The Homer Simpson car is a great lesson in building products | by Patrick Thornton
One of the first things I do in all of my classes is show this clip of Homer Simpson trying to design a car. I’m serious.
It’s a great lesson in how not to build a product.
Watch it, and then let’s walk through why it has so many great lessons for product design and development.
One of the things that makes the Homer Simpson Car clip so interesting is that Homer has real desires in a car that are perfectly reasonable. As designers our job is to figure out people’s problems and desires and translate those into great products.
Homer wants a large car because he is a family man with three kids and two pets. He’d also like ways to not be distracted by his three kids while he is driving. He wants places to put his drinks.
Homer often struggles to find his car when he parks in a large parking lot. Homer wants a car that is pretty quick because he wants to feel alive every now and then in his suburban dad life.
All of this is great feedback from a user. Understanding the problems Homer faces and understanding his life is a great way to inform design. By utilizing contextual inquiry and user interviewing, we can find out the problems that people like Homer face and synthesize that data and translate it into actionable requirements to build again.
Where the Homer Simpson Car implodes is that it lets a user actually design the car. Homer is not a designer. He has no idea how to design anything.
So it ends up that Homer has really bad solutions to his problems. He can’t take sensible requirements and make them into good product design. Almost no user can. Don’t let users design your products for you.
But good product design is not about letting your users design your products for you — it’s about solving users problems and making their lives better.
A lot of you are allowing Homer Simpson to design your products
“Whhhhhhhat?” I hear you saying. The ability to translate feedback from users (after gathering it in a methodical way) and translating that into requirements is a real skill.
Never ask your users what to build. Ask your users what they are trying to do.
How can you avoid building the Homer Simpson Car?
Before you ask, observe
Start off with contextual inquiry. Watch people go about their lives and do their work. After you observe, start asking questions.
Rock your users interviews
User interviewing is a great combination with contextual inquiry. You observe and then you ask questions. The key to good user interviewing is to ask good, probing questions. Never lead the user!
Translate your user research into thoughtful requirements
Synthesize your research and then translate it into thoughtful requirements. When you sythensize research, you should also be abstracting it. Build your requirements around solving problems for users. Focus on activities.
Activities go across users and often even cultures. Design for activities by translating your research into the core activities your users are trying to do.
Follow a well-defined rubric when designing new products
This is the rubric we use at FiscalNote and here are the guidelines for good product design we follow. It helps get everyone at the company speaking the same language and understanding how we define good.
Homer wasn’t wrong
It wasn’t Homer’s fault that the car he designed turned out so badly — it was the fault of the company that asked a random person off the street to design their product. A lot of you are letting Homers design your products and then blaming them when things turn out poorly!
Don’t ask random people to build your products. Take ownership over your own work, and take ownership on your users being successful.
Our most important job as product designers is to take ownership of the success of our users.
FINALLY: Homer Simpson-Designed Car ‘The Homer’ Comes to Life
Innovation
It's powerful like a gorilla, yet soft and yielding like a Nerf ball. Oh, and it has a "Bort" license plate.
By Doug Aamoth June 27, 2013
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Season 2, Episode 15 of The Simpsons was a true classic. We learned that Homer had a half-brother named Herb Powell (voiced by Danny DeVito), who ran a car company in Detroit called Powell Motors.
Well, Herb needed some ideas for a new car and he turned to Homer to help him build a car that would appeal to the masses. Homer came up with “The Homer,” a wonderful mess of an automobile with the tagline “The Car Built for Homer.”
Here are the car’s features, according to the Simpsons Wiki:
The Homer has two bubble domes; one in the front, while the one in the back is for quarreling kids, and comes with optional restraints and muzzles.
According to Homer, the engine sound causes people to think “the world’s coming to an end.”
There are three horns, as Homer claims that “you can never find a horn when you’re mad.” The three horns play the song “La Cucaracha.”
The car also features gigantic cupholders, which actually became a feature on many cars in the 1990s onward.
The car has various outdated features such as bubble domes, shag carpeting, and tailfins. It also has a metal bowler as a hood ornament.
The Homer was marketed as, “powerful like a gorilla, yet soft and yielding like a Nerf ball” and “designed for the average man. ”
How much did such incredible automotive refinement cost? The Homer’s sticker price was $82,000. Unsurprisingly, Herb’s company quickly went out of business. But that doesn’t mean The Homer isn’t an appealing automobile to the right person.
As you can see in the above video, the team at Porcubimmer Motors has taken the bold, bold steps of making The Homer a reality. What’s more, it’s a race car. The team will be racing The Homer at the 24 Hours of LeMons race on June 29 in Buttonwillow, California.
Powerful like a gorilla, yet soft and yielding like a Nerf ball sounds like the ultimate combination for a race car. Looks like this race will be over before it even starts.
