“Fruits and flowers provide an excellent example of the co-evolution of plants and animals. Nature’s evolutionary process made flowers to be attractive to primates and other animals, the better to spread their seeds. Fruits and flowers tend to be symmetrical, rounded, smooth, pleasant to the touch, and colorful. Flowers have pleasant odors, and most fruits taste sweet, the better to attract animals and people who will eat them and then spread the seeds, whether by spitting or defecation. In this co-evolution of design, the plants change so as to attract animals, while the animals change so as to become attracted to the plants and fruits. The human love of sweet tastes and smells and of bright, highly saturated colors probably derives from this co-evolution of mutual dependence people and plants.”
I think this passage is interesting, because I never thought the environment would be such a good example of describing the “wow” factor in a product. The use of colors from the environment is a very important factor that any designer uses, because it’s what they use to make their product look attractive, and they make sure that it catches the buyer’s attention. The environment serves as a motivation for the designers, and I think it’s very interesting that Norman uses that as an example to describe a visceral design.
At first I had no idea that the word “visceral” is used to describe something that is intensely emotional, and it turns out that it’s a smart word to use if you are describing a person’s feeling and combining it to a feature on a design that would create a certain reaction from the person. I think if I knew what the word meant before I looked it up, I would have used that same word. I understand that Norman would use the word “behavioral” to describe a design that is created for its use instead of its appearance. It has to do with how the product behaves with the user. I also understand that Norman would use the word “reflective” to describe a design that reflects how people feel about a certain product. The fact that a person would get so many of the same product and show them off all the time, creates this image about them.
An author can decide if either visceral, behavioral, or reflective design is more important for their product by knowing that a user would want a product that is both visceral design and behavioral, and then the user will decide if the product is a reflective design.
I think every product has either only one, two of three, or all three of the designs. Some products can be more visceral and reflective than behavioral. For example, home decorations, curtains can be all three; it can be visceral design, because it brings attention to a person’s living room, it’s behavioral because it helps block sunlight, and reflective, because it can be a certain type of material or made by a famous designer, like Martha Stewart. Same thing for bed sheets, and other home decorations.
Books can be visceral, because some people would judge a book by its cover, and can be behavioral, because it is used for reading. It can’t be reflective, because people don’t really walk around with a book just because the author is famous or because the book looks good with their outfit.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Emotional Designs
The author’s key points in this chapter were the three levels of designs, which shows emotional impacts from the designers that are expressed in their designs. The first level is visceral Design, it has to do with nature. Designers use the environment’s “look” and uses them to create their designs. An example Norman uses are flowers and fruits. Flowers are viewed as pretty, colorful, and have a nice odor, and fruits are sweet and also come in a variety of colors. They attract people’s attention and it is exactly what every designer wants people so see in their designs. Users select on colors, size, and appearance and visceral design is based on that.
The second level of design is behavioral design, which is the opposite of visceral design. Behavioral design does not focus on appearance, but on the use and the performance of a design. There are four components: function, understandability, usability, and physical feel. It is basically a level of design that is used to fulfill needs.
The final level of design is reflective design. It is all about the message that the design is sends to others. Users tend to use different styles of the same product to make an impression of themselves for any occasion; when they are going out to dinner, going to work, or visiting old friends. It describes what kind of people they are by wearing or using a product, which is sending a message about themselves.
This chapter relates to The Design of Everyday Things, because visibility, visceral design and reflective design, all have to do with the appearance of a design, and how well it attracts the users. The concept of a conceptual model is mentioned in Emotional Design. The designers talk to the users through the product, and the product is seen as the system image, because it contains the information that is carried by the physical product itself.
Cars can be a good example of a visceral design, because even though they are meant for driving, the car has to look really good from the outside, because that’s what catches the attention of the buyer. It has to look modern, have a nice shape, the interior has to have a nice feel to it, and the car has to be a pretty color. All these things bring out the “wow” factor. After the car gets that reaction from the buyer, then the buyer asks questions about how it works, and how much it costs.
Shoes are a good example of a behavioral design. Shoes are made for walking, so anybody who
does not really care what brand it is or where it was made, goes for the comfort. How it feels as they walk on them is important, and if it’s durable for at least a few months. Athletes have to worry about the comfort of their shoes. For example, basketball players need sneakers that fit their big feet comfortably, and that is good for running while playing a game. Shoes are based on the way they perform on a person’s feet, which makes it a behavioral design.
Designer bags are a very good example of reflective design. I personally love Coach bags, I have a big collection, and they are so pretty and very unique. It symbolizes where the bag comes from, because it has tags that say “Coach” on it, and they have their signature “c’s” going different directions, but still maintaining a certain pattern. They come in different colors, styles, size, materials, and it is great for any occasion and any outfit. Coach bags can express a certain image of a woman. They express that the woman likes looking classy, likes variety, likes patterns and colors, and the brand itself, which is expensive but worth every penny.
The second level of design is behavioral design, which is the opposite of visceral design. Behavioral design does not focus on appearance, but on the use and the performance of a design. There are four components: function, understandability, usability, and physical feel. It is basically a level of design that is used to fulfill needs.
The final level of design is reflective design. It is all about the message that the design is sends to others. Users tend to use different styles of the same product to make an impression of themselves for any occasion; when they are going out to dinner, going to work, or visiting old friends. It describes what kind of people they are by wearing or using a product, which is sending a message about themselves.
