This part of my blog will be for random thoughts, concepts, or ideas I have which I will want to use or come back to in the future, or maybe I won’t use them at all. I figure it’s better for me to record everything and only use some of it than to try and remember things.
I’ve just started reading Donal A. Norman’s, “The Design of Everyday Things”. In the opening chapter “The Psychopathology of Everyday Things”, Norman talks about the design of a new telephone system which was introduced to workplaces. A common issue which the system was that there was no way to put callers on hold. He goes on to explain that there was a way to put callers on hold, however, there was nothing in the instructions to tell the operators how to use hold; there was nothing on the hold button to indicate that was it’s function, and, when the button was pressed there was no indication of what it did or if it was on or off.
After reading this part of the book, I went to work where we have just had a new tablet installed for using a new delivery order system, the problem was, none of us could figure out how to get it to display the orders. The right side of the screen had a message to select and order from the left, however on the left was only a selection of options.
It wasn’t until the end of the night when, by accidentally tapping the top left button, I saw the screen i had been looking for all night. This is example of incomprehensible design as outlined by Norman. Firstly, there was no manual or instructions telling me this is what the button was for, secondly, there was nothing on the button indicating this was what the button was for, and thirdly, after pressing the button there was no indication that the button was the thing that had brought up the menu. Fixing any of these three points would solve the whole problem, firstly, you could include a manual telling you what this button is for, secondly, you could make it more obvious what the button is for my having a more obvious icon, and thirdly, you could add something to show that the button has or hasn’t been pressed, such as a darker tone for when the button is activated to make it look like its pressed in. I think the third option would be most elegant as it would have shown me that the menu I was seeing was not the normal display for the application.
I found it really interesting being able to recognise a design principle I’ve just read about in a real world environment.
There are some designs which feel untouchable. Whether they are truly good designs or not, some designs are just so iconic and recognisable that changing them would feel sacrilegious.
The state of New York has committed sacrilege.
I’m struggling to find a good place to start here, so let’s go for the heart. The 3-D effects is such a strange choice and serve only to make the logo less iconic. Also, it’s not a particularly good attempt at a 3-D effect making its low quality stand out more. The strangest part of the heart which I can’t unsee is that the top of the two arcs seem to be slightly flattened, as the top has been cut off.
Helvetica is synonomous with NYC so the typeface choice is understandable, bu the treatment of it is not.
