Goal, Intention, Action Sequence

Any process we do has a goal, intention, and an action sequence. In design we have to be concerned with these three words. We need to be aware of where the user is starting and their goal and the process they will go through to get to the goal. If we don't design the action sequence right then they can't make it to the goal effectively. We also need to make sure that the actions make sense with getting from start to finish and that they are visible. If we design it and the actions aren't obvious then our design as failed because the user cannot reach their goal.

"The system should provide actions that match intentions." -Donald Norman (Norman,2002)

We talked in class the other day about what these mean and we used the example of the marble and the tracks. The teacher gave the starting track and called it the existing state. He also gave the end track and cup to catch the marble and called it the goal. Three students had to figure out how to get the rest of the tracks to line up so the marble could go from the existing state to the goal. All the tracks in between were the action sequence. The intention was the placement of the tracks so that the marble could travel from start to finish.

Citations:

Norman, Donald A. "User Centered Design." The Design of Everyday Things. New York: Basic, 2002. N. Page 198

My plan for continuing education

Most of us know that a lot of professions have to take a certain number of credits of continuing education after the graduate to keep their license. My dad is an accountant and I always remember him taking some sort of class. Teachers and health professions are a few of the other people that have to take continuing education classes to keep their license. In graphic design we are not required to take extra classes. We aren't even required to have any formal degree. People just want to see your work and look at your portfolio. I think its extremely important to continue your education. Graphic design is always changing and changing fast. If we don't stay on top of it or try to keep up then our work will suffer and our chances of getting jobs will suffer as well.

Personally, for me, I think I need all the help I can can get. I am 15 credits away from graduating and I still don't feel like I have learned enough to go out and do this for real. Because of this I know that I will never stop wanting to learn more and grow in my abilities. One of the most obvious ways you can continue your education is grad school. But that is something that is not in my plans. I think I will try to get on with a company who is flexible so I can keep up on my skills and continue to use them while still being a mom and waiting for my husband to get done with school.

I think it also helps to follow other designers blogs and websites. 

If I can see what other designers that I admire are doing and read what they have to say it will help me learn after I'm out of school. Also, there are tons of books about design that can help you continue to learn.

Logo's

Visibility

When you think about a design you think it would only make sense to makes important things visible, right? While that makes perfect sense for some reason it is not always the case. Users are often left confused and trying to figure out how to complete a task because the solution is hidden from them. Why do designers do this? Why don't we make everything visible and make things easier to use?

This is a tough question to answer. As a graphic designer one of my obvious concerns is the aesthetics of a design. I want it to look good and appeal to the user. Where are a web designer might have a totally different concern and a mechanical designer has an even different concern that the others.

"Handles on cabinets distract from some design aesthetics, and so they are deliberately made invisible or left out."

-Donald Norman (2002)

Donald Norman points out and easy solution for when visibility is not an option, sound. He says that "Sound can provide information available in no other way. Sound can tell us that things are working properly or they need maintenance or repair" (Norman. 2002). I found this pretty interesting because it wasn't something I had considered. After I read it I started to think about all they things that make a sound to let me know that something is going on or working. I may not be able to see something didn't work but that error beep lets me know. Using sound as an alternative to visibility can be extremely beneficial. Because of our cultural constants certain sounds mean certain things to us. So if we use sound to give feedback for an action it eliminates the need to add an extra light or error message in our design.

Citations:

Norman, Donald A. "Knowing what to do." The Design of Everyday Things. New York: Basic, 2002. N. Page 100

Brands I respect and who did them

Obviously one of the first brands that comes to mind when I think of brand that I respect would be Apples. They have designed a really simple, clean, distinguishable brand. Most people can spot and Apple product on first glance. All of their designs are clean and simple just like their logo, and that is one reason why I like them. Their logo reflects the design of all their products. They didn't just design a logo and slap it on their products. They thought it through and I feel like they have done a really good job.

Other brands that I like are ones that I just like their product or that I've become familiar with. I think exposure to a brand and being around it a lot can make you like it and even think it's a great design even if it isn't the best brand out there.

Constraints

What is a constaint? Dictionary.com defines it as a "limitation or restriction."

When you feel constrained you feel limited or held back. In design we have to be very aware of constraints. In Donald Norman's book he says there are four basic categories of constraints; physical, semantic, cultural, and logical. Donald also explains constraints as being

"limits to the perceived operation of a device" (Norman, 2002).

