Chapter 6: The Design Challenge
Summary
This chapter talks about product design difficulties. People want to design new products and therefore forget about old ideas which could have been helpful yet they are old research. It also talks about the mistake made by programmers or designers where they forget about errors that product users will be able to pin point.
Discussion
I liked reading this chapter because it makes you think as a software designer of the stages in the process of designing a product. It makes you think about showing your project to other designers for feedback in which the user errors can be found before actually deploying the product.
Showing posts with label Design of Everyday Things. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Design of Everyday Things. Show all posts
Monday, April 25, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Book Reading # 21
Chapter 7: User-Centered Design
Summary
This closing chapter summarizes all of the concepts that have been described in the book. It mentions what designers should be keeping in mind when designing a product. Norman suggests seven design principles to keep design simple. The chapter also discusses how designs can affect society in both positive and negative ways.
Discussion
I feel this summary chapter was a good way to wrap up the book. The way Norman writes this chapter, it is simple to remember the concepts he talks about in previous chapters. He suggests increasing usability and effectiveness. This is interesting because the professor that I consider to be the best in the Computer Science Department always tries to convey the idea of usability, portability, and effectiveness.
Summary
This closing chapter summarizes all of the concepts that have been described in the book. It mentions what designers should be keeping in mind when designing a product. Norman suggests seven design principles to keep design simple. The chapter also discusses how designs can affect society in both positive and negative ways.
Discussion
I feel this summary chapter was a good way to wrap up the book. The way Norman writes this chapter, it is simple to remember the concepts he talks about in previous chapters. He suggests increasing usability and effectiveness. This is interesting because the professor that I consider to be the best in the Computer Science Department always tries to convey the idea of usability, portability, and effectiveness.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Book Reading #8 - Design of Everyday Things
Chapter 3: Knowledge in the Head and in the World
Summary
Some technological designs require some type of memorization by the user. A classical example is when you start a typewriting class where after some time, you are required to type either without looking or with the keys marked off. There are many everyday activities that we perform, but when asked to explain to some else you often cannot explain well. This happens because you just do them, you know how to do the activity but do not remember precisely enough to describe it to some else with details.
Discussion
I thought of one of my work colleagues when I read this chapter, because he suffers from sleeping disorders and has to take medication every day. In order for him to perform his daily activities he has been forced by our boss to leave notes to remember things.
Summary
Some technological designs require some type of memorization by the user. A classical example is when you start a typewriting class where after some time, you are required to type either without looking or with the keys marked off. There are many everyday activities that we perform, but when asked to explain to some else you often cannot explain well. This happens because you just do them, you know how to do the activity but do not remember precisely enough to describe it to some else with details.
Discussion
I thought of one of my work colleagues when I read this chapter, because he suffers from sleeping disorders and has to take medication every day. In order for him to perform his daily activities he has been forced by our boss to leave notes to remember things.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Microblogs for The Design of Everyday Things
Chapter 1: The Psychopathology of Everyday Things
__________________________________________________________________
Reference:
The Design of Everyday Things
by Donald Norman
2002 Basic Books
Summary:
Chapter 1 describes the idea of how many complex designs can be bad designs, since they stop being intuitive for the user to identify its functionality. Norman describes that visibility is one of the most important factors in a design. He also describes there is a psychological principle to how one should operate every day objects.
Discussion:
I believe this first chapter introduces CHI extremely well. I found this really interesting since I have realized that I have become really critical when I interact with bad designs in my daily activities. I enjoy trying to come up with ways to improve systems that keep me from accomplishing activities that should not be complex. Many times when we are trying to think how to add functions to existing products we forget to think about the original purpose of the product and hence make this product not intuitive to use. I believe this chapter expresses some concerns we will deal with today's technological advances.
__________________________________________________________________
Reference:
The Design of Everyday Things
by Donald Norman
2002 Basic Books
Summary:
Chapter 1 describes the idea of how many complex designs can be bad designs, since they stop being intuitive for the user to identify its functionality. Norman describes that visibility is one of the most important factors in a design. He also describes there is a psychological principle to how one should operate every day objects.
Discussion:
I believe this first chapter introduces CHI extremely well. I found this really interesting since I have realized that I have become really critical when I interact with bad designs in my daily activities. I enjoy trying to come up with ways to improve systems that keep me from accomplishing activities that should not be complex. Many times when we are trying to think how to add functions to existing products we forget to think about the original purpose of the product and hence make this product not intuitive to use. I believe this chapter expresses some concerns we will deal with today's technological advances.
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