This chapter relates to The Design of Everyday Things, because visibility, visceral design and reflective design, all have to do with the appearance of a design, and how well it attracts the users. The concept of a conceptual model is mentioned in Emotional Design. The designers talk to the users through the product, and the product is seen as the system image, because it contains the information that is carried by the physical product itself.
Cars can be a good example of a visceral design, because even though they are meant for driving, the car has to look really good from the outside, because that’s what catches the attention of the buyer. It has to look modern, have a nice shape, the interior has to have a nice feel to it, and the car has to be a pretty color. All these things bring out the “wow” factor. After the car gets that reaction from the buyer, then the buyer asks questions about how it works, and how much it costs.
Shoes are a good example of a behavioral design. Shoes are made for walking, so anybody who
does not really care what brand it is or where it was made, goes for the comfort. How it feels as they walk on them is important, and if it’s durable for at least a few months. Athletes have to worry about the comfort of their shoes. For example, basketball players need sneakers that fit their big feet comfortably, and that is good for running while playing a game. Shoes are based on the way they perform on a person’s feet, which makes it a behavioral design.
Designer bags are a very good example of reflective design. I personally love Coach bags, I have a big collection, and they are so pretty and very unique. It symbolizes where the bag comes from, because it has tags that say “Coach” on it, and they have their signature “c’s” going different directions, but still maintaining a certain pattern. They come in different colors, styles, size, materials, and it is great for any occasion and any outfit. Coach bags can express a certain image of a woman. They express that the woman likes looking classy, likes variety, likes patterns and colors, and the brand itself, which is expensive but worth every penny.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Desgin Intelligence
The Psychology of Everyday Things
"This book is about the psychology of the everyday things. POET emphasizes the understanding of everyday things, things with knobs and dials, controls and switches , lights and meters. The instances we have just examined demonstrate several principles, including of visibility, appropriate clues, and feedback of one's actions. These principles constitute a form of psychology, the psychology of how people interact with things. A British designer once noted that the kinds of materials used in the construction of passenger shelters affected the way vandals responded. He suggested that there might be a psychology of materials. "
I like the fact that Norman connected all the principles and included them as a form of psychology. I would have never thought of it that way. All of the properties have a lot to do with a person's way of thinking, and I agree with Norman on the fact that it's the psychology of how people interact with things and their ideas and putting them together that make a successful design.
Many of the designs that were invented in 1988 are some of the most important designs we use on a regular bases today. For example the telephone and the refrigerator, they are designs invented many years ago, but they always need a boost, or an upgrade to make it look more modern, and because of the fact that it consistently needs to be remodeled, many designers try to make it more interesting by adding more functions to the designs and make it look like "a perfect thing". Norman's book still influences designers twenty years later, because it reminds them of the key points that are important in constructing a successful design, and making sure they don't make mistakes like the examples Norman displays.
The factors that I definitely would keep on my checklist are making sure the function of the product is visible, it illustrates affordance, mapping, and if needed, a good conceptual model. As long as I keep these factors in my checklist, my product would have the qualities of usability and understanding, which is the main focus of the product.
"This book is about the psychology of the everyday things. POET emphasizes the understanding of everyday things, things with knobs and dials, controls and switches , lights and meters. The instances we have just examined demonstrate several principles, including of visibility, appropriate clues, and feedback of one's actions. These principles constitute a form of psychology, the psychology of how people interact with things. A British designer once noted that the kinds of materials used in the construction of passenger shelters affected the way vandals responded. He suggested that there might be a psychology of materials. "
I like the fact that Norman connected all the principles and included them as a form of psychology. I would have never thought of it that way. All of the properties have a lot to do with a person's way of thinking, and I agree with Norman on the fact that it's the psychology of how people interact with things and their ideas and putting them together that make a successful design.
Many of the designs that were invented in 1988 are some of the most important designs we use on a regular bases today. For example the telephone and the refrigerator, they are designs invented many years ago, but they always need a boost, or an upgrade to make it look more modern, and because of the fact that it consistently needs to be remodeled, many designers try to make it more interesting by adding more functions to the designs and make it look like "a perfect thing". Norman's book still influences designers twenty years later, because it reminds them of the key points that are important in constructing a successful design, and making sure they don't make mistakes like the examples Norman displays.
The factors that I definitely would keep on my checklist are making sure the function of the product is visible, it illustrates affordance, mapping, and if needed, a good conceptual model. As long as I keep these factors in my checklist, my product would have the qualities of usability and understanding, which is the main focus of the product.
Frelon Dance(Topic for Wikipedia Paper)
My topic for the Wikipedia paper is Frelon Dance. It is a type of dance offered at Kalamazoo College, and takes place in the Fine Arts Building, across the street from the Upjohn Library.
I chose this topic, because I was planning to join it during the K-Fest, but I got there late and their table was already gone. I had it stuck in my head to make sure I go to the Fine Arts building to sign up for it, so I thought about it for this paper. It turns out that it is not included in the Kalamazoo College website and there are no results found when I looked it up on Wikipedia.
I chose this topic, because I was planning to join it during the K-Fest, but I got there late and their table was already gone. I had it stuck in my head to make sure I go to the Fine Arts building to sign up for it, so I thought about it for this paper. It turns out that it is not included in the Kalamazoo College website and there are no results found when I looked it up on Wikipedia.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
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