I really liked the reading, especially how the author structured the idea and the definition of good design. The funny stories, facts, and pictures (Coffeepot for Masochists by Jacques Carelman actually made me laugh for a moment), in my opinion, positively impact any type of written work, and this is just something I wanted to point out. With these elements, even a long reading can become interesting and fun to read.
This chapter includes a lot of good points, many of which I highlighted while reading, but there are so many that it would not be possible to fit them into 2 paragraphs, so I will talk about what ideas came to my mind as a reflection of what I read. First of all, I really liked the statement that if the design is so confusing that you need to check the manual, and after that, you still struggle to figure out how the thing works, then the whole purpose of the design is lost. I completely agree as I experienced similar situations so many times in my life. One of the most recent happened when I was staying in a hotel in Uzbekistan for a couple of days. It is worth mentioning that it was a top-level hotel with a widely recognized brand name, so maybe that is why they had a very, very sophisticated AC system. I came to the hotel extremely tired after the flight and the car trip, so I just wanted to turn on TV, relax, and maybe even sleep a little. It was quite hot, and I decided to turn on AC, but there were so many buttons on the panel as well as so many indicators on the screen that I simply could not figure out what to do. Manual was not in the room, and I was too lazy to call the reception (besides, who am I not to handle the AC myself and call for help), so I spent quite a lot of time figuring out the brand and the batch number of the AC to find the manual on the Internet, and then figure out how to set the proper mode and temperature. As a result, I put so much effort into it that I did not want to sleep anymore and was very annoyed by it, so I decided to go out and eat… Uzbekistan is a pretty hot country, especially in the summer, so I appreciate the efforts of hotel management to provide their customers with the best ACs, but I think it is worth leaving the printed copy of a manual in the room. And as for AC manufacturers, they should definitely read this book…
Another thing that I liked from today’s reading is the idea about the paradox of technology. We have invented so many sophisticated devices and objects and not less sophisticated software for them that sometimes it can be too much. Regarding that, I also want to highlight the importance of understanding how the brain of young people is used to all those technologically advanced things. For me, figuring out how to set up the settings on the newly bought smartphone would not make any problem. Not because it is so easy, but because I am facing technology every day by using electronic devices to read, work, study, rest, and many other things. However, if you take my grandma or even mum, it will be a challenge for them to figure out what works, with what purpose, and how exactly should it be set up and used.
Lastly, with regard to my future projects in Interactive Media, I will definitely do my best to make my projects as transparent as possible to the users. Transparent does not mean they will be simple and silly, but rather they will be well-designed. They will be discoverable and understandable, and to achieve that, I will try to think from the perspective of a person who just came across my work instead of assuming that if it seems simple to me then it should seem simple to everybody. This class as well as others teach us how to understand technology, but our goal if we create something for other people is to understand them. If we achieve that goal, interaction with our work will be a pleasurable experience even for those who do not anything about the technology.