Excercise 4 - Love and Hate

Love

I am in great debt to my jet lighter torch. With its torch-like efficiency to light up and burn (whether it be a cigarette, or anything you want to set on fire) makes this lighter the best to use anywhere. With its metal encasing the weight of the lighter is light enough to carry but with enough weight to give it some value. Its flip over cap protects the torch from elements such as wind while its burning. To activate the torch, a convenient open trigger must be pressed down which in my opinion is much more effective than the flicking action of a regular lighter. The torch aspect of the jet lighter is one of the major selling points of this tool because of its resistant to moderate wind and in addition the torch can be pointed at any direction without going out, unlike regular lighters where the flame would only direct itself upwards.

Aesthetically, it is one beautiful piece altogether. The red glow that emits from holding the trigger and the blue glow to indicate how much butane fuel is left is all part of its inuitive design. Overall, I'm impressed with the whole concept and its elegant design.








Hate

I am not too fond with my 15 watt Fender amp I have purchased about four years back. It was a really great amp for the first couple of years but it turned for the worst as it endured a lot of hits, excruciating amounts of effects blasting on a tiny amp, and the fact that it was used when I purchased it was already a time bomb waiting to explode. Though my amp has not exploded just yet, my main concern was the gain and distortion on this thing. The sound is not as rich as it was and no reverb can help this out, it just sounds like a dying bee with a nasal problem (if it had a nose). I refuse to play on this junk it just forces me to play my acoustic instead.

Anyways, aesthetically it is still in good shape but looks is not what you want in an amp. Function first then aesthetic, in this case, function seems to lack now. I don't blame it though, it has had some rough times of getting dropped and its 5 year strong career has only served me its potential. For now I'll just stick to the good old natural sound of an acoustic

Dennis Oba

Name: Dennis Oba
Discipline: Illustration

Programs: Vegas Video, Adobe Photoshop, Premiere, and a little bit of illustrator

Future: Illustrator for children's books.

Exercise 5 - Here We Go

Project One - Anna, Anthea, Nicole & Komal

Setting An Alarm Clock

We have decided to study the interaction of setting their alarm clock. We concluded as a group that this would be a necessary interaction between one person and an object around them. People use alarm clocks practically every day of their lives, although they are very difficult to set to a desired time. We decided to deconstruct this interaction and seek any possible difficulties associated with the interaction.

Design

The interaction is necessary in order to connect or relate with the environment around an individual. It leads to different actions and reactions. There can be many items of interaction; ours is setting up an alarm clock. Alarm clocks are designed as a clock with a bell or buzzer that can be set to sound at a particular time, as to awaken someone.

Start and Finish

Our research is specified for setting up an alarm clock for 7:30 a.m. The interaction would start when the individual holds the alarm clock, sets the time and then when the person places it back, the interaction ends.

Steps of Interaction


The following tasks are performed during the interaction:

1. Hold the alarm clock
2. Turn it around
3. Twist the dials to bring the needles to appropriate positions in order to set it up for 7:30 a.m.
4. Pushing another key or knob left in order to turn it on
5. Set the actual time again and put the clock back

Ethnographic Observations

From the beginning we knew different people have difficulties setting alarm clocks.

The most problematic elements:
-multiple buttons
-unclear labeling of the buttons
-the labels are very small and hard to read
-placement of the buttons in relation to the time display
-speed of time change while using the buttons
-turning the alarm on and off
-the dials are little smaller in size to be twisted easily with the fingers
-the instructions or options on the keys and dials are not clearly visible
-some individuals forget to push the key left in order to turn it on
-the clock had only two options for the alarm on and off, not the snooze



We noticed that everyone had different reactions to each clock; some understood what the buttons did and what the labels meant, while others did not. In some cases, the clock was set instead of the alarm, the alarm was set to PM instead of AM, there were difficulties to figure out HOW to set it, and there is no REVERSE button located on the alarm clocks to go backwards if the intended time was passed. Through our observations we found that 75% of the people we observed did not have trouble setting the alarm clocks, whereas 25% of them did. Our new goal of the interaction is to reduce frustration and increase user productivity and satisfaction.


Alarm Clock Diagrams

These are examples of the alarm clocks we used during our deconstruction and analysis.

