September 30, 2009

1) Select a brief passage from Chapter Three Emotional Design by Donald Norman and post it on your blog. Explain why you thought it was interesting.

"There are two kinds of product development: enhancement and innovation. Enhancement means to take some existing product or service and make it better. Innovation provides a completely new way of doing something, or a completely new thing to do, something that was not possible before. Of the two, enhancements are much easier."

I found this particular section interesting enough to share it with my father, who is an inventor of sorts. He holds seven or so different patents on plastic products, most of which are enhancements. Although enhancements are easier to develop, they are equally as important as innovations. I believe that enhancements lead to innovative technology and ideas. Therefore, most designers have to take baby-steps in order to produce something so profound that society refers to it as "innovative".

2) Norman uses the terms Visceral Design, Behavioral Design, Reflective Design. Do these categories seem useful to you? Would other names or phrases make the categories clearer?

I think that the categories of Emotional Design, as Norman labels them, are extremely useful. They allow people to separate and classify products and ideas by qualities that they possess. Personally, if I were a designer, I would refer to the three terms Norman uses: Visceral Design, Behavioral Design, and Reflective Design to evaluate whatever it may be that I'm creating.

3) How could a designer decide if Visceral Design, Behavioral Design, or Reflective Design is more important for a particular product? Are some types of products more visceral, behavioral, or reflective?

I think that most designers are contracted by another, larger company to create their products. So in those cases most companies have a general idea or reputation they want the designers to follow. But, there are also designers who have free-reign and can decide what they want their product to embody, demonstrate, or exude.

There are absolutely products that are designed to be more visceral, behavioral, or reflective. In class, we compared sweat-pants to tight-fitting designer jeans. Clearly, sweat-pants are designed to be functional whereas, the designer jeans are designed to be more viscerally attractive.

September 28, 2009

What do you feel were the author's key points in the chapter?

The article that we read over this weekend had three main themes: visceral design, behavioral design, and reflective design. Norman discussed how people are attracted to certain products based on these three elements. The way things look, the way they make you feel, and how they function.

How does this chapter compare to the earlier writing (The Design of Everyday Things) by the same author?

When I read this article I thought it was another chapter from the same book the other chapter came from. The psychological and emotional aspects of design are extremely similar. Both focus on how people respond, react, and relate to different designs.

Give examples, from your own experience, of 1) something that succeeds as Visceral Design, 2) something that succeeds as Behavioral Design, and 3) a Reflective Design success? What do you think makes each thing successful?

1,2,3) Every year my family goes to the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). I think that the concept of the having hundreds new automobiles from all over the world in one building is a perfect example of success in all three categories. The Visceral Design element is blatantly obvious. All the shiny, sleek cars under the spotlights with attractive men and women readily available to answer any question you may have about anything makes people stop and stare at least for a few seconds. But the Behavioral Design is also prevalent. When you sit inside a car at NAIAS, you get some receptive feedback. People may find themselves thinking, about the features as a whole or something as little as the clock on the dashboard, or even trunk space and how it will be utilized and how easily it can be done. The reflective design can be seen in the innovative concept cars. Every year it is interesting to see how they can make something so crazy looking, and still be functional.

September 25, 2009

Select a brief passage from Chapter One of The Design of Everyday Things (Donald Norman) and post it on your blog. Explain why you thought it was interesting.

"The development of a technology tends to follow a U-shaped curve of complexity: starting high; dropping to a low, comfortable level; then climbing again. New kinds of devices are complex and difficult to use. As technicians become more competent and an industry matures, devices become simpler, more reliable, and more powerful. But then, after the industry has stabilized, newcomers figure out how to add increased complexity power and capability, but always at the expense of added complexity sometimes decreased reliability."

This particular section really intrigued me. The more I thought about certain products, the more I realized just how true this section is. Take the cell phones, iPods, cameras, or stereo systems for example, society's demand has always been high but, the technology has followed in the pattern that was stated in the article and will probably continue to increase in complexity.

Norman's book was first published in 1988 and it still influences designers today. Why do you think this book continues to be influential 20 years later?

Norman's book is still popular because the theories he had are still relevant to the way in which our society functions. Unless society undergoes a drastic change, his book will continue to relevant in the design process.

Based on this chapter, what factors would you include on a checklist for evaluating the design of a product?

My checklist would include:

- testing my product out

- meet requirements? regulations?
- safe/comfortable?
- is it affordable? (cost)
- does it fulfill its purpose?

- is my product attractive?(aesthetics)

- easiliy manufactured?

- are the materials durable?

September 23, 2009

What do you think were some of the author's key points in this chapter?

I think that the author tried to accentuate several different aspects in the reading. The article was based on the premises of the psychology behind the product. The simplicity and ease of using the product is vitally important to its success. The affordability of the product, the perceived use, is the first judgement people make about whatever it is they are looking at. Constraints and mappings are also crucial to use and functionality of the product.

Think of a specific object that you have had difficulty using. How did design contribute to making it difficult to use? Does the usability problem arise from one of the principles that Norman discusses in this chapter?

My families van has the most confusing air conditioning system. There are far to many buttons and settings, the buttons are spaced out and not clearly labeled. The system is far too complicated to try and use without proper training. The usability problem arose from all of the principles that Norman discussed in the chapter. Poor affordability, mapping, and constraints are all contributers to a confusing air-conditioning system.

How did the designers of the iPod address the principles that Norman discusses here?

In the previous article that we read you can see the same themes that Norman discussed in this article. For example, Steve Jobs wanted a simple design that was easily operated (affordablility), as well as having constraints like size and cost, and they certainly considered the mapping of the scroll-wheel.

September 21, 2009

What elements of the design process does this article illustrate?

I believe that "The Perfect Thing" touched on several different aspects of the design process. For example; in order to create a better products you need to go through a process of elimination to conclude which characteristics work, and which don't. Choosing the materials to make the product is also a necessity. The materials effect the cost and the appearance, as well as numerous other characteristics. In this particular article, the author seems to focus on the people who were involved in evolving the iPod. Therefore, one would also need to find a team of people who are qualified and can work cooperatively.

What factors would you use to evaluate a "perfect thing"?

Personally I would consider the materials my product would be made out of. I would also think about the purpose of my "perfect thing". For example the population of people who would use it, and the environment where they would be using it. Another aspect i think is crucial would be the economical factors and how it would be produced.

Whether you own an iPod or not, you probably have some opinions of this product. What do you fee are its strengths and weaknesses?

Personally I own two iPods, I have a first generation iPod video 60 GB, and a second generation iPod Touch 16 GB. When I purchased my first iPod I was really excited to have the video capability, after a while I learned the the bulk of the product was something that I viewed as a flaw. The memory was great too especially because the capacity for videos was something I thought I needed but, unfortunately I didn't. As for my iPod touch, it's got to be love. The sleek design with a touch screen is practically flawless. The size seems perfect to fit in one hand and for all the applications. The characteristic I find the most useful are the applications. As the advertisements say there really is an app for everything. The only thing I think would make the iTouch better is a video and sound recorder (but that's is what the iPhone is for right?). Apple has truly mastered the production, marketing, and quality of their products.