[IxDA Discuss] Usability as Feature

Thu Feb 1 12:06:00 PST 2007

Ah!!! i see what you are saying.

But there are processes for working through emotional responses to
aesthetics within Design, and there are processes for modeling emotional
qualities of personas (if you will in a broad sense).

I think there is more of a jump than you get with functional-based pieces
of the equation, but before you leap a good designer has done research to
help them achieve their empathy with the problem audience.

I do think there are things that are learned.

on the IAI list, I have also posited recently that through mentorship this
is precisely that type of intangible part of the skillset that we learn.
You also learn this in good studio courses, and finally through decades of
experience.

some people tap into this a lot quick and better than others, but this is
true for aspects of almost any discipline. I.e. lawyers are taught how to
argue, but not everyone is a Johnny Cochran and they become divorce or
corporate lawyers. ;) with Doctors it is very similar as well.

Even Rabbis and other clergy go through courses that teach them how to be
empathic and speak in reserved tones. Again, some are more open to these
lessons than others and do better at them, but everyone can be taught.

-- dave

pauric wrote:
> "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
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-- 
--
David Malouf
dave at ixda.org
http://ixda.org/