Proposal

If the following things are changed in the design it might be more helpful towards the consumers:

-the dials should be at least two fingers in size so that they are easily rotated or twisted
-the instructions and options on the keys and dials must be clearly visible such that of contrasting colours (i.e. if the clock is black the instructions must be in white)
-some people might find it difficult to push the key left or right so there can be a button which can be pressed in, in order to turn it on and off
-the alarm clock should have a snooze button
-on the back of the clock the keys and dials are made along with their purpose shown on them
-on and off options and which way the dials turn should also be mentioned

Our New Design


Our new design for the alarm clock makes the interaction with it much easier. Its clear visibility shows when the clock is working, and its affordances are uncomplicated, distinctly separating the clock time from the alarm time (a main concern during our ethnographic study). These affordances also have very defined physical constraints, such as the slider paths, which only have 2 positions, and the axes use dials to maximize the space. The alarm clock is designed in such a way that each button gives clear and concise feedback; the dials for the alarm point to the number that it is currently set at, the sliders have only two positions that lock into place, and the buttons give resistance when pushed. All of this is mapped on the back of this simple alarm clock, clock time and alarm time evidently separated down the middle, and are set on different displays, eliminating any confusion. The hour and minute dials are also mapped to naturally reflect how they would be read on a clock.

LOVE+HATE - Lesley Nimmo

LOVE+HATE

I love my Bell phone. The Samsung U740 is a double flip phone that has every feature I could ask for. It has a dual-hinge design that makes both texting and calling extremely effortless.

Its affordances are very clear. As a cell phone, it needs to be practical to transport. This phone is thin and sleek, never a burden to carry. The front of the phone serves as a radio, the play and skip keys are clearly displayed on its surface. The intended use of the phone is obvious. As it flips to be longer, it mimics a regular phone, and as it flips wider, it represents a keyboard, making texting hassle-free.

The physical contraints of this device could be adjusted. Though it is clear that the phone flips both ways and the hinge is quite strong, I could see how the phone could be susceptible to snapping. Another physical constraint is the difficulty to call while in "text" mode. While having the phone flipped widely, the only way to dial out is to turn the phone sideways and it will be automatically on speaker. Speaker is useful as it is quite loud and handy at times. Psychological contraints are implied with the function of certain buttons in relation to which flip mode you are in. The numbers or letters face the way you should be reading the screen. Also, the dialing numbers for "call" mode are white and quite obvious.

There isn't too much to say about the mapping or the visibility. There is good feedback for when you press each button, there is a click sound and also an optional beep noise that I've chosen to switch off. There are two directive buttons for each mode which are very obvious if you take a closer look. I find that all of the buttons and symbols are in good and clear orientation in relation to their functions. Also, the "back" button is very forgiving aswell as the "drafts" option (allowing you to postpone the sending of your text).

I hate my residence phone. It is unclear and such a hassle to use. I've such annoying experiences with it I've been driven to the point of considering bringing a new one back reading week.

The affordance of this phone is absolutely terrible. It has a long cord that seems to be intented for mobility in my room. Unfortunately for me, I am constantly finding myself or my roommate tripping over it. Other than that, the dialing buttons are quite clear along with where you speak in to.

There are several physical and psychological constraints within this monstrosity. There is no clear redial button, I am always presing random buttons in the hopes that it's the right one. There are no symbols to indicate if there are messages or the use of keys. Most of the time, if I try to apply something that is prohibited, the phone line is blank and I am left for minutes just waiting.

The mapping of this phone has weak co-relation. There are at least 7 buttons that have no purpose whatsoever. There is no identification of a redial, recall or hold button. The codes that have to be punched in to get to lines are completely random and have no pattern or directions listed on the phone.

Due to the lack of visibility that I had just mentioned about the buttons and whatnot, I find this phone almost innoperable. It's like being blind. Also, there is a red flashing that indicates voicemail. This is nice, the hassle is that it doesn't identify to whom the message belongs. I could waste five minutes getting into my voicemail to find that it's for my roommate. There is no screen, caller ID or way to see the number you just dialed incase you have a mix-up with "wrong numbers".

Project One - Andrea Rodriguez, Garrett Tonge, Dennis Oba, Gretchen Romin and Kyla Blair

THE ZIPPER

The interaction we studied is zipping up and the problems this brings upon. Zippers are part of

our day life and not only during winter. We have zippers in jackets, bags, sweaters, boots or even

tents.