The Homer – a 24 Hours of LeMons race car [HomerCar.com via @SpeedSportLife via @Tim_Stevens]
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Do'h NUT| Pictures
On this page 830 family pictures Simpsons. If you want to see pictures of other characters click here! Don't forget the collection is updated regularly!
Total: 830
Homer 313
Homer stuck tongue to pole Sperm Homer Homer with a heating pad on his head Capture special services barrel Licking stamp Homer negotiator with terrorists Swearing In the hockey room mask and chainsaw Homer fisherman Holds trash truck trucker Suit Lying lying on the TV on tv homer cyborg in rug instead of panties uuuu! Fighting with Willy Smeared on glass Again cursing Hands up closes ears sleeping Panties Soaps washcloth again sleeping Kolbasit "Hot. Come in!" In space In 3D world in towel in 3D world 2 in 3D world 3 Insert here brains with a knife All in gold Small Homer Watching up looks TV with Barney Runs Captain Submarine Frightened in pajamas swims along the river of lava Alien Painting Homer Drinking Duff Playing now with Pinci Trying on bra Hat and with a beep Sings in the choir Dressed like a thief homer 3D Beer Baron Breast Homer Giant Homer Upset Homer Homer bodyguard Homer in a rag call Something holds homer with hairstyle In sunny glasses shows finger repents Again stealing at the fair With package in the hands of "Woooooot and Joni!" Possessed Serpent Thoracic with pizza "Dancing Homer" In a helmet Again swears homer and hippies Homer with hair Homer working in the garage shackled Homer Ganesh Homer tried pepper Center "Redeductions" Homer and grandfather Homer and Apu Homer on spaceship Homer Elephant Homer eating nuts takes meat from a dog Chest pukes on grandfather In the pool Homer painted with hippie symbols Folded hands drags block of triumph Cooking on fire Dancing in the rain Vocabulary Gomera Money Gomera Smiling Transforms in the cloud Asleep again Mmmmm! AAA! In a bag instead of pants Fell asleep over a glass of beer in an electric car Yeah! In winter clothing Cowboy Again swears Machine "Homer" Exhausted Cap Looking forward eats huge sandwich After the Egyptian Exhibition, Homer on fire In the cap "Penogon" Playing in rugby Smiling "Well Come on, eat the can!" Belly Cap Combing her hair "God, I'm a freak!" Little Homer at Woodstock Homer in women's clothing shows Finger Homer Jock Homer Adam Homer and Pepsi. ..Pepsi Again translates arrows Again bullshit instead of panties Real world Watching TV Santa Klaus Again Santa Came off crazy fell asleep shower scared With a bunch chocolate stoned "Urban gloshaty" Rides on a rubber ring in the virtual Helmet Hugs TV Holds wallet Suit 20s "Kiss my ass!" Holds bottle of Homer rear view Donut instead of a head Scared looking back Frightened looking back Shouting Homer "Man core" "Me I don't need your pity!" With wire from helmet Homer Possessed by the Serpent
angry With hammer Homer Huh? Playing bowling in the 3D world 4 Repents Homer confused in phone sleeping at the funeral Again package instead of underpants Homer with rake hands With an ax Homer "Man Band" Looks from the roof With Bart Washable Accepts bath Eats Homer with a gold ingot around his neck "Entered" in cactus From photo In the car Trainer Dreaming Sauna with friends Nothing doesn't want crying Dancing Homer at the microphone Holds dead Ned Eats Homer Jester Homer tried Hlav Kalash Piet Duff Holds donut Three stages donut eating again stoned in ear Erotic picture of Homer Impatient Always with outstretched hand With Mel Gibson Homer bulging eye Closed eyes In Canyenero Prom Balu Open by mouth Homer Homer jester again In a jacket In Scottish skirt bodyguard Laughs Small Homer Tychet Finger Watching map Eating chips in space In a jacuzzi with Flanders Reads Again finger pokes again bodyguard offended Sailor Heck out boxes Poisoned Skeleton Homer Again eats wipes audio remote control Homer lectures falls Teenager Twists finger to temple Homer farmer drunk speaking by phone On chips Lace Homer with a dollar sign in his eyes shakes shoulders Simple looks Upset Whoo-hoo! Strangles Smithers Homer's Brain Homer in skin Crying Smiling Like Homer remembers who is who Homer with an ice ax in my head Homer and the Devil Homer and snake Homer in a Santa hat Homer after drinking Homer with pistol Homer's heart attack homer in a sweater Homer fights with Kang Homer looking up Homer on the cover of "Short Hair Ideas" magazine Homer in the womb Homer put a pencil in the nose Homer controls virtual dog Homer grinning Homer cooking sausage Homer tied homer reading a book Homer with a bucket on