It Almost Ended Up Ugly - The Making of Toss Front 2
Toss redesigned its Front 2 payment terminal by addressing real-world usability problems rather than settling for technically workable solutions. The redesign moved NFC to the front, made the card reader field-replaceable, and reworked the internal structure to simplify removal. The result was a smaller, cleaner device that improved both customer experience and repairability. ## Moving NFC to the Front - The first-generation terminal placed NFC on the right side because other components interfered with the signal. - This was inconvenient in narrow retail spaces, where users had little room to tap cards or phones. - Several alternatives were tested: - Moving the card reader upward made card insertion awkward and strained users’ wrists. - Enlarging the top made the vertically oriented terminal look excessively long and displaced the camera, complicating barcode and face-payment use. - Placing NFC around the camera caused interference, producing camera shake and reducing recognition accuracy. - The team reframed the problem by asking whether the display’s metal backing could be replaced. - A customized plastic backing allowed NFC signals to pass through while reinforced glass preserved the display’s rigidity. - Despite higher manufacturing complexity and cost, the design was successfully mass-produced, enabling reliable front-facing NFC without sacrificing appearance. ## Designing a Replaceable Card Reader - The first-generation card reader was integrated into the main body, so failures required repairing or replacing the entire terminal. - Repairs took more than a week on average, forcing stores to use backup devices and distributors to maintain extra inventory. - Front 2 introduced a docked, replaceable card reader designed for easy on-site replacement. - A USB-C connector was selected because users already understand how to connect and disconnect it. - The connector provided stable attachment without exposing additional brackets or mechanisms, preserving the product’s clean appearance. ## Making Removal Simple - Once the reader used USB-C, the team needed a way to remove it without adding buttons, levers, or protruding parts. - The simplest approach was to insert the reader from the front and push it out from behind, but existing power and network connections blocked the necessary space. - Instead of adding another mechanism, the team redesigned the internal layout from scratch. - The circuit board and connectors were tilted toward the top of the device, requiring redesigned and inverted cable components. - This created enough room to remove the reader without tools. - The revised layout also made the cables easier to see and connect. ## Results of Front 2 - Front-facing NFC made payments more natural on crowded counters. - The USB-C dock reduced the difficulty of replacing a failed card reader. - The terminal became smaller while retaining its visual simplicity and design quality. - Front 2 surpassed the first generation’s sales immediately after launch, while previous customer complaints shifted toward positive feedback. ## Building Quality Through Persistent Questions - The article argues that product quality comes from repeatedly challenging an acceptable technical solution. - The team focused on finding answers that were right for users and the overall product experience, not merely answers that functioned. - For similar design problems, the recommended questions are: - Can everyone use the design easily, including in edge cases? - What is the fundamental problem? - Is the current solution truly the best one? - If not, can the problem and solution direction be redefined? The practical lesson is to keep revisiting the problem until the solution is not only feasible, but genuinely appropriate for users.
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