The assigned reading was interesting. It provided information on how design, readability and usability can coexist with each other. This is something that I have been looking into lately, as when you have a mind as a designer, you not only care about how things look, but rather, how can you communicate to the user everything they should know about how to operate a device without the need to go through a manual? In my life, I have been confused over several devices since they operate in strange manners. Take, for example, a modern iPad. Their power button can seem very hidden if the tablet is using a fall protector, and it is frequent that I do not find an obvious quick way to turn it on since I am not familiar with the device, so I just ask the owner to turn it on for me.
The same connection regarding design can be applied to operating systems, for example. If one person uses Windows and makes the switch to Mac, it is very likely that common features will stand out between them, but since both operating systems excel at the act of “show, don’t tell,” their UIs will often communicate to the user what a certain thing will do to avoid confusions in this shift. The same scenario cannot be applied to someone who is new to computers, as it will require more time to get used to them.