[IxDA Discuss] Usability as Feature

[pauric]

"I find it hard to believe that you think that design does not have
emotional qualities to its craft?"

I completely agree 100%.  Its the difference between a good designer and a
great one.  Its the 'je nais sais que' aspect that cannot be learned at
school.  Its the designer's intuition. You can do all the UCD you want in
the world and still fail at making a product people want.  How much does MS
spend on UCD v Apple? and who makes killer desirable products?

"design as a truly empathic discipline as opposed to engineering"

Again - yes, 100%.  But the impression I was getting from Jared is that
there is a formula, specifically when he said "I would say that a designed
attribute of the product that caters to desires of the user is a "sensible
application of function" and desire is just a type of need."

There is not rote formula for creating desirable products.  It takes an
innate understanding of the qualities you describe "emotion, desire,
engagement, aesthetics" I will accept an 80/20 rule on arriving at this.

Not wanting to pick on someone I have so much respect for but he also said
"Since the iPhone is just vaporware at this point, we don't know how people
will respond to the actual product."

But we already do know how people will respond.  Thats a given. Apple's
talent is completing the final 20%.


On 2/1/07, David Malouf <dave at ixda.org> wrote:
>
> Pauric,
>
> "Experience Design" is all aobut this topic. It talks about emotional and
> experiential design.
>
> But brand is ALL about creating desire for things that really have no real
> purpose for us. Coke makes me feel better than Pepsi; And while the Mini
> has REAL functional requirements back in the 50's it was not the ONLY
> small car to come out of the 50's & 60's and its aesthetic form had and
> has a lot to do with its success.
>
> I find it hard to believe that you think that design does not have
> emotional qualities to its craft? To me emotion, desire, engagement,
> aesthetics is a key attribute that separates design as a truly empathic
> discipline as opposed to engineering which ignores or at least diminishes
> the emotional response value to creation, conception, and production.
>
> -- dave
>
> pauric wrote:
> > Lets agree to disagree on the thickness of the hair (o;
> >
> > Are you saying the desire we currently have to get our hands on an
> iPhone
> > started on a designers desk? That the 'buzz' which feeds desire is an
> > aspect
> > of design? Or when Sir Alec Issigonis sketched the first Mini back in
> '59
> > he
> > had any idea it would be a desirable vehicle in the following century?
> > And
> > given that car was borne out of practical need, and very much less so
> > these
> > days do you still agree there's a hairs gap between needs and
> experience?
> > function and desire?
> >
> > If the relationship between function and desire is variable while the
> > design
> > is constant*, I propose the link is less than you suggest.
> >
> > I would disagree that desire is another need.  We recognize our own
> needs,
> > they are our personal requirements and as such a quantifiable design
> > element.  To some extent we are slaves to our desires, they rise up from
> > our
> > subconscious and make us do irrational things like throw away perfectly
> > working mobile phones every 18 months.
> >
> > I dont doubt you have a very good handle on the black art of creating
> > desire.  But it is just that, 'created' not designed.  I desire art, it
> > has
> > no function it cannot be designed.  Apple has a good track record of
> > making
> > products that border on being works of art.
> >
> > *(bar the upgrade by bmw, safety. I still prefer the older model, its
> was
> > much more fun to drive)
> > ________________________________________________________________
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>
> --
> --
> David Malouf
> dave at ixda.org
> http://ixda.org/
>
>


-- 
Job type: In house
Field: Embedded & physical interfaces. Web/cli