[IxDA Discuss] Usability as Feature

[Jared M. Spool]

On Feb 1, 2007, at 2:31 PM, David Malouf wrote:

> "Experience Design" is all aobut this topic. It talks about  
> emotional and
> experiential design.

Yah. What David said. Exactly. (Well, I'd probably spell "aobut"  
differently.)

>
> 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.

Whoa! Let's not bring "brand" into this. It's already a silly  
conversation. Brand has nothing to do with any of this and trying to  
introduce it into the discussion now will only make the conversation  
sillier.

People have the needs. Their desires are latent needs, but needs none- 
the-less. The best designers know how to create designs that feed  
these desire-needs.

Of course, basic needs must be met first. The Mini wouldn't have  
succeeded if it didn't serve a basic transportation need. The reason  
I won't yet discuss the iPhone is because we don't know if it meets  
basic needs for communicating.

Sometimes, a designer hits upon a design that just works by accident.  
Sometimes, that same designer can't repeat their success and become a  
one-shot wonder. But, out there, in the world, are designers who  
regularly create designs that play into the desire-needs of their  
audience. And those folks are the ones we should learn from, because  
what they have to teach us can be very valuable.

Now, can we end this silliness?

:)

Jared