For that reason, we are going to give a brief introduction history of the ziipper.

History of the Zipper

- In 1893 Whitcomb Judson was recognized as the inventor of the zipper. However, at this time it was known as the “clasp locker” which was a complicated hook-and-eye shoe fastener. - Gideon Sundback, an electrical engineer, was hired to work for the Universal Fastener Company and was responsible for improving the 'Judson C-curity Fastener.' Therefore, Sundback designed the modern zipper in 1913. He increased the number of fastening elements from four per inch to ten or eleven and had two rows of teeth that could be pulled into a single piece by the slider. This was called the 'Separable Fastener' and the patent was issued in 1917. Furthermore, he also created manufacturing machine for this zipper and began making a few hundred feet of

fastener per day within the first year of operation.

- The name “zipper” came from the B. F. Goodrich Company

Types

Coil

- form the bulk of zipper sales

- Two basic types of coils are used: spiral and ladder

Invisible

- the zippers' teeth are behind the tape and the tape and sliders colour matches the garments

Metallic

– classic zipper

- The teeth are individual pieces of metal set on the zipper

- mostly found on jeans

Plastic-molded

- identical to metallic

- teeth are plastic instead of metal

- can be made in any color of plastic

Open-ended

- uses a "box and pin" mechanism to lock the two sides of the zipper into place

- often seen on jackets

Closed-ended

- closed at both ends

- often used in baggage

Problems with the Zipper

- Zippers getting jammed

- Fabric getting caught in the teeth causing it to be stock

- Hair getting caught in the zipper

- others have issues getting the zipper started on the track (putting the edges together).

There is a huge problem that we saw on each person: zippers need two hands to be done, without them you can struggle for minutes before you get to put the ends together.

How did zippers become popular?

- Zippers were featured in a 1930’s sales campaign where they were praised for promoting self-

reliance in children by making it possible for them to dress themselves in “self-help clothing”.

- In 1937 the zipper beat the button due to the support of French fashion designers in men’s

trousers

- Esquire magazine stated that the sipper was the “Newest Tailoring Idea for Men” and that it

would prevent any embaressing

Zipping up is pretty simple:

Alternatives of the Zipper

Buckle, button, rack and pinion, safety pin, shoelace, snap fasteners, velcro

Pros & Cons taken from our observations

pros

- can prevent cold air from entering

- strong

- can be easier to do up than some of the alternatives

- many variations available

cons

- can jam a lot

- teeth can break

- hair may get stuck in the teeth

- fabric behind zipper may get stuck in teeth.

Conclusion

-Based on our observations, girls actually wore more zippers than guys, in a ratio of 4:1

-People had a very hard time trying to use a zipper with one hand.

-23% of people observed did not get “ziped up” on the first try.

-Zippers on bags, are typically coiled where it is a stronger zipper.

Note: due to an uploading problem, the video and the flow chart are in the power point presentations, unfortunally we were unable to upload it here.

My Love/Hate by Garrett Tonge

My Love…






My MacBook is my true love, It the prefect size, the keys light up for me when it’s dark. If I leave it on my lap it works as a heater making it even more sustainable. We laugh at funny youtube videos and creep on facebook together. There are no constraints to this perfect beast, its 250 gigs of power. When you type the keys it’s clicking almost purrs for you. It provides me with 15 inches of love.



My Hate…








My hate is for my PC
Cause its not meant for me
It rattles a lot,
The craftsman ship is shot
How can I beam with glee?

The screen is way to old
And its just to big I’m told
But it’s the first thing I got
After the 12 years I was taught
I think this thing has mold

I Hate my PC

Love/Hate By Olivia Allen

The object that I hate is my rogers remote control. The remote control is way to big, with too many buttons. When I watch TV I don’t like to look down to change the channel or look down to use any of the other buttons, however the remote is so big that I always have to look down to press the buttons that I want. I also have to readjust my hand to move up and down the remote to get to other buttons. This is very annoying when I am trying to change the channel in a flash. Another thing that is really annoying about the design of the remote is the mapping, the number keys on the remote is nowhere near the channel and volume buttons, which is something I am very used to. I would also think that the buttons would be aligned in order of which ones we most important to the least however this is not the case because the buttons that I use the least like the play pause stop and rewind are located in a central area, an area which would be better suited for buttons that are used more often. The buttons also have many constraints because the buttons can only be pushed at certain times. Also the overall design of remote is terrible there is no comfortable hand grip or any comfortable place to hold it. There is no feedback on the device when a button is pushed it doesn’t light up or make a sound. The designers had some very good ideas for what would be good in a remote but the implementation of it was not the best.





