Final Post

1. I have always felt like design was a huge contributing factor to my life before I took design intelligence, but now I feel like I am better able to describe and understand the design that I experience on a daily basis. It will continue to affect how I live and view the world around me.
2. I think that it is important for first year students at K to understand just how much of an adjustment there is to college life. I feel like a lot of emphasis is put on the academic transition, but not as much on the change in living and lifestyle. I would tell freshmen to expect a huge change and to not feel isolated when they are afraid and feel alone; everyone feels this way- even if it isn't talked about.
3. I would tell students enrolled in Design Intelligence to prepare for a lot of analysis and discussion, and to get used to speaking in front of people and doing presentations.

K Paper

1. My tentative thesis is: Kalamazoo College is an excellent learning institution that provides it's students with a quality environment and plentiful resources. The mail center at K is slow, unorganized, inefficient, and does not promote a good image for K College. To better represent K the mail center should be changed to remedy the problems.
2. I plan to address constraints such as space, staff, and time in my analysis, and trigger points like mailboxes, service, and speed are most important.
3. Class readings to utilize:
Emotional Designs
Design of Spaces
The Third Place
The Experience Architect
Principles of Marketing
4. " A good experience architect sets the stage for positive encounters with your organization through products, services, digital interactions, spaces, or events."

Campus Analysis

1. I chose to observe the Biggby cafe area of the library at Kalamazoo College. It's purpose is to serve coffee, drinks, and small treats, and to provide a coffee shop atmosphere within the library setting. I made my observations in the evening (around 7- 9 pm), on a weekday.
2. a) The appearance of the actual Biggby store was typical for any Biggby coffee shop, since its a Biggby franchise. The seating area (the part I actually observed) was large, with two couch areas, several armchairs, and lots of wooden table and chairs. The color scheme and lighting were warm, with warm yellow, orange, red, and purple colors dominating and yellow overhead lights and lamps.
b) see above, all of the couches and armchairs were taken, and a few chairs and tables were availible.
c) At the time I observed the area was busy, with people and groups coming in and out, and several people or couples/threesomes studying quietly at tables.
d) The floors were consistent with the rest of the library flooring, a multicolored dark slate slab flooring.
e) The sound level varied depending on how many people and what people were doing in the lounge area, from very quiet to slightly noisy. Even with music played from Biggby the area was never loud.
f) The materials used looked like average coffee shop furniture that you would find in any Biggby's location. Everything looked nice, but very manufactured and cut out.
3. The area projects a warm and cozy ambiance that is supposed to evoke a comfortable and pleasant feeling. Design elements like yellow lighting, soft seating, warm colors, and a recessed area inside the library help to convey the image. It is a nice area that people gather in and promotes a good image for K.
4. People interacted with each other in a very calm and comfotable way. Study groups seemed productive and serious, while group meetings looked fun and relaxed, and people in conversation seemed content and happy. Many had drinks from Biggby and interacted well with the seating options and space.
5. I found the concept of a coffee shop/ coffee lounge area inside a library an interesting idea and one that seemed to work very well. It was a design reminisant of most coffee shops (warm and cozy) that was a nice alternative to other campus locations and a good way to feel off campus while still being on campus.

Product, Services, and Branding Strategies

1. Design and marketing are two aspects of a products life that are essential to each other. A products design promotes an image and sends a message to the targeted consumer based on the image. This is the essence of marketing. So a product is marketed based on the chosen design. I think the most important element is branding. It is a reflexive element that is highly influential on the average American.
2. Branding and marketing sell a product by promoting how it will change your life in a positive way, therefore creating a good experience. It is all about perceived changes from buying a product and how owning a certain product will improve a persons experience.
3. K College's brand position is all about the quality liberal arts education and the strong community aspect of school. Design of the campus, the classroom experience, the study abroad program, and the K plan are all design aspects that reinforce the idea that one will get a premier education at Kalamazoo.

"The Experience Architect"

1. I think the most important point about this reading is the whole idea of the experience architect- this was a totally new concept for me. The experience architect is someone who designs and crafts an exciting experience for a customer. They push the limits of ordinary and expand ideas and norms to create an organized yet remarkable customer experience.
2. Both the design of consumer products and the design of experiences are focused on financial success for the business involved. They are both about innovation and pushing the boundaries of design, but experience design is formed around the customer's journey and actual interaction and experience with a product or service, instead of product design that is based solely on object interaction.
3. I would plan to have a end of quarter seminar scavenger hunt here at K. Each seminar would work as a team to follow clues around K to try to reach the end, where the winning team would win a prize.

1. Ray Oldenburg describes a third place as a place separate from home and work where people can meet and congregate informally and comfortably to interact with one another and the community.
2. Design elements like tone, ambiance, atmosphere, spaciousness, seating options, and inclusiveness are all important when designing a third space.
3. Biggby coffee in the library commons had potential to be a successful third space here at K. It is a nice, informal place to study, read, or have a conversation with coffee- or not. It could be improved by reorganizing the seating so that space is more intimate and comfortable.

Wikipedia article- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boleslawiec_Pottery

...It took me a while to figure out how to upload my article!

