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.
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
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