The object that I love is my macbook. I love the sleek design of it as well as it is very easy to use. The designers took a lot of time to and consideration into mapping. All of the key for the laptop are placed in an area that is very efficient for its need and that is very visible. I love it how the buttons that control music and movies to play, pause and rewind are located right beside the volume buttons. Everything is clearly labelled and gives good feedback, every time I touch a key it makes a clicking sound so that I know the function was done properly. Some keys such as the caps lock button light up when it is pressed right, which works really well because sometimes I don’t press it properly however I can tall this because it doesn’t light up.

Project 1 - Katie, Kaitlynd, Andrea, Christian

Recycling at Home

Torontos Waste Diversion Program

Recycling in Toronto

Living in a society where mass production and convenience are essential, the recycling of all possible waste products is necessary. In 2006 alone, Toronto shipped over 690,000 tonnes of waste to a landfill in Michigan. Concerns for the environment began to surface, and the city of Toronto introduced a remodeled blue bin program to promote more recycling throughout the area. Recyclable materials waiting to be collected by the city are stored in easily recognizable blue bins. Our study is focused on the public’s interaction with these bins.

Interaction-Action

The Interaction
The interaction starts in your home where a variety of recyclable materials can be collected and separated from materials that are non-recyclable. Most people store their recyclable materials in a designated bin or container, until they have enough to transport outside to the blue bin, or to the recycling room in an apartment building. The apartment building setup creates a quicker and easier interaction with the use of the recycling room. Inside this room, tenants open a chute where the building’s recycling is collected and their interaction with the process is complete. Other residential areas, like homes, have blue bins situated outdoors. The individual needs to carry their recycling from their home, outside to where their blue bin is located. Recycling does not have to be seperated by the different types, and can be placed together in the bin. The next step is to wait until the designated recycling day to place your bin on the curb for collection. Finally, when the collection is over your bin goes back onto your property until next recycling day.

Items Used
Items used in this interaction are: blue-recycling bins of various sizes
recyclable materials ex: paper and plastic

Space
Space is the environment of a subject, system of controlled and uncontrolled variables. The alterable elements are the variable in which an agent has control in the improvement of a spaces function and the agents spatial interaction therein. This agency of control is the fundamental factor in the interaction of recycling in the home.

A system in space
The design of the recycling system in a large apartment building is simple and convenient. The individual walks down a hallway with their recycling to the designated recycling room. Inside the room, they open the chute and empty their recyclable into it, and are done with the interaction. For areas without recycling chutes, the blue bins are present. The large recycling bins are blue, have handles, a lid, and a set of wheels for easy movement. These bins are designed to be moveable between the curb and residence and usually stored outside. This design directs the interaction from interior of the home, to the exterior. Depending on where outside your blue bin is located, influence how much or often a person will interact with the bin and recycle.




Observations
•Most subjects divided their recycling even though the blue bin program does not require it.
•Subjects often had garbage and recycling in distinct locations in the home.
•The farther ones recycling pick up is from their home a positive corrolation affects the inclination to recycle on time and regularly, if at all.
•The blue bin program may have the effect of decreasing inclination to recycle with less need to distinguish recyclable goods.

Constraints
Tasks performed in this interaction are collecting recyclable materials from your home and storing them, and making sure those stored items are collected by the city to continue the recycling process. The goal is to recycle, and the accessibility to these bins is crucial for the goal to be met by society. The easier recycling is, the more the population will recycle.

Improvements
The system of Interaction, that of recycling, is dependent on the agents relation to their space. As one develops a spatial relation in the framework of the recycling interaction the system begins to drive itself. If it is conducive to the act of recycling then the system continues unharmed. To improve the spatial relation of the interaction dependents on the individual environments of each participant.

