It's All About FUN!

I just couldn't resist adding this little gem! 

I've titled my composition, "My Vibe." 

Press the large arrow and enjoy!

As Norman  posits, "Technology should bring more to our lives than the improved performance of tasks: it should add richness and enjoyment." (2004, p. 101) I was able to compose the above little tune on KissTunes,  an application that encourages pure fun! I agree wholeheartedly with Norman regarding the idea that information and/or tasks do not have to be presented or performed in a dreary, boring manner. Why not add elements of amusement and fun, pleasure and delight? To continue the musical theme here, watch this video clip created by FunTheory.com, which  is "dedicated to the thought that something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change people’s behaviour for the better. Be it for yourself, for the environment, or for something entirely different, the only thing that matters is that it’s change for the better."

http://www.thefuntheory.com/

Now this may seem an over-the-top example, but bear with me! Imagine that you have been asked to develop an innovative product that encourages people to make healthier choices in their day to day lives. What could be more practical, and, equally as important, fun? By including the 'fun' component to the provision of the 'healthy' staircase, we have included a motivating factor in its development.  One aspect of successful product utilization is whether it continues to be used after the initial novelty has worn off. Adding fun and motivation may allow that to happen.

Norman continues, 

"Beauty, fun, and pleasure all work together to produce enjoyment, a state of positive effect...which trigger many benefits....They are essential to people's curiosity and ability to learn." (p. 103) 

As a teacher, I am always on the look out for products that combine utility, usability, and 'fun' as they pertain to a particular teaching concept, skill, or activity. For example, this penguin metronome was a hit on all measures. My students were certainly motivated to learn and apply concepts around tempo and beat, as well as attend to various Italian, musical terminology! 

Dr. Stuart Brown, in his book, Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul (2010) states that play, "...is intensely pleasurable....It energizes us and enlivens us. It eases our burdens. It renews our natural sense of optimism and opens us up to new possibilities." (p. 4)

I recently witnessed the power of music to elicit a response at all three levels of processing (visceral, behavioral, and reflective), as my grandson, Rory, responded to several of my musical toys. He was immediately transformed to another state of being:  attentively listening, unconsciously dancing to the rhythms, and later returning, pointing and laughing, for a repeat of the experience! Of course, the fact that they were dancing and singing dogs may have played a part! 

Conversely, I am continually in 'discord' with my mobile phone which, without provocation, has decided to play a creative and somewhat annoying interpretation  of Beethoven's Fifth, instead of its normal ring-tone. My husband and I are mystified, as this is a recent phenomena. Sadly, as Norman points out, 
"much of our electronic equipment now bleats forth unthinking, unmusical sounds...the result is a cacophony of irksome beeps or otherwise unsettling sounds, sometimes useful, but mostly emotionally upsetting, jarring, and annoying." (p. 120)

Certainly, as my project group moves into creating a prototype, I will be very conscious  and cautious toward the addition of any sound components! Equally, I will be an advocate for motivational and/or pure fun aspects for our product. Both, however, need careful consideration and sensitive and sensible application. We need to incorporate these elements, together with attractiveness of design, in order to promote a healthy mix of response from the user(s): visceral, behavioral, and reflective.

So, on reflection, maybe it's not so uncomplicated  and simple to say, "It's All About FUN?"

Universal Design...for the Shower?

My Shampoo and Conditioner!

"Universal design, designing for everyone, is a challenge, but one well worth the effort...there is no excuse not to design usable products that everyone can use." 
 Emotional Design, Norman (p.78)

My shampoo and conditioner are just a lighthearted example of 'Universal Design' in action!

There was once a time when I did not need to wear glasses to read anything, let alone the writing on a shampoo or conditioner product! However, over time this has become more and more of a challenge. As you can imagine, it is not exactly convenient to wear your glasses in the shower which has led to many difficulties in reading the labels on such products to find out which is the shampoo and which is the conditioner! Believe me, I have tried many brands but most have almost identical shaped containers, display similar colors and images, and have the identical method and lid design for extracting their contents. Many a time I have washed my hair in conditioner before I realize my mistake. Or, I have soaked the bathroom floor, as I open the shower door to reach for my glasses! 

Then...innovation! Modification! A design for all who have trouble seeing! Look carefully at the above products and you will notice that they are still almost identical in bottle shape, color and decorative image, and believe me, still hard to distinguish by their individual titles. However, a simple modification has been made that helps enormously-the lid for one is at the top and the lid for the other is at the bottom! Easy to feel and understand even without my glasses! A simple design change that means so much to the user.

This speaks somewhat to Behavioral Design for Norman, who states:

"...everyday things have to be used by a wide variety of people: short and tall, athletic and not, who speak and read different languages, who may be deaf or blind, or lack physical mobility or agility-or even hands." (p.78) 

Norman, however, does admit that usability is a complicated topic and requires a dedicated application of the principles of universal human-centered design.  

For Vicente:

"...we design technology that's tailored to our knowledge of the human factors that govern our behavior." (p.60) ..."we don't realize that our apparent shortcomings aren't necessarily signs of human frailty...the problem is that technology hasn't been designed to fit our bodies..." (p.66)


Being finicky about what seem to be small details in design may be all that makes the difference  between a somewhat successful adoption and universal usage and appeal. More importantly, it may prevent people berating themselves for 'errors' or seeming 'inabilities' in the face of day to day interactions with tools and objects in their world.


Every context needs its own Universal Design...for the Shower!

Variety of Users, Needs, Preferences, and Motivators!

Colourful Army by Maistora

 As   Donald A. Norman states in Emotional Design, "With the large range of individual, cultural, and physical differences among the people of the world, it is impossible for a single product to satisfy everyone." (p. 41) 

During the interactive design process attention is given to fulfilling a human or societal need via a suitable and novel or modified technological solution. An interactive designer may pay great attention to assessment and observation of particular user(s) needs and preferences in different and natural contexts. As well, this iterative process may utilize appropriate focus groups, questionnaires, and interviews to generate feedback and assessment of the innovative and/or interactive product.  Much user testing and reworking of prototypes may have been conducted. (Interaction Design by Preece, Sharp, and Rogers) 

Consideration is also given, hopefully, and design modifications made, to cater to physical and psychological human factors, explored and illustrated by  Vicente  as steps in his hierarchical Human-Tech Ladder. (The Human Factor: p.61)

However, as the opening quote implies, satisfying all users may be easier aimed for, with the best of intentions, than done! There are many factors that may confound user acceptance of the final product, such as:

• the final product design may have unexpected or undiscovered drawbacks or flaws
• the final product design may appeal to users for emotional rather than, or in addition to, practical reasons
• the final product may only function well in a particular and unique context 
• the final product may offend a person's feelings of challenge and accomplishment  

For Donald A. Norman, much of the unexpected outcomes, lack of success, or negativity toward a product may be simply a function of what he terms Emotional Design. In the following recorded presentation, he briefly introduces this idea and explains about three intersecting levels of emotion and cognition; visceral, behavioral, and reflective.

Don Norman: The three ways that good design makes you happy TED Talk

Reading both Emotional Design by Norman and The Human Factor by Vicente have made me more conscious of the objects I interact with on a daily basis. Now, I ask myself, "Why do you like/dislike this? What's so appealing or not? Does this work the way it was intended?"  and so on!

For example, I have a favorite spoon and a favorite mug, neither of which belong to the kitchenware sets that we own! I feel so much better facing the day when I am able to use these objects for morning coffee and cereal: the day never feels the same otherwise...I am less 'in tune' with the world and less energized. 

Why? Norman would say that I have an emotional connection to these items:

Visceral, because  I respond to how pleasing they are to look at: the mug has a cute image and text (Git up and go!) and the spoon has the perfect bowl shape and a brushed silver texture!

Behavioral, because both items serve their intended purpose with class!  

Reflective, because I feel my day is 
incomplete and less perfect without them!


To close then, interactive design is influenced by many factors or variables which may be very challenging to accommodate for. Despite the best of a well thought out plan and creation, each end user will bring their own needs and wants, cultural and personality preferences, and to top it all off, unanticipated emotional reactions, to the final design. 

Let's embrace then, a Variety of Users