreneur, the late Steve Jobs, would have loved it – Jobs was famous for his “koumpounophobia”, though his was more of an aversion to buttons than a fear.  His feelings had a profound influence on Apple’s product designs -smooth, buttonless devices like the iPhone and the Apple mouse.  His preference for simplified design even extended to clothing, like his signature black turtlenecks.

This minimalist approach is not new.  More than 5 centuries ago, Leonardo da Vinci wrote “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”  His paintings as well as his inventions reflected this focus on essential elements, clean lines and streamlined design.  Though user interfaces were not yet a thing, Leonardo understood the power of elegance over showiness. 

The removal of buttons in modern devices was facilitated not so much by sophisticated design, but rather by the widespread adoption of touchscreens.  While the first iPhone - released in 2007 - had a few buttons, the touchscreen controlled most of the higher-level functions.  By 2009, we were already talking about the eventual demise of the physical button.  It wasn’t long before cars, appliances, personal electronics - most of the devices we interact with on a daily basis - were controlled by touchscreens.  Controlling all functions of a device with a single screen certainly seems like the ultimate in simplicity. Why then are we starting to see a trend toward “re-buttonization”?

One of the most advanced weapons in the US arsenal is the F-35 Lightning II fighter jet.  As befits its $83 million sticker price, the plane incorporates all the latest technologies, including a 20” x 8” panoramic touchscreen display.  Pilots have been less than thrilled, noting that without tactile feedback, it’s difficult to avoid errors during high-G maneuvering.  An excess of data, also known as screen overload, reduces clarity.  Although I have yet to attempt any high-G maneuvers in our Tesla, I can attest to the dangers of distraction by the busy screen. 

Professor Rachel Plotnick of Indiana University, an acknowledged expert who studies interfaces, observes that we seem to gravitate naturally to buttons, drawn in part by the way in which we can feel our way around without actually looking at them, as well as by the tactile sensations they offer and the feedback they provide.  Few of us will ever fly an F-35, but most can appreciate the challenge of touching a precise spot on a screen while bouncing along on the road.  Those in the blind community often have an enhanced sense of touch (helpful when reading braille, for example) but find the “touchscreen” problematic.  Video gamers will always want to push lots of buttons while concentrating on a screen, and the rest of us are realizing that this sort of hybrid interface offers many advantages. 

Dr. Plotnick has conducted interviews regarding individuals' willingness to use a defibrillator during an emergency. When encountering someone experiencing cardiac arrest, employing a nearby AED is relatively straightforward. Despite this, many individuals fear actually pressing the button to start the machine. What factors would make them feel OK about that?

Historically, distinguishing between new versus improved technologies has been challenging. Buttons and touchscreens each have their own advantages and limitations. Buttons generally offer a limited range of functions, which might provide safety by simplifying choices in clutch situations.  All of these are design questions, but they also involve social and cultural issues.

The evolution of technology saw a shift from physical buttons to touchscreens, driven by the desire for simplicity and streamlined design. Influencers from Leonardo da Vinci to Steve Jobs have factored into this trend.  Screen overload causing errors and distractions, along with the absence of tactile feedback, have emerged as key limitations.  The return to buttons is now the coming thing, enhancing usability in high pressure situations like flying fighter jets or driving on the freeway.  Ultimately, the hybrid approach combining buttons and touchscreens may provide the best balance between minimalist design, safety, and social needs.

Still, our Tesla will always be way cooler without buttons(*).

(*) Our Model 3 does have two stalk control levers, each with a button on the end.

Author Profile - Paul W. Smith - leader, educator, technologist, writer - has a lifelong interest in the countless ways that technology changes the course of our journey through life.  In addition to being a regular contributor to NetworkDataPedia, he maintains the website Technology for the Journey and occasionally writes for Blogcritics.  Paul has over 50 years of experience in research and advanced development for companies ranging from small startups to industry leaders.  His other passion is teaching - he is a former Adjunct Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines. Paul holds a doctorate in Applied Mechanics from the California Institute of Technology, as well as Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara.