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Following a recent media feature that included insights from our CEO & Founder, Ravi Sawhney, this perspective expands on the implications of automation in fast food and retail environments. As brands introduce self-service systems to increase efficiency, the underlying value exchange is shifting, with customers taking on more responsibility while expectations continue to rise.

This article explores why efficiency alone does not define a successful experience, how subtle changes in effort and interaction impact perception, and where trust begins to erode. It highlights the importance of designing not just for operational performance, but for human response, where adoption, satisfaction, and long-term value are ultimately determined.

When Automation Breaks the Experience: The Hidden Risk of Self-Service Design

Type

RKS Design Perspective

Date

March 29th, 2026

Publication

The DailyMail

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The Shift Customers Feel Immediately

Automation isn’t the issue.

The issue is how it changes the experience.

A recent article featuring Ravi Sawhney highlighted a growing shift in fast food: customers are being asked to do more, while paying more.

At first glance, automation promises efficiency. Faster ordering. Shorter lines. Lower operational costs.

But that’s not how people evaluate experiences.

They evaluate value.

As Ravi noted, “What’s changing here is the value exchange. Customers are doing more of the work while paying more. People feel that immediately.”

The Shift Most Companies Miss

Most automation strategies are built around optimization, focusing on speed, throughput, and cost reduction. These are measurable and easy to justify from a business perspective, but they are not how customers actually experience a system.

Customers are not thinking about operational efficiency or evaluating labor models. Instead, they are asking a much simpler question:

Does this feel worth it?

That judgment is not analytical; it is instinctive. It is formed quickly based on how much effort is required, how clear the process feels, and how the interaction makes them feel overall.

When customers are asked to navigate more steps, make more decisions, or take on tasks that were previously handled for them, their perception of value begins to shift. This can happen even if the system is technically faster or more efficient.

Effort is not neutral. People feel it, and they factor it into how they evaluate an experience.

When effort increases without a corresponding increase in perceived value, something begins to break. Not at an operational level, but at an emotional one. That is where friction builds and trust starts to erode.

When Convenience Stops Feeling Convenient

There is a point where convenience crosses a line.

What once felt simple and intuitive begins to require more attention and effort. Ordering becomes navigating through screens and options. Speed becomes dependent on self-service. Ease shifts into responsibility.

Individually, these changes may seem minor. Together, they reshape how the experience is perceived.

At that point, the interaction no longer feels like a benefit. It starts to feel like work.

As Ravi explained, “At a certain point, convenience stops feeling convenient and starts feeling like responsibility.”

That shift is subtle, but it is critical. It marks the moment when customers begin to reassess the value of the experience, not based on efficiency, but on how it feels to engage with it.

This is where trust begins to erode, often without companies realizing it is happening.

Automation Without Meaning

Automation can make experiences faster, but speed alone does not determine whether an experience is better.

In some cases, automation removes the very elements that made the experience work in the first place. While those elements may seem small or inefficient from an operational perspective, they often carry meaning for the customer.

Human interaction is not just functional. It signals attention, care, and a sense of being understood. Even brief moments of interaction can reinforce trust and create a feeling of value that extends beyond the transaction itself.

When that layer is removed, something needs to replace it. The experience must still communicate clarity, ease, and a sense of consideration for the user.

If nothing replaces it, the interaction can begin to feel impersonal or incomplete. Even if it is technically faster, the experience lacks meaning, and efficiency alone is not enough to compensate for that loss.

The Real Design Challenge

The question is not whether to automate. Automation will continue to expand across industries, driven by efficiency, scale, and technological capability.

The real question is what is being replaced, and what is being added back.

Every element that is removed from an experience, whether it is human interaction, guidance, or a sense of ease, carries meaning for the customer. If that meaning is not intentionally replaced, the overall experience begins to degrade, even if the system itself is more advanced.

Companies that succeed will not be the ones that automate the most. They will be the ones that understand how the experience feels from the customer’s perspective and design accordingly.

Because adoption is not driven by capability alone. It is driven by perception, trust, and whether the experience feels valuable in the moment it is used.

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Our team met to distill some of the more interesting product design trends for 2023, and ones we are keeping our eyes on.

As an industrial design firm, we are committed to creating human-centered, innovative, and impactful work; naturally, we have to look ahead.

What are people looking for in 2023? How are technology limitations turning into design flourishes? Can CAD really be in the Cloud?

