- Something that drives me crazy and how it can be improved: “automatic doors” across campus! Primarily, the ones in D2, they drive me crazy every day. These so-called “automatic doors” are not even automatic at times, and are super heavy. A lot of the times they simply do not work, and I have to manually open them or wait until somebody opens them for me. It is especially frustrating when you want to have a nice lunch/dinner outside of D2, but carrying the heavy tray in and out of the cafeteria is made almost impossible if you are by yourself. These automatic doors could be improved by making their behavior consistent and by adding clearer signifiers and feedback to show when they are working. Since people in D2 often carry trays, the doors should be designed to open every time and stay open long enough to accommodate real use. This would provide a clear conceptual model of those “automatic doors”.
- How can I apply some of the author’s principles of design to IM?
The main lesson from the reading is that interactive media should not make users stop and think, “What is going on here?” or “What am I supposed to do here?” Instructions, explanations, or repeated trials directly affect the user experience of what is meant to be interactive and understandable. In my opinion, interactive systems should clearly signal what actions are possible and what will happen after those actions are taken. Design has to be good – buttons clickable, interactions should respond quickly to the user. That is why feedback is important. I believe that IM should work with normal human expectations, that way there would be more people interested in it or pursuing it.
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