- What’s something (not mentioned in the reading) that drives you crazy and how could it be improved?
This right-handed desk chair is used in many schools and universities. I remember they had these chairs in my classroom during J-term in Paris, and even during some exams in high schools. The way they are designed doesn’t make it easy for some of us to actually use it efficiently.
- The work surface is way too small to actually keep all the necessary items on the tabletop. Keep your notebook, you don’t have space for your laptop, or your water bottle, or your pencil case. What’s the point of having a tabletop if it’s too small to use?
- The chair is quite literally designed for right-handed users. I have left handed friends who considered this chair as their No. 1 enemy. The fact that it isn’t accessible to about 10% of the world’s population speaks for itself.
- The stability and comfort factor. Since it’s going to be more weighted on one side, there is a high chance of wobbling and falling over. Moreover, these chairs are hard plastic, it’s not the most comfortable or built for prolonged usage.
How can we fix this? Personally, I believe that we can just eliminate this design from the world completely, but as designers we must find solutions, not exterminate problems (sadly). To fix this, I think we should increase the desk surface first. Introduce movable parts and extended writing surfaces for your extra stuff. Number two, consider a left handed version, maybe a side wing that can be tucked away. Finally, consider making the chair more ergonomic, a more comfortable material, and maybe even cushioned.
- How can you apply some of the author’s principles of design to interactive media?
To apply the author’s principles in interactive media, I think we should consider discoverability and human-center designing. For example, using his principle of affordance, we can design a button in such a way that it looks like it is meant to be pressed. Or applying signifiers and using arrows in interactive art. We could apply theory of mapping, and structure a control in a way that users can navigate the page easily. We could also add interactivity to show quick feedback, maybe changing colours on clicking, or audio cues. Finally, we can design conceptual models or basic structures on “how to use” a specific interactive media piece.