It's a holiday weekend, and despite having so far written only about things I thought were doing UX wrong, I thought I'd take the theme of the holiday for me and dissect the UX of one of my favorite things about summer time, the ice cream cone. Yes, in the spirit of the three day weekend, and totally goofing off (and lack of any other ideas of what to write about) I'm going to attempt to write a UX blog about ice cream cones. Join me, won't you?
The ice cream cone may very well be the most single efficient food cointainer/untensile ever invented. It's environmentally friendly, because when you're finished with it you eat it, it's so simple even untrained children can use it, while there are a few variations on the cone, the basic form and function of the ice cream cone are the same across the cone spectrum. In my fairly extensive experience, there are three basic types of cones to be found at most ice cream stands/stores/bars/eateries: The flat bottom "cake cone, the cone shaped sugar cone and the bigger cone shapes waffle cone. The waffle cone is my personal favorite because of it's larger ice cream carrying capacity, but all three have their merits when it comes to their designs.
The original, the sugar cone:
I don't actually know if it's "the original", as I have done no research for this piece, but in my mind this would be the place to start. It's the most simple of the cone designs. Sugarly dough, bakes into a conical shape. Nothing fancy, it's just there to do it's job, hold on to your ice cream momentarily, and then be delicious after. There are a few downsides to this elegantly simple design though. It's prone to leaking, usually because there is a small hole in the bottom. They also tend to be rather small, so they have to hold most of their ice cream on top, which makes double and triple scoops more spill prone. Overall the sugar cone does it's job well, and as long as you're not eating a tower of ice cream or planning on take longer than 10 or 15 mins to eat, the sugar cone is all you need.
The high-tech cake cone:
The cake cone takes the cone design and does it one better. Not technicaly a cone, but a cylinder, the cake cone brings a flat bottom and reenforced multi-chamber design to the party. They tend to last longer, and you can set them down on a flat surface. These are big improvements but they come at the cost of flavor. As an edible container, the cake cone is the least appetizing of the cones, often made of some sort of "cake" that more closely resembles paper. A great cone for a slow eater, like it's sugar cone cousin, it's lack of interior space makes it less desirable for multi-scoop treats, it's advantage comes purely in it's ability to stand upright.
The new commer, the waffle cone:
Again, I have no idea how "new" th waffle cone is. I do know that it costs more than a regular cone, but it's advantages make it worth every penny. A true innovation in ice cream cone technology, someone must have asked "What would happen if I made a really big sugar cone, but made it out of delicious waffle batter instead?" This the waffle cone was born. It's sheer hugeness makes it perfect for holding not only multiple scoops of ice cream, but toppings. While it lacks the flat bottom innovation of the cake cone, the waffle cone tends to be thicker, and so holds up to a slower snacker. It is also the safest cone for multi-scoop endeavors, or people who don't want to get ice cream all over their face, because it's often served with a spoon as well.
No matter what your preference, enjoy some ice cream or frozen something this weekend, it's sure to be user friendly. Until next time...
