Emotional Design-2

1.

"Today this [cup holders] seems like an obvious necessity in an automobile, but it was not always thought so. Automobiles have been around roughly a century, but cup holders were not considered appropriate for their interiors until quite recently, and the innovation didn't come from the automobile manufactures--they resisted them."

I found this passage interesting because I was surprised that the car manufacturers would resist something like this even though it would be so simple to put in a few cup holders and it would make customers more likely to buy their cars.

2. These categories do seem useful, however other names would make the categories clearer. I think that a better name for visceral design would be better named intuitive design because as I understand visceral design it is when something is designed so that one almost instinctively wants the product. Behavioral Design could be called functional design because it is (for me) a clearer way of describing that type of design. Reflective design could be called emotional design because it is about how its design makes you feel-like reminding you of a memory or portraying a certain image which both deal with emotions.

3. A designer could decide what type of design (visceral, behavioral, or reflective) is more important for a particular product based on who the product is targeted for. If the product is for children the product would be much more visceral design. However, if the product (like a tool) is for a construction worker then almost only behavioral design would be used. Some products are more visceral, behavioral, or reflective based on how well it is designed and who the designers intended the product to be used by.

Emotional Design

1. Norman's key points: There are several types of designs that influence why one would want to buy a product, these are Visceral Design, Behavioral Design, and Reflective Design. Visceral Design is when one wants a product on an almost instinctive level and is based on how the product looks more than how well it works. "Behavioral Design is all about use. Appearance doesn't really matter...Performance does." Reflective Design is about how a product is seen, the image that it presents when seen by others.

2. This chapter deals more with different types of good design. These design types are Visceral, Behavioral, and Reflective. Whereas the earlier writing was more about examples of bad design and more in detail about behavioral design (even though it was not called behavioral design).

3. 1)Visceral Design-Macbook Pro- it is sleek and high tech. It has a unique design and has the Apple logo on the front of it (the logo is more reflective design because it presents an image).
2)Behavioral Design-my watch- it is straightforward in the settings to tell the date, time, works as an alarm clock, a stopwatch, and it is durable. The watchband is a rubbery material so that when I wear it running it is comfortable and easy to clean.
3)Reflective Design-a Kalamazoo College Frisbee- it shows that I go to Kalamazoo college and it is for a sport that I like to play a lot. This product has a reflective design for me because of memories that I have playing catch and ultimate frisbee with my friends

The Psychopathology of Everyday Things

1.

A good conceptual model allows us to predict the effects of our actions. Without a good model we operate by rote, blindly; we do operations as we were told to do them; we can't fully appreciate why, what effects to expect, or what to do if things go wrong. As long as things work properly, we can manage. When things go wrong, however, or when we come upon a novel situation, then we need a deeper understanding, a good model.
For everyday things, conceptual models need not be very complex. After all, scissors, pens, and light switches are pretty simple devices. There is no need to understand the underlying physics or chemistry of each device we own, simply the relationship between the controls and the outcomes. When the model presented to us is inadequate or wrong (or, worse, nonexistent), we can have difficulties. Let me tell you about my refrigerator.
(anecdote about refrigerator)

I found this passage interesting because I was very surprised that the designers of the refrigerator would include a picture of how it works that was completely wrong. It was wrong of the company to include this picture because it made the refrigerator look as though it was of higher quality (having two cooling units instead of just one) than it really was. It also would make it very hard for someone using those instructions to try to fix the refrigerator. Also over the summer I had a similar experience while using an air pump that was meant to be used on both bikes and soccer/basket balls that did not work like it looked it should. The pump for the bike side worked fine. When it came to change to the part to blow up the ball, it looked as though turning a knob would allow air to flow out of the other side, however it did not. Eventually I figured out that the needle had to be pulled out (using pliers) and attached to the same part of the pump as the where the air comes out to pump up a bike tire.

2. Norman's book continues to be influential 20 years later because it uses principles that are very well thought out and they apply to almost all products that are designed well. Even though there is more advanced technology now, the same basic concepts are still needed to make a product that is functional and easy to use.

3. -It is easily visible to see how the product works
-It has appropriate clues or labels
-The product has been tested by people who did not help design the product
-The instructions or diagrams are representative of how the product was actually made
-are there minimal buttons on the product, but enough so that it is not complicated to use (all buttons have an important purpose)
-buttons are placed in logical spots for easy use

The Design of Everyday Things

1. Norman's Key Points: For a product to be designed well, its functions need to be logical and visible. The product should have appropriate clues or labels to describe how to use the product. The product should be fixed or improved based on user feedback to perform tasks better or in the way it's users want. The author also said that as products are more advanced/have more functions that they need to be more carefully designed so that they do not become overly complicated and hard to use.
2. I have had difficulty using the television in Hicks center. It was designed so that the remote was needed to use most of the functions on the television. It was needed to change the input or the volume on the TV. Also the only buttons on the TV. were on the bottom of the screen and were very hard to read unless you were very close with good lighting. The usability problem did result from what Norman discussed. The technology made it harder to use and the aesthetics were made more important than being easily able to use it--the buttons on the TV. were hidden on the bottom so to keep the front smooth.
3. The designers of the iPod addressed the principles that Norman discusses in that they wanted someone to be able to pick up an iPod and be able to use it--it is intuitive. Also the number of buttons on the iPod is limited so that it is not too complicated. The designers used standard labels on all of the buttons to show what all the buttons do.

The Perfect Thing

1. They thought of what size the product needed to be and what other aspects they wanted in the product (how many songs the iPod would hold) and how much the parts would cost. then after they had the general parts they would be using they designed several trial designs for the iPod and chose the best one. Then the design developed as they continued to change the product or come up with more ideas until the product that would be mass produced had been made.

2. The factors that I would use to evaluate a "perfect thing" is if the "thing" works efficiently, is unique (or has some aspect that makes it more advanced than current products), has aesthetic appeal, and is not overly expensive.

3. The strengths of an iPod are that it is compact, durable, does not have a complicated design (is simple), portable, has a large display with high resolution, is ergonomic, and has very helpful and friendly employees in their stores to help you with any problems.
The weaknesses of an iPod are that is a limited battery life of about two years (the battery being so expensive it is not worth buying a new battery), more expensive than some other mp3 players, and songs cannot be transferred from one computer onto the iPod then to another easily.

Design Intelligence post 1

My name is Ben. I decided to go to Kalamazoo College after I had visited my brother here; he graduated last spring from Kalamazoo. I am most interested in the effectiveness and functionality part of design.