On User Design Smoke and Mirrors and the Course so far
In his paper, the author discusses the effectiveness of using models and studies, concepts and statistics to create good design in web applications, or perhaps products in general. He makes the point that although it is good to have such methods and guidelines for design, ultimately design is more an art than it is science or engineering, and hence is based more on the subjective. He reasons that it is impossible to be able to fully capture what goes into great design, that it is impossible to accurately quantify or codify the process or find the secret formula to a design. Hence he is skeptical about those who try or those who place exaggerated confidence in these methods. He feels, as do I, that it takes an experienced artist to create excellent art, and no manner of blue-print or artbooks may allow a novice to paint like Van Gough

Through the course of this module, we have learnt about theories and concepts on designing user experience. The concept is very elusive; experience is difficult to define or measure. Yet we have learnt to understand the concept of experience, and we have learnt structures and models which tend to add to this our understanding. Aside from the theory itself, we have also been able to get our hands dirty trying to implement our understanding of user experience design in our projects. And in doing so, perhaps we can understand what the author had said abit better. In implementing our projects and hoping to create experience, we discover that using models and concepts, statistics and studies, have their place but ultimately for design itself, experience counts the most. Sometimes, even as we have discovered, the user does not know what he trully wants and it takes a good designer to develop that for him. Perhaps designing is likened to playing a piano. You start off by reading the score, and when you get better you play with your eyes closed.

One interesting point that the author had made may be that of using studies and research for political reasons. In my opinion, that should be the strongest motivation for anyone to use such studies excessively. We understand that such studies are at most accurate on a subjective level, and cannot be fully objective, however it may be persuasive to people of power when it comes to designing for expensive products, or when the people ontop are seeking 'expert' opinion or craving black and white statistics. Ultimately we are with the author when he states that the foundation of a design should lie on having good designers. Creating an experience is not easy; no amount of guidelines can work for every case out there. In the end, the user is the critic, and it is difficult to make him think the way you want him to all the time. That is the art.

Story

The subject, Denise, is a 30 year old computer Technician living in Singapore.

He has been a computer technician ever since graduating from the Polytechnic. He is good at what he does and has been a computer whiz since he was young. He never enjoyed sports nor any activity which involved getting out in the sun. When he was little, he realized that he was not as outgoing as his other friends and found he was most happy when he spent some time alone everyday. Not many people around him understood, and he did not make many new friends. He found solace in excelling in the work he did, in school and on the computer. He realized eventually that he could do things with the computer that no one else could. That realization spurred him on to spend more time excelling in his skills and less time in the social circle.

Denise enjoys reading fantasy novels and comic books. When he is not on his computer Denise may occasionally play Role Playing Board Games with some others from the shop. It seems he enjoys the escape fantasy stories allow him. He is able to leave this horrid unfair world if only for some hours when he reads or is involved with these activities. He follows his comic books religiously and can tell you in detail about all its characters and happenings. He dreams sometimes of being in a fair away place where there is no work and there are no laws, where he gallops around on a stead looking for dragons to fight. Of course in real life, he would be afraid of horses. He is unashamed of his love of fantasy, and reveals it because he thinks that his wealth of knowledge in this field is just as impressive.

Denise does not have many friends. He knows the people at work and has lunch with them and dinner on occasion. But he’s never been close to them. He is closest to the people he plays games with, those of common interest with him. As he spends Saturday afternoons rolling dice and talking about the inner workings of Role-Playing dungeons with them, he feels that only they truly understand him. Denise has therefore discovered a niche culture where he belongs and enjoys flaunting all that is geek.


Four Pleasure Analyses

Physio-Pleasure

He loves the smell of a new book, the thought of having the entire afternoon to himself, the feeling of accomplishing a difficult task.

He is scrawny and unkempt and dresses badly, but is neither concerned nor ashamed of his appearance.

He loves gadgets and gizmos as his mastery over them confirms his geekiness.

Socio-Pleasure

Denise finds his identity within his Role-Playing friends, and in the bigger geek culture. Without them he will be alone and awkward. Flaunting this identity empowers him to not be afraid of being himself.

To his acquaintances outside the geek-group, Denise seems a little strange but is well accepted. To them, he becomes the ambassador of geekdom, and enjoys being different that way.

Psycho-Pleasure

Denise has always found pleasure in accomplishing difficult technical tasks that others may find impossible. He finds joy in being the one others turn to for gadget help and knowledge.

Being able to ace in the technical allows Denise the comfort that he is good in at least one thing. It gives him his confidence.

Ideo-Pleasure

Denise is pretty much content the way he is. He may wish he can find a girl who can accept him the way he is, but he wishes that she looks like Marilyn Monroe.

He hopes he can continue to acquire and improve his technical knowledge, such that he never disappoints anyone who approaches him. He doesn’t just want to not disappoint, he wants to impress as well.


Four Pleasure Need or Appreciation

Physio-Pleasure

Careless about appearance. Appreciation
Loves gadgets and gizmos. Appreciation

Socio-Pleasure

Geek identity. Need
Geek Ambassador. Appreciation
Being different. Need

Psycho-Pleasure

Being a knowledgebase. Need
Deriving confidence from technical accomplishments. Need

Ideo-Pleasure

Being impressive. Need
Being Exclusive and special. Need


Phone Benefits Specifications

Physio-Pleasure

Flaunts a geeky look; can be blocky and huge and unsophisticated. Need
Have extra geeky functions, like an exaggerated antenna and a voice which says the time. Appreciation
Have a look which only few can appreciate. Appreciation

Socio-Pleasure

Being part of the geek culture. Need
Improve image within the geek community. Appreciation

Psycho-Pleasure

Must require some effort in mastering, but is powerful after mastery. Need
Have a whole range of functions, the more the better. Appreciation
Must allow customizing, tweaking, and add-ons so the user can deploy his geekiness.
Need

Ideo-Pleasure

The phone has attached ideals of exclusivity. Only some can use it and only few can truly appreciate or master it. Need

On Audio
















Bose Head Phones

Visceral: Common, plain, nothing special

Behavioral: Deep rich experience, Excellent sound quality

Reflective: Bose carries a certain mark of quality and class to its name, not because of how it looks, but because of its function (sound) and its price!















Ipod

Visceral: Simple, plain yet stylish

Behavioral: Pooooor quality!

Reflective: The ipod earphone gives the impression of the ipod (cos of its unique color), and hence carries the same Reflective values attached to the ipod. (Tha it is a must have, and that it is the in thing)

















Philips

Visceral: Common, nothing new

Behavioral: Acceptable quality, not for the audiophile!

Reflective: Nothing really reflective about it.. Functional at best



END

This is an example of a bad design. Look at the bar going from white to blue, numbering 1 to 11. Which makes the air cooler, white or blue? I'm confused.. Atleast this is better than the aircon termostat in school. Those things are impossible to use.