In my interaction design class we are focusing alot on constraints and conventions. When you are working on an interactive design you have to be aware of constraints. This is the case with any type of designer; graphic, mechanical, architect etc. A physical constraint will physically stop someone from doing a task. A logical constraint will help someone figure out what something does when the physical and semantic constraint do not relay the information. It is usually done by natural mappings. A semantic constraint is when you rely on the environment or situation to figure out how something works. Cultural constraints are based on cultural conventions.

It's been intersting to see how all these different things affect how we interact with everyday objects. Ever since we looked at how doors work and apply these terms to doors I haven't been able to open a door or walk through a door without thinking about my interaction with it and the design on it.


References:
Norman, Donald A. "Knowing what to do." The Design of Everyday Things. New York: Basic, 2002. N. page 84-86

dictionary.com 

Do I need a website?

Do I need a website?

We are a technology driven age. There is technology all around us. Many of us cannot function without some sort of technology and most of our work relies on technology, specifically the Internet. We use it to sell stuff, buy stuff, communicate with people, and stay up to date on issues. With the Internet being involved in everything we do I personally think its important that we take full advantage of it. The Internet can be a great way to promote ourselves as a designer. I think we definitely need some sort of a website. We can take advantage of things like behance and linked in and other professional portfolios and even blogs. They are a great way for people to be able to see our work and get introduced to what we can do. But I personally feel if we have a website that is branded with our logo and has our work it only makes us look that much better. We are professionals so we want to look professional and I think one way to do this is to have our own website. Employers will see that we took the initiative and time to set up and keep a website up to date and as long as it looks good it will help impress them.

Persona-English Major

Here is a link to my persona for an English major:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fnd2zamkikxzpg0/English-RachelBurtenshaw.pdf

Harvest Hills Bakery

AV Presentation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HjomlZJqjs&feature=youtu.be

Behance:
http://www.behance.net/gallery/Style-Guide-Harvest-Hills-Bakery-Identity/6971349

Affordances vs Perceived Affordances

What is a blanket made for? We lay them on our bed and sleep under them to keep us warm at night. We might also wrap up in a blanket and watch a movie or read a good book. Those typical ways of using a blanket would be known as perceived affordances. But if you were to ask my 3 year old what you do with a blanket he would have many different ideas. He likes to use a blanket for those same things as well but to him a blanket can be so much more than that. He can use it to hide under, drape over cushions to make a fort, lay on it to be swung in or pulled around on, or even tie over his shoulders to make a superman cape. All of those would be affordances. It is other ways that something can be used that weren't what it was originally intended to do.

When we are designing things we need to always take into account the difference between affordances and perceived affordances. If we just assume that the user will know how something is intended to be used then our design won't be as good as it could be. 

"In design, we care much more about what the user perceives than what is actually true(Norman). "

One way to be sure that we are designing for the user with perceived affordances in mind is to test. Usability testing can offer designers so much information and provide them with the best insight to how well their design is doing. I really liked the quote from Steve Krug when he said, "The point of testing is not to prove or disprove something. It's to inform your judgment(Krug, 2006)." I think people get confused in thinking that testing will tell them if one option is better than the other option when in reality it is just to help you form a better decision about how to design. I am starting to realize that a little more as I do my own testing and study about it.





References:

Norman, Donald. "Affordances and Design." RSS 20 Web. Jnd.org, n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2013.

 Krug, Steve. "Chapter 9." Don't Make Me Think!: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability. Berkeley, Calif: New Riders Pub., 2006. N. pag 135. Print.

Do I need a physical portfolio?

Going to school were here to learn, and grow, and build our portfolio. But that is where the big question comes up: Do I need a physical portfolio?

We are in a technology based generation and everything seems to be going digital. So the debate about if you need a physical portfolio is a tough one. I personally feel that you should always have some sort of a physical portfolio. People like to be able to hold stuff in their hands and not only be able to see it on screen. I think this is especially true if you are more in the print world of design. Web design, apps for example may not need to be physical because they are meant and built to be seen digitally. I think it is a case by case basis. If you can show something on screen and in print that is a huge bonus because you are showing how it looks in both formats.

I also think it depends on where you plan on working or what you plan on doing with design. If you want to be strictly web and screen design it may not be as important for you. But it might be a good idea to have some stuff physically printed out in case you go to an interview and the employer asks for something physical. You need to do your research and ask questions and get a good idea of what exactly employers in your area of interest want.

Graphic design is different from other professions in that you are judged based on your work. They don't necessarily look at your degree, or what grades you got, they just want to see what you have done. They also factor in your experience and where you have worked because the more experience you have typically that means you are a better designer.