Excercise Four - Margarita Massioukova

LOVE: My cell phone (Sony Ericsson Z310a)

The buttons have a sutisfying feedack. The button clicks when it is being pushed back and makes a sound if appropriate settings are set. The phone also gives a feedback/sound hen turned off and turned on.

The affordances are successfully employed in the design of this phone. Due to its simplicity and clear labeling it is almost imposible to use t in any other way than the intended. The physical bits (buttons) are obviously there to be pushed.

Mapping of the phone is also good. The buttons are all n cronological order. Also, each option in the main menu has a picture that provides a clue to what that option is for.

The phone also has a semantic constran; the system relyes on the knowledge of language and symbols/numbers.

Due to the simplcity of the phone I am usually in the state of habituation. I am so used to the system that I am only considering the task at hand and not giving any thought to the system.

HATE: Lght switches at my house

Although the lightswitches provide reasonable feedback with the clicking noise, the feedback is not at all clear on whether the light is on or off. If the light is located near the switch, then the light itself will give visual feedback. Some rooms, where the switch is located outside the room, have no visual feedback, unless that area is entered. Furthermore, there are two light switches for the same light (in some locations). Thus, you almost never know which position to place the switch in to get the desired effect. The on and off positions alternate, depending on which switch you use. It is obvious, that the affordances are not successfully used in the design of he switch.

The mapping of the switches is also very confusing. At some locations in the house there are up to 5 switches in a row with absolutly no sematic mapping.

Physical constrains in this case (the fact that you can only click the top o the bottom of the switch) give hints on how to operate the system.

At this point in time, I am nowhere near the habituation state, because I have to play with the switches before getting the result I need.

Project One - Lesley, Jeannie, Karan, Steph, Wendy

We have decided to study the process of peeling an orange in order to find the most reoccurring difficulties people come across while peeling an orange. This is the interaction that happens before a person is able to eat the fruit inside of the skin of an orange, and is necessary to avoid the bitterness of the outside peel.


Design of the Orange

An orange’s design is biological. Most people know either by trial and error, or simply by observing the rough and hard texture of an orange that one is suppose to remove the peel first before eating the fruit. This is nature’s way of keeping the fleshy parts of the fruit protected by an exterior layer while still making it accessible to desired organisms.

Most people start peeling at the most tender part of an orange because it is easiest to penetrate. However, others may start at the firm nub of the orange as it allows for more control. More often than not, the rest of the work follows the natural curve of the orange.


Start and Finish

From observation, we have decided that the interaction of peeling an orange begins with the unpeeled orange. Therefore end of the interaction is the naked orange; however the end of the full experience is after eating the orange!


Steps of Interaction

1. Obtain an orange.
   
2. Supporting the orange in one hand, and with the other hand use
   
   1. one fingernail (preferably your thumbnail)
      
   2. multiple fingernails
      
   3. kitchen knife
   to dig into the peel of the orange, typically starting from the top or middle.
   
3. Start peeling the orange
   
   1. in a spiral from top to bottom
      
   2. in vertical strips
      
   3. in random patches
      
   4. in an “elephant” form
4. Continue repeating Steps 2 and 3 until the orange is completely peeled.
   
5. Hold the orange between your thumbs in a position where the divide of two wedges are in the centre.
   
6. Gently pull the orange apart at the divide into halves.
   
7. At the core of the orange, there are usually white stringy pieces, called the pith. Peel those away as well.
   
8. Now pull the pieces of the orange apart, and enjoy!

Research and Analysis

For our observations, we filmed various people peeling oranges in order to see how they go about doing it, and watching what difficulties they come across.

We also surveyed random people on their thoughts about the orange-peeling process.

What do you find most difficult when peeling an orange?
How do you solve this problem?

Problems With the Interaction

Despite that, there are still some difficulties for people while peeling an orange.

1. Our group has discovered that the biggest problem lies at the starting point. Steps 2 and 3: digging your thumb into the peel and removing that first piece. Some orange peels are harder than others; some people have blunter nails or weak fingers; some people may be disabled; there may be no cutting instrument within reach -- all of these factors and more can attribute to why many people have a difficulty at the beginning.
   
2. Oftentimes, the orange peel may also break in mid-action. There is a tendency for the peel to become disconnected, which makes it frustrating for some to restart or get rid of the patchy areas.
   
