Don Norman’s first chapter has been an eye-opening experience. It’s astonishing to realize how much thought and intentionality should go into the design of even the simplest objects we encounter daily. Norman’s concept of “the psychopathology of everyday things” resonates deeply with me because I’ve often found myself frustrated by poorly designed objects like confusing interfaces or counterintuitive controls. His emphasis on Human-Centered Design is particularly relevant in today’s world, where technology is pervasive, and products should cater to a wide range of users. What struck me the most was the reminder that good design should make our lives simpler, not more complicated. This chapter has made me appreciate the importance of clear communication between designers and users and has left me with a newfound awareness of the impact of design on our daily experiences. It’s a lesson I’ll carry with me as I continue to learn and explore the world of design.

Concept:

Creating this Assignment I was feeling sad so I decided to create an auto text generator that tells whoever interacts with the screen what I think about them. Tap on the screen to see what you are 🙂

Highlight:

I decided to use everything we learned in class besides data analyses to create this artwork. I was inspired by the bouncing ball example used in class so I decided to replace the ball with a word and with that, I just utilized loops and if-else statements to create a generator that can will print random words in an array of words.

The parts of the code I found challenging were; The choosing of the words as random numbers to generate numbers in double casting and also because I didn’t pay attention to when you were talking about how to cast numbers. But after asking Powers I was able to solve this situation.

The main problem that I wasn’t able to also solve was fitting the words on the canvas. I tried to use “addition and subtraction” means to do so but this didn’t solve the problem but rather created another one.

bounce() {
  if (this.x > width-120 || this.x < 0) {
    this.xspeed = this.xspeed * -1;
    this.colorChange();
  }

  if (this.y > height-5 || this.y < 20) {
    this.yspeed = this.yspeed * -1;
    this.colorChange();
  }
}

Because I added and subtracted, if an object was created in the space I excluded the object bugged.

I solved this with the use of the return function but it is not exactly how I want it to be. The objects still go out of the canvas and sometimes they bounce when they haven’t hit the edges.

if(this.x>width-120||this.y<20||this.y>height-5){
      return;
    }

For the addition of objects and deletion I used the “function KeyPressed()” and “function mouseClicked()” as well as return loops and dynamic memory allocation. I am proud that I made sure to not cause memory leak as I applied what I have learnt even though it didn’t cause any error.

Finally, I used the opacity in the fill function as well as some randomness to cause this kind of flashy look in the end and I don’t know if this work made you smile but it made be happy after I was done.

Final Work:

Reflection and Ideas for Future works:

I really hated the fact that the letters kept going out of scope so maybe in future I would correct this error, if not in this project, in another similar one.

Concept

I was inspired by my love for the beach and how it resonates peace and calmness within me. So, I decided to create a digital representation of a tranquil beach scene at night. The idea was to capture the essence of the ocean waves, a crescent moon, and embed generative text that represents the soothing and rhythmic nature of the waves. For the generative text, I chose lyrics from the song ‘Waves’ by Mr. Probz, as it perfectly encapsulates the feeling of being by the ocean, and it’s a song that holds personal significance to me.

Highlight of the Code

One particular aspect of the code that I’m particularly proud of is how I created the wave-like motion for the generative text. Specifically, the following block of code:

let waveOffset = sin(frameCount * waveSpeed) * waveAmplitude;
  xPosition += direction * 1; // here we can adjust the speed (horizontally)

  // Reverse direction when text goes off-canvas
  if (
    xPosition > width + textWidth(myString) ||
    xPosition < -textWidth(myString)
  ) {
    direction *= -1;
  }

  // Draw the characters of myString with wave motion
  for (let i = 0; i < myString.length; i++) {
    let myChar = myString.charAt(i);
    
    // Calculate the horizontal position for each character
    let x = xPosition + textWidth(myChar) * i;
    
    // Display each character of myString with vertical wave-like motion
    text(myChar, x, yPosition + waveOffset);

This code combines the use of “sin()” to create a smooth wave effect and dynamic movement of the generative text as it moves horizontally across the canvas. It seamlessly simulates the rise and fall of ocean waves, adding a captivating visual element to the scene.

Reflection/Improvements

Creating this beach scene with generative text has been an engaging journey where I combined my passion for art and coding to express a personal connection with nature and music. For future improvements, I envision extending the project by incorporating interactive elements, different times of day, realistic sound with the song ‘Waves’ playing, and user customization of lyrics. These improvements would create a more immersive and user-friendly experience, making the artwork more fascinating and interactive for viewers.

Edit Link

Update: 2 October 2023

I wanted to share an update on this assignment! As mentioned in my class presentation, I was initially working on creating a digital representation of a tranquil beach scene with generative text that captures the soothing essence of ocean waves. However, due to time constraints, I was unable to achieve the exact wave-like motion I had envisioned for the generative text before the submission deadline.

But, I didn’t give up on my assignment. I continued to work on it, digging deeper into the code and experimenting with different techniques. After some additional research and coding, I finally figured out how to make the generative text move in a wavelike motion, just as I had initially planned.