his head Homer at the bar Just Homer Holds by the nose Fainted Blue suit homer in a T-shirt Homer teen homer driving Homer with energy bars flag Homer with a newspaper in hand Homer in a hat with earflaps Homer playing tennis Homer sausage homer making a movie Homer in a pink shirt Homer with a target on the stomach Homer on the march Homer in a T-shirt Homer thinks Homer drinking homer and mailbox Small Homer with pencils in his ears Homer with a banana peel on his head Evil Homer in suit In boxing gloves pig's rib Beaten Homer Running from a donut in a pub Barrel Diapered Evil Radioactive Homer Eating Pizza Watching down the barrel of a gun Homer in shorts Homer at a loss Homer tests reflexes Homer Noet Homer scared Homer Ribs Ribs Homer playing basketball Nothing say in pose Suspicious watching homer on the core Aims Drinks beer Mo Sitting on a chair eating cake thinking (strongly) Worried
Marge 67
Marge rear view with body Bartha In the dark glasses With birds in hair running for children marge Cleopatra Runners Dancing In a bathrobe Drops Products Surprised Cup With products and Maggie in their arms Smiling Worth on one leg Holds jelly talking with Lisa Marge and Lisa roller skating Spread out hands After taking a bath Kang glued to Marge In working clothes Lots of all in Marge's hands zombie scared looking back just watching Reading note Furious Detuned Hands up folded hands behind back Gloved and with handbag Bald Marge In red jacket
Marge beetle Holds pancakes Super Marge Smiling Marge Eve head Marge Marge teen marge lies Holds Maggie Sexy linen Dryit floor In a sundress Marge is worth Marge policewoman raincoat On a ship with a pirate In clothes Santa Claus With a candle With Maggie After confectionery exhibition Ultra Marge Marge Vampire Marge Shaping Marge boxing marge clown marge with jewelry in her hair Joyful Marge Spread out hands Marge Eva Marge Marge says no marge mermaid
Bart 196
Bart running away from the shadows Bart on skateboard 10th annual celebration bart hunks Bart scared Marge 3D head Bart cheats at Terry Bart with flower Bart and Homer Small Bart with a bottle Surprised Bart Yawns at the Little Cinema with pacifier Painted Small Bart bear Bart received deuce jumping smiling with joy Shows something in Ruki's book in pockets Disassembles the inscription on the envelope Eating watermelon With microphone Takes pictures your ass shows Finger Scared Worth with skateboard Thinks Dressed in Sunday clothes again scared Your crown focus Reads mail Discouraged Holds lap-top Joyful Heaped up remote control Upset Worth With drill Something tells With remote control management offended Baseball form in three dimensional world shadow Bold Bart Bart's future with guitar Bart angel on cloud Spread out hands bart angry angel Suppressed the end bart strikes the gong bart caught Blinky Rides skateboarding speaking Shout Bart Hugs Mr. Burns Didn't understand Bart Doctor Professor Holds huge pencil Shitty birthday drink coffee Nervous teak Falling Bart fly Bart French Bart's future With lid from the trash can on the head With glasses Bart angel Simple Bart Bart Dee Jay Angry Bart Crazy scientist Life shit Bartman Bartman holding a funnel Playing in balls Holds a lot of money running naked chatting on the phone Shows praying for someone Looks via jelly Reads book Runs Again skating santa claus showing sheet Looks through the telescope behind Flanders Satisfied horrified Raises sheep shakes shoulders
poisoned Life is beautiful! Skateboarding with a stack of books on his head In special suit for Skate Sleep Rides snowboarding shag Surfboard board in the tank Huge Belly Dental brushed Tries gouging telly vampire Volcano General Bart Smiling again What? With metal with wings on the back in a suit Folded his hands Small Bart is scared Smile again Bart mime Writes off with soles General Happablap Another Vampire Drunk Wanted Hit in Ralph Bart's shop again in the future twin brother Barta Bart in prison Krusty clothes will arrive With fake head of Milhouse behind bars Bart on electric chair A? laughs Rat Drawing Bart Bartman rack Bartman evil Bartman flies Bart is taken away in a psychiatric hospital kite With nameplate on the back Bart on picture Bart and Milhouse in the boat bart kisses the bunny smartass Naked Bart Naked bart stands at the sculpture of Michelangelo "David" Bart professor Bart driven corner Cool costumes Disco Bart Bart leans on on the knee Bart is furious Bart is British Bart has opened mouth holding jar corn Very tense Staring blankly At Bart's plague Wounded skateboarding jumping on a skateboard Bart in a Santa hat Bart shows finger Bart with remote control from TV Zombie Bart Bespectacled Bart Speaking by radio Frightened Bart from Shelbyville Makes a Face With Ice Cream on the head With a wig Bart with scratches on his stomach Bart dancing Bart screaming Bart in a suit Bart playing football Drunk Bart Depicts Marge Drops from skate Stuck Satisfied With a grenade launcher Naked Bart builds face Bart with a helmet Bart with a slingshot Bart is scared Bart with Headphone Mic Suspicious watching angry