3. Because a lot of people prefer not to eat the white remnants of an orange, they find it irritating to have to pick away at the albedo (the leftover white layer immediately under the peel) because it usually still has residue of the bitterness of the peel on it. It is also equally irritating for people to remove the pith at the core of the orange.
   
4. During the orange-peeling process, hands and fingers may become sticky from the juices of the orange. This generally leaves an unpleasant feeling in the end, as the orange can be a very messy fruit to eat.

Proposal

While it is difficult (and potentially harmful) to genetically modify the orange to sprout a pulling tab out of its peel, we could suggest ideas that may improve the experience of orange peeling, such as delving into the health aspects of orange peels.

In order to promote these ideas, we have decided that an advertisement campaign would best suit our goal. We will use ads that will encourage people to peel oranges for their own health and beauty benefits. In doing so, orange peeling essentially becomes appealing.

Exercise Four- Kaitlynd

Love:  An object I love is my iHome.  This object is a docking station for my iPod to charge, has speakers so I can play music through it, a radio, and an alarm clock.  The affordances are easy to use and well labeled.  All of the function buttons light up so they are visible in the dark.  The iPod, radio, alarm, and snooze buttons are located in the middle of the iHome, and the volume and tuning dials are located on either side.  The mapping is very straight forward and simple to comprehend.  The dials located on the left and right are a constraint to the product.  Since the dials are a circular shape, you never know what point they are sitting at.  The volume dial is a perfect example of this constraint because before you turn on the system, you have no idea what level the volume is at.   Audible feedback is present when you press down the on buttons and hear a click sound, also when you press the alarm button it beeps. 

Hate: An object I hate is my CONAIR Ion Shine 1875 

hair dryer.  The affordances are located on the handle of the dryer with two press switches and one button design.  They are labeled, except for the blue button which has no label for its function.  The on/off function shares a switch with the high and low function which I find ridiculous.  It is very easy to accidentally turn off or change settings while in use which is frustrating when you are actually using the dryer.  Audible feedback is present by hearing a click sound when you press any of the affordances.  This hair dryer has a constraint with the poorly designed affordances and its overall function as a hair dryer.  A spark goes off behind the on/off switch when you go to turn on the object, weak airflow on an occasional basis, and an undesirable burning smell occurs if it is used for too long. I hate it...

Exercise 4 - Karan Patel

Love

Ipod touch

The affordance of my iPod touch is almost as if it wants to lure you into using it. There are only two active buttons on the iPod that are functional; the power and the home button.  The problem would be that one would almost not know how to use it if they have never used such an interface before (the software’s physical appearance)

This product has a few constraints. The first is that there is only one hole for the audio jack and also there are is only possible button to turn the iPod on, though there are two physical buttons on the iPod itself which would make it confusing to a first time user. Those are the physical constraints; the psychological constraints vary as this system can be modified according to the user preferences.  There are obvious things such as a volume limit and a brightness adjustment limit.

Mapping in this product might be sketchy to a beginner. As far as changing a song or volume goes, we see clear indicators in which direction we are headed, but to navigate to something as deep as the ABOUT screen on an iPod is not made so obvious.

Audible feedback is obvious as an iPod depends on audio to guarantee the user it has received the proper instructions i.e the click/tone sound it produces when we select something. The visual feedback is greater than previous iPods that in the iPod touch it requires good hand eye coordination to get from one screen to another; one track to another.

Hate

Digital Alarm clock

The affordance on this device is deceiving. It has four keys that say time/alarm/hour/minute and two on its right SNOOZE/ SLEEP. If you want to set the time you have to hold down the time key and then press the hour key or the minute key. A better choice would have you only press the time key once and then set the time.

The constraints in this product go along side its functionality. The constraint is that the alarm will not turn off if you press the big button that says SNOOZE on it, proper use right? They add the sleep button right next to it about half its size. After habitual use I press the sleep button even when im half asleep.  Not enough constraints such as the Laser gun alarm; It has you shoot (a laser) at a moving target in mid air for you to turn the alarm off.

Mapping in this product are done obvious except for the sleep button. I mean why keep the sleep key next to the SNOOZE button. Why not underneath the machine..a mile away..somewhere..so I can actually wake up without subconsciously getting up and turning the alarm off and jumping back onto the bed.

