Design of Everyday Things Chapter One

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Design of Everyday Things Chapter One

• Don Norman on Design HCI

This material has been developed by Georgia Tech
HCI faculty, and continues to evolve.
Contributors include Gregory Abowd, Jim Foley,
Diane Gromala, Elizabeth Mynatt, Jeff Pierce,
Colin Potts, Chris Shaw, John Stasko, and Bruce
Walker. Comments directed to foley_at_cc.gatech.edu
are encouraged. Permission is granted to use with
acknowledgement for non-profit purposes. Last
revision May 2007.
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Don Norman

• Professor at Northwestern and Principal of
  Nielsen Norman group
• Previously Professor at UCSD, senior positions at
  Apple HP
• ACM/CHI Lifetime Achievement Award
• Prolific author

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Discussion

• What did you take away from DOET book?
• Write down three key take-away messages

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Here are some

• Affordances are important
• Minimize the gulf of interpretation and gulf of
  execution
• Use natural mappings
• Make state visible
• Use a conceptual model that makes sense
• Provide feedback

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Daily Challenges

• How many of you can use all the functionality in
  your
• VCR
• Digital watch
• Copy machine
• Stereo system
• Plumbing fixtures

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Hall of Shame Example

• Leitz slide projector
• To move forward, short press
• To move backward, long press
• What happens when you get frustrated?

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Fun Examples
Phones
How do you - transfer a call - change volume -
store a number - ...
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Changing Ringer Volume

• Press Program
• Press 6
• Set volume
• Low - Press 1
• Medium - Press 2
• High - Press 3
• Press Program

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Chapter 1

• Affordances
• Conceptual model
• Make things visible
• Mapping
• Feedback

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Affordance

• What is it?

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Visual Affordances

• Perceived and actual properties of an object that
  determine how it could be used
• Chair is for sitting
• Button is for pushing
• Door handle is for .
• Scroll arrow is for
• Icon is for

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Door Opening Affordances
1
2
3
4
5

• Which doors are easy to open?
• Which doors are hard to open?
• Why?

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7
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Lack of Affordance Example
What in the world is this glass for?
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Now with an Affordance!!
This sure makes it obvious!
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Mantra

• Complex things may need explanation, but simple
  things should not
• If a simple thing requires instructions, it is
  likely a failed design

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Conceptual Model

• What does Norman mean by that?

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Conceptual Models

• People build their own systems of how things work
• Thermostat at home
• Example from computers?
• Designer can help user foster an appropriate
  conceptual model
• Appearance, instructions, behavior...

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Make Things Visible

• State of system
• Action alternatives
• When functionality is hidden, problems in use
  occur
• Occurs when number of functions is greater than
  number of controls
• When capabilities are visible, it does not
  require memory of how to use
• Visibility reminds person how to use something

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Simple Example

• Bathroom faucets
• Two functions
• Hot/cold
• Flow
• Think about these both for action visibility and
  state visibility
• (Affordances are just ONE way to provide action
  visibility)

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Bathroom Faucets 1
Can you figure out how to use it? Are two
functions clear and independent?
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Bathroom Faucets 2
Can you figure out how to use it? Are two
functions clear and independent?
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Bathroom Faucets 3
Can you figure out how to use it? Are two
functions clear and independent?
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About that VCR

• That old joke - how many of you have a VCR that
  is blinking 1200? -)
• Still true today -(

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Which is Faster for Setting Time?
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Computer Examples of Poor Visibility?

• Contribute your favorite examples

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Mapping

• What does this mean?

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Mapping

• Relationship between control and action/result
• Good
• Car, various driving controls
• Mercedes Benz seat adjustment example
• Bad
• Car stereo - Knob for front/back speakers

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Mapping Example Euros

• Sizevalue

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Mapping Example Stove

• Which controls which?

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Feedback

• Let someone know what just occurred
• Sound thats made
• Visible change on screen
• EVERY user action should create some feedback
• Mouse moves -gt cursor moves
• Mouse over object -gt object changes
• Button down over object -gt object changes in
  different way
• Etc Etc Etc
• Your favorite examples of good and bad feedback?

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Combined Example Scissors
Scissors
Affordances - Insert something into
holes Mapping - How to insert fingers into holes
suggested by visible appearance Conceptual model
- Suggested by how parts fit together and
move Constraints - Bigger hole for several
fingers, small for thumb