[IxDA Discuss] Anti Read: Want to build the next “hot” technology? Design it so that it enables complexity.

[Faith Peterson]

Another take on that post is that it merely states the obvious. He's not
saying make your app complex. He's talking about combining simpler objects
into composites.

Examples: apps that make it possible for users to combine simple objects
like buttons, input boxes, and so forth to create GUIs. Enabling users to
combine characters and formatting instructions to create documents. Enabling
Web users to combine articles, comments, and open editing to synthesize
information. Enabling real-world social network members/organizers to create
online networks (a la Ning, although I doubt anyone would hold up Ning as an
example of good design - it's only an example of enabling users to create
something complex out of simpler things).

Non-software examples - combine images, words, and music to create films.
Combine ingredients to create food using a food processor, a technology that
changed the way millions of people work in the kitchen. Combine fthe means
to cook foods that need precisely controlled head sources, those that need
constant, uniform heat (and make it possible to cook things in this category
that are different sizes, or require different temperatures), those that
benefit from speed/steam, along with the means to cook all of these at the
time of one's own choosing and a simple cleanup - do all that and you have
the modern dual-power, dual-oven self-cleaning range with split oven racks
and dedicated simmer/high heat burners.

That's not counter-design, it's what makes design necessary.

My .02.

-Faith

------------------------------------------------------------
Faith Peterson
f.a.peterson at gmail.com
Schaumburg, IL


On 9/5/07, Jarod Tang <jarod.tang at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Want to build the next "hot" technology? Design it so that it enables
> complexity.<
> http://rogercostello.wordpress.com/2007/09/01/want-to-build-the-next-hot-technology-design-it-so-that-it-enables-complexity/
> >
> should say, this article is quite a anti experience to read, too abstract
> but you'll see some real example of it. such as lovely vista.
> fully disagree with it.
>
> Cheers
> -- Jarod
>
>