Audible feedback is an obvious in alarms..an annoying one at that too. Maybe an alarm ringtone would be nice. Yes sure you can get it to your morning radio station, that’s if there are no commercials going on! There is no visual feedback except for the displayed timing.

Exercise 4 - Christian

Love

I love my new Ipod Nano. I have lost too many generations of ipod over the years to count... 3 of which had been loaners from friends. 

The affordances of the ipod are well laid out and easy to use. The traditional scroll/touch wheel of previous generations is again used to best effect. The hold button on top is now much smaller and easier to maneuver. The on/off function is also more apparent and readily used.

The constraint of the nano is its size which is almost too small for effective use and its relatively short battery life in comparison to previous generations. As far as user reviews report it has a lower lifetime battery efficiency than other models.

As with other generations of the ipod, the mapping of the nano is well planned and easy to use. The scroll wheel is almost habit now in its ease of use.

Audible feedback is as loud as ever with the ipod and requires being turned off, definitely. The visible feedback is still apparent with the light function which turns on when the nano is being manipulated. Also in the case of visible feedback is the album scroll function much like the iPhone and iPod touch. You can scroll through pictures of the albums with the touch wheel. Not as fun as the touch screen but oh well.

Hate

I hate my cell phone. Hate it beyond all words. Its an old LG model that im not even willing to look up further out of pure disdain for the product. Why do I keep it you ask? Because I have become frighteningly habituated to the use of a subhuman technology. Yes by sub I imply substandard, not subterranean.

The affordances of mine crappy phone seem apparent at first. It has these amazing little texting keys. Then you realize that alphabetical layouts are not conducive to fast texting... at... all. Next as you 'navigate' the 'functions' you will begin to cry. No you wont, but you will realize how convoluted it is. It has a camera. You push on the side. It goes off in your pocket on the subway... and takes pictures of the inside of your jeans. And flashes. Your. Pants. Will. Flash.

The constraint of my awful LG phone is the LG phone itself. Everything is a constraint. From its embarassing appearance, to awful texting features, to horrible 'software' layout, and last but not least the stellar camera accessed by a huge button on the side of the phone. Oh wait. A similarly large button on the other side turns on Driving Mode. Driving Mode features the lovely voice of the subway stop voice. Who yells "Please Say a Command". Awful.

I believed I have summed up the mapping supremacy of my phone. There is none. Its terrible. Everything seems ill placed and akward. Nothing appears ergonomic nor is the phone even comfortable to hold.

The audible and visual feedbacks are best summarized as annoying, if not detrimental entirely. Overly loud or much too quiet, sounds for every function that need to be turned off again if ever the phone is off and turned back on. Terrible music/alarm/ring tones accompany the purchase of this technological feat of mankind.

The object which I hate at my place is the tap of my basin or sink in my washroom. It looks stylish apparently but I experience some drawbacks in the design.

Due to lack of affordance when for the first time I interacted with this tap, I could not figure out how to open it. I thought it would be twisting the faucet anti- clockwise but it was pulling it up in order to run water. Secondly for hot and cold water the faucet has to turn left or right but it is not marked here. Usually cold water is marked by blue and hot by red but as it is not mentioned it confuses me every time. There is no clear or visible mapping and constraints.

The object which I love is the lamp on my bed-side table. It has a button attached to the code which shows clearly its affordance that it has to be pressed down in other to turn the light on. There is a small dail along with the button which can be twisted left or right for the brightness and dullness of light respectively. The constraints on the dial are clearly visible.

Annika, Olivia, Claudia and Margarita

We investigated the interaction of opening pry-off bottles

The items needed for the interaction are a beverage that has a pry-off lid and a bottle opener, or the knowledge of opening a pry-off using an alternative method.

To open a pry-off drink with a bottle opener:

1. Take a firm grip of the bottle, generally around the lower half of where the neck meets the body.

2. Use your other hand to position the bottle opener on the cap

3. Lift up the bottle opener, while holding the bottle down

4. You should hear a pop from the seal breaking, the lid will then come off and the drink may or may not start foaming

Common problems and constraints when opening a pry-off are:

1. There are no instructions for first time users

2. Most of the time there is no why to tell if the lid is pry-off or twist off

3. No bottle opener

4. The opener could slip

5. The bottle could slip

Survey Results

1. 100% of participants stated that pry-off bottles where a problem for intoxicated people

2. 100% of participants reported having difficulty with opening pry-off bottles in the past

3. The majority of participants use an opener for pry-off caps

4. The most common alternative to using a bottle opener is to knock-off the cap on the hard surface like a table

Suggested Improvements

To have a diagram on beer boxes to show users how to open the bottle without an opener. To have a rough texture on the bottle neck to prevent slipping when opening.

