The user isn't always correct. A user might not use your product because they have already been using a similar product that they are satisfied with, even if your product is better designed for them. It is better to design for a certain, common situation rather than a common user identity. People tend to adapt to technology not the other way around. The designer should not always provide new features just because one or more users ask for them. Users rarely need to use advanced features. Hoekman talks about breaking the barrier that lies between the designers and users. Users don't care about how or why it works, they just care about it working when it is supposed to. Removing this barrier involves a lot of user research about the target group in which the product is being designed for. It is important that this research and example personas do not vary too much from the target group of users. A simple design is desired by all types of users.
Hoekman means that designers should research their user's situations to design there product rather than purely looking at the users disposition or purely looking at their activities dealing with a certain design. The similarities in a target group are found because of these user's circumstances. Twenty different people are likely to be in the same situation. Twenty different people are unlikely to match up with a persona example.
I would have done usability tests for three or four different, common situations that a user would encounter using the machine. Then I would have analyzed this information and redesigned the interface according to my findings.
Great comments, Drew. Lately, I've been wondering if it is too limiting to say "design for users" or "design for situations". Khan Academy is an e-learning site that introduces you to their platform with a videos. That video sets up expectations and interests that, I would say, are characteristics of the user that was CREATED BY THE DESIGN. If you were only looking at the users/situations for inspiration you might be too focused on the website and not other strategic ways to reach your audience. In any case, a large breadth of research sounds like a safe bet.
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