Erica Eden, a senior industrial design strategist, in
this article at fastcodesign.com explores how men and women can love the same design for different reasons. She uses the MINI Cooper as an example:
Let’s look at how this dynamic plays out in the car industry. Women tend to favor the Volkswagen Beetle because it is cute and playful. Many men dismiss it for the exact same reasons. The Mini Cooper is one of the few cars that genuinely appeal to both sexes. Men love the Mini Cooper for its stunt car roots, sports-car handling, and powerful engine. Women also love the Mini Cooper, because it is friendly and fun to drive, like a charismatic sidekick. Of course, there are always people who break this mold, but this example teaches us that we sometimes want the same things, though often for different reasons. The ability to evoke personality is a key method of transparent design, because it helps us satisfy the natural preferences of both genders.