Exercise Four - Annika Hoefs

The object that I love is my cell phone.

The model I own is a Samsung MM-A900. The phone was my moms for a few months but she gave it to me and bought a new cell at the end of the summer in 2007 because I was using it way more than she was. Affordances such as a conveniently adjustable camera lens make taking photos more precise. I also like that I can turn the camera on just by pushing a button on the side of the phone, rather than going through the menu to find the camera options. The mapping on my cell is pretty straight forward, each of the buttons on the outside have little pictographs engraved in the metal so that you can tell what they do. The visibility arrangement on my screen was a little overwhelming for me at the beginning, this being my first cell phone, but the more I became accustomed to the layout, the more I could appreciate it. Only the necessities are displayed on the main screen of the phone, such as the time and date and if I have a new message. My phone is a little big but that generally does not cause any problems, it results in a larger screen to view text messages and pictures. Last, my phone can put up with plenty of wear and tear, it has been dropped, thrown, kicked, splashed and spilled on numerous times and it's still holding up to the task.

The object that I hate is my laptop.

My dad bought me my computer at the beginning of the school year here at ocad. I decided that he must have found a refurbished one for a good deal and just told that it was brand new. When I set it up in my res everything was fine except for the volume, it took about a week for me and the help of several computer savvy friends to finally fix the problem. Within two or three weeks of purchasing this "necessity", the webcam stopped working for no apparent reason, I still have no idea where it went. Clearly there is a problem with the mapping because it is very hard for me to diagnose problems and or find solutions. A constraint that I have is my lack of knowledge regarding computer skills , I am sure this is the biggest part of my problem but I have had other people complain about my computer while using it so it cannot just be me.

exercise 4, Kyla Reis

First Item: My Aunts Dishwasher
At my house we wash the dishes by hand. I had never used a dishwasher before in my life until just a week ago when my aunt showed me how to use hers. I live with my aunt for the three days I am at school so therefore learning to use her dishwasher was essential. And this process took all of two seconds! All I had to do was put a little detergent pack in a slot in the dishwasher, lock the door and press start! It was so simple. Furthermore, The physical constraints of the lock made it virtually impossible to make a mistake while using the dishwasher. In order to press any buttons on the machine you have to lock the dishwasher door or else the buttons do not function. This way you do not accidentally press a button while the door is open and then have running water and soap all over your floor. In addition,  the handle to lock the door only moves left and right so this also puts a physical constraint on the machine.  The affordance of the dishwasher buttons and lock are also really effective design choices. The visibility of the lights and text also aids one in using this machine. Each button is labelled with text and has a small, green light so you know what option you have selected. These lights also provide feedback to the user and beeping noises let the individal know that they have selected something. Even the hum of the dishwasher notifies the individual that the machine is working.

Second Item: My Zune

I really do love my Zune to be honest. It has great sound, a clear screen and it looks great. However, there is one giant design flaw that really bothers me. You cannot turn it off...well not the way they say you can anyway. You are instructed that to turn off your Zune you must do exactly what you do to turn it on; hold down the play button. This unfortunately is not true. When I did this and went back to listen to music a few hours later it said that my battery was almost dead. This confused me because I had only listened to it for an hour that morning. When I went online I learned that in order to turn off your Zune you have to  hold down the back button and down button. This of course made no sense. There are no symbols or text anywhere on the Zune indicating that this is how one would shut it off. Due to this flaw it is obvious that there is unclear mapping in the Zune's design. I learned that holding down the play button did not turn off my Zune but instead put it in sleep mode. Therefore, the visibility of this design choice was very poor as it was impossible to know that the Zune was in fact not turned off. This was due to the fact that when you held down the play button it did exactly what one would expect it to do when "turned off"; show a blank, black screen. The Zune really is a great product but it does have a big design flaw.