Lisa 103
Lisa writes Lisa turns off switch Lisa And the Negro play Lisa's game builds a sandcastle Lisa in the bushes Lisa holds cookie lisa indian Lisa plays on saxophone and sings Worth Drinking milk Dancing Receives books on the head Hand up Shoots from the machine Holds Jebidia's confession Springfield Playing now with lamb Holds Maggie Scared Wrapped up in towel Hand in aside wicked Lisa angel Playing on saxophone With Mr. Bergstrom On the bike with saxophone Playing on saxophone with Murphy Bloody Gums in a pile of books on the table Joyful Opened mouth running Jumping Launches snake With McBain Reads sheet Lisa hipster Lisa on pony Lisa s lunch box Lisa and Ralph play in the play Lisa on rollerblade Machine after a holiday at sea Holds saxophone Playing on saxophone Frightened smiling Shy Lisa's wedding dress Goes and ships wide opened her mouth to the energy ball Smiling
C creator of Malibu Stacy Surprised With shit head on giant lisa together again with McBain Films a rag from the picture Smug Hand scratching Frightened President simpson holding a huge ice cream Laughs Hackey helmet New hairstyle shows finger Now in other side just worth in a hat and with handbag Looks up President again Simpson In a cap Mow under Milhouse Repents With bag Reads the news On rollers jumping in swimsuit on a skipping rope Holds a stack books Lisa is angry Holding a book shakes someone's hand black and white Lisa Lisa Adams Fashionista Leela from Futureama Lisa and Jessie Grass Lisa-Kang Lisa with a star in her hair Evil Lisa in winter Lisa the alien With a star in the head Just Lisa Lisa plays tennis Surprised Lisa Not real Lisa Lisa coughs Lisa on phone Lisa smiling Lisa praying Lisa with backpack Holding her hand up Angry Just Liza Liza is watching in a magnifying glass Lisa in pink dress Liza with an ax
Maggie 41
Maggie falls Collected word from cubes Sucks pacifier hands Maggie collects cubes Smiling Fell Again Maggie C some bullshit in the hands of C huge head scooter skateboard sausage Playing with animals animals Sleeping on jelly Maggie in the future Again in the future flies on balls Hands up
Maggie alien holding Hair Snake Shy Hugs TV Just Maggie Angry With knife in hands Scared Looks Looks up again sucking pacifier sitting on the ceiling Maggie No. 1 Asleep with animals Bandages cat hands Drying on a rope Maggie in a santa hat Maggie with tooth Maggie with snake hair
Family 112
Super Grandfather Bart and Lisa smeared in shit The Simpsons screaming Homer strangling Bart Bart and Lisa Soapy Simpsons hairstyles Bart shrugs Marge, Bart and Lisa Grandpa vampire grandfather transvestite Bart and Milhouse Bell K Moe The Simpsons dine Lisa hugging Bart Bart, Lisa and Marge run in the snow The Simpsons on the Jerry Springer Show Bart and Lisa in Halloween costumes Kids in the grass Bart, Lisa and Maggie in grass clothes Family around the cake Homer and Bart near tractor Family at the Statue of Liberty Bart and Lisa scream Maps featuring The Simpsons The Simpsons at the simpsons stadium at the factory Grandfather Simpson Grandfather Simpson with a Homer sign hugging Marge Homer and Lisa are watching TV Homer and Bart Homer and Marge teens Bart and Lisa at Marge's table holding Lisa Simpsons in the kitchen Marge soothes Lisa Lisa loads marge homer and Bart naked in Milhouse woods and Bart are sitting on the sidewalk Selma and Patty in Egypt Heads Selma and Patty Patty Small Santa's Helper The Simpsons in australia simpsons on the simpsons couch rafting Homer and Bart Bart in front of the Springfield Simpsons back on the couch the simpsons watching tv simpsons study the simpsons globe at the Simpsons skyscraper in the car Bart and Lisa Again on the couch grandfather Simpson typing Homer and Bart watch TV Homer wants cookies
Lisa and Bart pinning over Moe Lisa loads Bart Bart and Lisa with a milky mustache Homer hugging Bart Lisa and Bart detectives Homer Grandfather Homer Grandfather.
”
Look at what we will drive 
Who owns real estate in the main skyscraper of the country 
If you want to see pictures of other characters click here! 
Come in!" 
..Pepsi 
Burns 
Bergstrom 
1 
