Norman Design

Post date: Oct 26, 2017 6:27:21 PM

Part1: Cloze Reading

Read the article at http://www.brandandmortar.com/graphic-design/norman-doors-and-six-fundamental-principles-of-interaction/

Reading closely means reading for meaning and understanding. Follow these 8 steps to perform your own close reading. To begin, read your passage slowly. To begin, read your passage slowly.

Task 1: Identify any vocabulary you are unfamiliar with and look up the definition. Double check that the definition makes sense in the context of the text. Place in the first section of the email.

Task 2: Language Choice - identify any language that attracts your attention for any reason. Why do you find it interesting? Jot down your reasons in the second section of the email

Task 3: Verbs, nouns, adjectives and adverbs. Identify the ones you find in the passage. What do you notice? Are there any patterns? Comment on your findings in the email.

Task 4: Predictions What might happen next? Why? Email.

Task 5: Opinions and reflections - what do you think of the story/narrators/characters? Email

Task 6: Connections does the task remind you about your own experiences? Or other books and films? What are the similarities? email.

Task 7: Questions - note them, and remember there is no such thing as a stupid question. Try to list more open questions than closed questions in your email.

Task 8: What key themes from the novel do you think are reflected in the passage? email.

And remember it is one email, not eight.

Part 2: Design of Everyday Things

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeyLEe1T0yo

Donald Norman wrote the book for many reasons. The initial thought was the frustration that he encountered with ‘everyday things’. His inability to operate simple things was frustrating, and after feeling flustered and confused at his inability to operate things, he realized that much of the problem was due to poorly designed interface. This made him realize that people shouldn’t feel guilty or stupid for their inability to operate devices. The fault was with the unintuitive interface- that shifts the problem space to the design of a good interface.

Norman Scavenger Hunt: http://www.sharritt.com/CISHCIExam/norman.html

• VISIBILITY - one of the most important aspects of design – interface must have visible features, inferring the right messages to us
  • Natural Signals – the ‘natural’ or common understanding of objects and their perceived use
  • Natural Design – design that takes advantage of ‘natural signals’
• MAPPINGS – the link between what you want to do and what is perceived possible. It is the relationship between moving a control, and the results in the real world.
  • Natural Mapping – takes advantage of physical analogies and cultural standards for immediate understanding
• AFFORDANCES – the perceived and actual properties of the thing, primarily those fundamental properties that determine just how the thing could possibly be used
  • (e.g. a chair affords sitting; glass affords seeing through, breaking; wood affords solidity, opacity, support, carving)
  • Affordances provide us clues on how to operate a device
• CONSTRAINTS – limits to the perceived operation of a device (e.g. a small hole vs. a large hole- we might be able to use only one finger in the small hole, while we might be able to use multiple fingers in a large hole)
• CONCEPTUAL MODEL – our mental simulation of a device’s operation (mental model?) These can be based on MAPPINGS, AFFORDANCES and CONSTRAINTS.
  • MENTAL MODEL – models people have of themselves, others, their environment, and the things they interact with (CONCEPTUAL MODELS are part of this)
  • The mental model of a device is formed by interpreting its perceived actions and its visible structure.
  • System Image – the visible part of the device being used. If incomplete / contradictory, the user cannot easily use the device.
  • Feedback – sending information back to the user about what action has actually been done and what result was accomplished
  • Two principles of designing for people:
    • good conceptual model
    • make things visible

Part 3: Software to download:

TinkerCad - https://www.tinkercad.com/

Sketchup Make - https://www.sketchup.com/download

FormZ - http://www.formz.com/products/formzfree.html

Blender - https://www.blender.org/

Rhino is also industry standard, but not free, but highly discounted - https://www.rhino3d.com/

Autodesk- All Products

Fusion 360 - https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/overview

Part 4:

Significantly modify a 3D Shape. Browse through the Websites https://pinshape.com/ and https://www.thingiverse.com/ . Find an object that you want to 3D Print and create significant changes to it. Email the file. There is a definite learning curve moving into the Autodesk products, however they are industry standard AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) dealing with fabricating parts at any size. Please be patient as you work through this step.