Initially, the text was moving as a straight sentence going up and down in motion. However, with the new update, I have successfully implemented the wave-like motion, simulating the rise and fall of ocean waves. I’m incredibly proud of how it looks now, and I believe it truly captures the essence of the beach scene I aimed to create.

here is a snippet of the edited code:

// Draw the characters of myString with wave motion
for (let i = 0; i < myString.length; i++) {
  let myChar = myString.charAt(i);
  
  // Calculate the horizontal position for each character
  let x = xPosition + textWidth(myChar) * i;
  
  // Calculate the vertical position with wave-like motion
  let y = sin(frameCount* waveSpeed + i * waveAmplitude + waveOffset) * 5; 
  
  // Display each character with vertical wave-like motion
  text(myChar, x, yPosition + y * 3);
  
  // Display each character of myString with vertical wave-like motion
}

Here is the final result:

Don Norman’s first chapter, “The Design of Everyday Things,” sheds light on the complicated world of design and its tremendous impact on our daily lives. As I reflect on the reading, several key points and questions come to mind.

The importance of user-centered design is emphasized by Norman. He contends that excellent design should prioritize the wants and expectations of users, which makes perfect sense. However, this raises a question: How often do designers genuinely consider the end users when creating products? This might be a huge difficulty in a world where firms may prioritize money or aesthetics over usability.

The example of the refrigerator’s temperature controls struck a chord with me. It made me think about how frequently I’ve faced similar problems with common things, leaving me upset due to a lack of clear design. This experience has made me more appreciative of well-designed products and less forgiving of those who prioritize aesthetics over usability.

Norman’s idea of conceptual models and their misalignment with the system image is compelling. Users clearly form mental models of how things work based on their interactions and experiences. However, usability challenges arise when these models clash with the actual workings of a product. This approach has made me realize how important it is for designers and users to communicate clearly and consistently.

In terms of bias, while Norman appears to advocate for user-centered design, it does not appear to be inherently biased. Instead, it appears as a call for a more balanced and thoughtful approach to design.

676 Wonder Hues

For this project, I needed to use data visualization, but instead of portraying it in a graph or a static image, I was striving to make it look dynamic while also giving agency to people to have a personalized experience. To start with, I began looking for different sets of data, but none of them were as customizable to each person as much as their names. However, there are millions of names, and it would not be possible to link all those names in a CSV file. Hence, there was an alternative way, getting a smaller sample of names and counting the number of names associated with each alphabet. To begin, I was able to get 7000 different male and female names, then using Excel I counted the number of names that starts with each alphabet. Next, I imported the Excel to my project in p5. After hours of brainstorming , I was able to modify a previous code of mine to give different visual illusions. By using only the initial of each name, I am only limited to 26 different combinations. However, by using the person’s first and last name initials, I am able to bump it to 676 different visual illustrations and hence the project name “676 wonder hues”.

Below are a few patterns to different initials.

Initials: “PM”

Initials: “DS”

Part of the code

function setup() {
  createCanvas(600, 600);

  let alphabet = names.getColumn("alphabet");
  let frequency = names.getColumn("freq");

  sampleName = "P,M";

  let splitString = split(sampleName, ",");

  alpha1 = splitString[0];
  alpha2 = splitString[1];

}

function getValue(targetAlphabet) {
  let alphabet = names.getColumn("alphabet");
  let frequency = names.getColumn("freq");
  let rowNum = names.getRowCount();

  for (let i = 0; i < rowNum; i++) {
    if (alphabet[i] === targetAlphabet) {
      return frequency[i];
    }
  }
}

Reflections and improvement

In the future I want to add a section on the screen for the user to input their initials.I also look forward to add more color combinations to increase the customizability of the visual illustration.

 

 

 

In my opinion, Donald A. Norman’s insights in the first chapter of “The Design of Everyday Things” are incredibly relevant and thought-provoking. He raises a crucial point about the role of design in our daily lives and the impact it has on our experiences.

Norman’s concept of “the psychopathology of everyday things” is something we can all relate to. How often have we struggled with a poorly designed door handle or a confusing remote control? It can be incredibly frustrating, and Norman rightly shifts the blame from the users to the design itself. The idea that design should prioritize the needs and convenience of regular people, rather than serving as a showcase for designers’ creativity, resonates with me. Good design, in my view, should indeed be about simplifying and enhancing our lives, not adding unnecessary complexity. I appreciate Norman’s emphasis on Human-Centered Design, which underscores the importance of considering how people actually use things in their daily lives. It’s a reminder that designers should be creating products and interfaces that make our lives easier, not more complicated.

Moreover, I also agree with the author about how design should be approached as a deliberate subject rather than relying solely on intuition. It’s not a straightforward task, especially when considering the diverse ways people across the globe understand things based on their cultural and environmental contexts. What may seem logical in one culture or region may not be the same in another. For instance, a common design for doors in America might not apply universally in a place like Egypt. This highlights the need for a universal design approach that transcends individual logic and cultural differences. Designers must strive to create solutions that can be understood and used effectively by a broad spectrum of users, acknowledging that their own logic may not align with the users’ perspectives and expectations.

Ultimately, Norman’s message serves as a valuable reminder that when things are hard to use, it’s not our fault. It’s a call to action for designers to prioritize usability and user experience in their creations, and I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment.