When cool design is bad design - Air Canada Executive/First

I am traveling from Montreal to Frankfort on Air Canada's new executive first-class seat (more like a pod).  At first, I was impressed by the cool and seemingly futuristic design of these diagonal seats, capable of flattening completely to ensure a decent night of sleep.

Before takeoff, one of my business partners requested that we sit next to each other (after all, we are three business people going to Germany to close a deal).  This was the first issue; the seats do not provide any passenger-to-passenger interaction due to their 45-degree angle and encasing.   

They are designed for isolation.  First mistake!

Then comes the takeoff.  A 45-degree angled g-force causes an uneven weight distribution during launch and ascent.   You are pushed against the panel, and your back muscles wrestle to find a symmetrical position.  Second mistake; comfort.

Once in the air, your tray table keeps you, prisoner, in your seat as you do not have to push the tray forward to slide sideways to go to the bathroom.  The third mistake is feeling trapped.

Then comes the ergonomics of the usable space.  The control side has an armrest that can not be lifted to access objects you might have stored.  The opposing side's armrest can be lifted but collides with the tray table, which makes it difficult to keep a laptop and close it for elbow use.  The seat is narrow enough, and the privacy panels make the space very claustrophobic and uncomfortable to navigate and store objects if you want to work.  The touch-screen entertainment system is within arm's reach if you sit up and reach forward.   The control panel's blue lights are at eye level when lying down and disruptive when all is dark.  The fourth mistake is the storage and features ease of use.   

In summary, inferior design.  Now let's look at it from the airline's perspective.   First, the economics;  by eliminating first class and giving business class sleeping comfort, by compromising on space and the diagonal positions of the pods, the airline is making more money by the seat.  From a crew's perspective, the passengers are more likely to remain in place during service and sleep.   I hate this configuration, and if I do not need to sleep exclusively and travel with my team, I will book economy tickets to interact and not feel trapped.