Read on to explore, investigate and inquire about what is going to gain traction in product design this year.

1. Eco-Friendly Product Design​

Designing with the Earth in Mind

Designing an eco-friendly product that can be made, consumed, and disposed of sustainably, with that intentionality from the beginning, will pick up traction in 2023 because it addresses the growing concern for the environment through every stage of the product development process. Climate change and environmental degradation are major global issues that have led to a growing awareness of the need to reduce our impact on the planet. Consumers are becoming increasingly conscious of the environmental impact of the products they purchase and are looking for sustainable alternatives. An eco-friendly product that can be made, consumed, and disposed of sustainably addresses this concern by minimizing its environmental footprint at every stage of its lifecycle. This approach not only benefits the environment but also appeals to consumers who are looking to make more sustainable choices in their purchasing decisions. 

Trends Eco Friendly Product Design Logo

2. Designing Products for Hyper-Reality

Designing Products So Real, You’ll Swear They’re Not Virtual

Designing hyper-realistic products is becoming a trend in the industrial design industry as it allows for more accurate representation and testing of products before they are manufactured. This idea will revolutionize the industry by reducing the need for physical prototypes, saving time and resources. Additionally, this allows for more flexibility in the design process as changes can be made digitally without the need for costly physical adjustments. Hyper-realistic products can also be used in virtual reality environments, allowing for more immersive and realistic product demonstrations. Overall, the use of hyper-realistic design in the industrial design industry has the potential to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance the customer experience. 

Designing Products for Industrial Design Product Design

3. Anti-Branding in Industrial Design

How Anti-Branding is Revolutionizing Industrial Design

Anti-branding is quickly becoming a trend in the industrial design industry as a way to reject the traditional definition of branding. This idea of rejecting traditional branding is being embraced as a way to revolutionize industrial design, as it focuses more on creating products that represent the values and beliefs of the people who use them, as opposed to what is being pushed onto them. Anti-branding allows for more creative and innovative designs that are both meaningful and socially conscious. By rejecting the traditional definition of branding, industrial designers are able to create products that are more than just a logo or a symbol, but instead provide a meaningful experience for their users. Anti-branding is quickly becoming an important trend in the industrial design industry and is sure to revolutionize the way we think about branding and product design. 

Anti-Branding in Industrial Design Product Design

4. CAD in the Cloud

The Rise of Cloud-Based Computer-Aided Design

Cloud-based CAD is a ground-breaking evolution for designers as it allows for real-time collaboration. All team members have access to the same design files stored in a centralized location, regardless of their physical location. This allows for faster decision-making and a more streamlined design process. Additionally, Cloud-based CAD eliminates the need for expensive hardware and software as the processing is done on the cloud server, making it more accessible and cost-effective for small businesses and individual designers. This allows for more people to participate in the design process, and it opens up opportunities for remote working and collaborations across different countries. The adoption of cloud-based CAD has also enabled a more accurate and precise design and faster iteration, which leads to better-quality products and faster time-to-market. 

CAD in the cloud logo

5. Retro-Shades are Coming Back

How Retro Color Palettes Will Make a Comeback

Everyone loves the aesthetic of vintage, retro products, and we believe retro color palettes will make a comeback in industrial design because they evoke a sense of nostalgia and familiarity. The use of bold, bright colors and geometric shapes in product design was popular in the 50s and 60s and has been making a resurgence in recent years. Consumers are looking for products that are not only functional but also evoke a sense of nostalgia. Using retro shades in design adds a playful and whimsical touch to products and creates a sense of nostalgia and familiarity. This trend is also being driven by the desire for a more sustainable future, where consumers are looking to purchase products that are built to last and have a timeless design. Retro shades are also being used in a more modern and minimalist context, which makes it more appealing to a broader audience and gives a fresh new twist to the retro design. The use of retro color palettes in industrial design is a trend because it appeals to the consumer’s desire for nostalgia and the timelessness of the design. 

Top Design Trends Retro Shades

Looking ahead to 2023, it’s clear that product design trends are evolving to prioritize user experience, sustainability, and technology integration. Designers, engineers, and developers that can anticipate and adapt to these changes will be the ones to succeed in the coming year.  With our innovative approach and keen understanding of the latest trends, RKS is well-positioned to lead the way in the industry in the coming year. It will be exciting to see the new and exciting products we will design and how they will shape the future of the industry.

**All images in this blog were generated by AI**

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