"City"- William Whyte

1. I think the authors main points were that supply creates demand, a good new space builds its constituency, the best-used plazas are sociable places, the best-used places also tend to have a higher than average proportion of women, the rhythms of successful plazas are very alike, location, shape, and sittable space are important, and lastly seating is extremely important.
2. Designing urban spaces and consumer products is a very different process. Designing urban spaces is about creating an area for large numbers of people to utilize, and a consumer product is designed for one person. Both are designed to attract people in some way.
3. 1) Location
2) Space
3) Use of space
4) Constituency
5) Seating and ambiance

Downtown Kalamazoo Analysis

1. Downtown Kalamazoo's business area is a relatively nice business district. The building design is clean and modern, and the overall atmosphere is pleasant. The streets are clean and the traffic is low, and there is a nice mix of retail stores- especially places to eat and get coffee or drinks. The area is well designed and there are nice benches and plants on the streets.
2. 1) Get rid of vacant storefronts
2) Up the security and police presence
3) Make everything more car accessible

3. "The shade trees and planter boxes? Lovely, he says, but they block shoppers' view of shop windows and signs. Those handsome groupings of benches and tables? They seem inviting until Gibbs points out that they often attract teenagers and other loiterers, who scare off shoppers. The elegant Victorian streetlamps, the expensive trash cans, and the distinctive granite paving stones--"so beautiful that people will stare at them as they walk by the storefronts," Gibbs says--are little more than money down the drain. Their costs must be amortized over many years, but long before they have been paid off (and before the town can afford to replace them) they will be old-fashioned, marking the entire street as out of date and out of step."
I disagree with this evaluation of downtown aesthetics. I find all these things attractive, and if done well, not dating or uninviting at all. I like the brick streets on Kalamazoo's pedestrian mall, and I also like the benches, planters, and tables. I think they add to the appeal and make it a nice place to go.

P.S. Sorry this is so late, I lost my blogger password when my firefox shut down- just retrieved it today!

What Main Street Can Learn from the Mall

1. Robert Gibbs uses several criterion to evaluate a Main Street, such as:

• placement of benches, trashcans, and trees
• cleanliness of the area
• pavement material
• security and lighting
• parking and traffic flow
• location of specific retailer types (restaurants not facing westward etc.)
• type of retailers
• the left turn rule

2. No, personally I don't think that main street should become a mall. While I understand and appreciate Robert Gibbs' arguments and think that he presents a valid point when it comes to the economics and success of a shopping area, I think he loses the point of what a main street really is- it is the heart of a city, not a center for capitalism worship.
3. I think that the best checklist points for a main street would be cleanliness, parking, natural beauty/aesthetics, and retailer types and variation. I think that ultimately the most important thing should be the feeling and ambiance of a main street and how well it relates to the city and holds true to its history.

Retail Analysis

1. What store did you observe? Who do they market to?
I observed the Talbots store in the Briarwood mall in Ann Arbor, MI. Talbots markets to the middle aged to older female who is middle to upper middle class with a "classic" sense of style.
2. Briefly describe the following
a. appearance of store entrance (from outside)
The front of Talbots is a small, whiteish facade that has simple, clean lines that are semi-modern but still have an air of the classic english. There were two large red front doors with brass handles (opened), a red awning, warm lights, the talbots logo over top, and a large window display on the right side. It had a very residential feel.
b. sounds (inside the store)
The store was quiet, customers were silent or spoke quietly, and salespeople interacted minimally. Motown music was piped throughout the store, but at a low volume. c. how the merchandise is displayed
The merchandise was displayed with the newest items in the front. The window mannequins wore the new "fall look", and the left and right side wall displays had new clothing hanging up. There were also floor racks on each side, with a table in the middle with folded clothing on it. The clothing in the middle of the store was older, with sale items in the middle/back left side. Accessories were in the middle of the store, and Petites were in the very back, displayed similarly to the regular clothing up front.
d. floors
The floors were a light maple colored faux-parquet hardwood.
e. signs
There was minimal signage; only signs indicating sales and specials and the petites section. There were also signs explaining some of the new items, e.g. "courderoy", and "peacoats".
f. cashier area
The cashier area was very open, and in the middle of the store against the wall of the right side. It consisted of a single counter with two cash register/checkout areas. The counter was low, about mid-waist hieght, and the same light maple color of the floors. It had a glass top.
3. What image does this business try to project? Give specific examples of design elements that reflect this image.
Talbots tried to project the image of the classic yet stylish educated, upper-middle class woman. It tries to portray a sense of an easier time with cozy charm and traditional sensibilities.It did so by making the store feel like a classic English home, with wood floors, light colored walls, wainscoting, and pictures of attractive middle-aged women in nice outdoor settings and English countryside paintings on the walls.
4. How did customers interact with various elements of the store's design?
Customers did not interact much with elements of the store. They mostly moved around quietly, occasionally touching a piece of clothing or picking one up. Mirrors were generally avoided, and I saw no one go into the fitting rooms.
Several of the armchairs in the front of the store were utilized by husbands or male shopping partners who had no interest in exploring Talbots.
5. What did you find interesting about the design of this store?
I found the whole concept of the Talbots store design interesting. I think it is trying to portray an old-world, bougeoisie, anglo-philic image to a clientele who is either uninterested or unaware, and the juxtapositon of the cliente with the stores ideals is facsinating.

Science of Shopping

1. I think the most important point of this article are that people are highly influenced by store organization subliminally, and that there is an exacting science behind the way people shop.
2. Personally, I feel that while I am somewhat influenced by a stores design, I am more influenced by prior knowledge I have about a brand or what I perceive the product to be rather than by the actual, physical storefront.
3. I would analyze:
Store size
Store proportions
Product types
Materials/decorations
Product location
etc.

Packaging

1. Packaging is extremely important when it comes to marketing a product. It is the first thing people see, and it usually the first thing associated with a specific product. I think it can make or break a product.
Recently I was looking at new headphones to buy, and I decided not to buy them based on the packaging. I had researched them online and thought they would be perfect, but mediocre packaging swayed my opinion in the end.
2. I think that apple product packaging is iconic. It is simple, clean, and evocative, and it is easily recognized by people everywhere.
3. Usability issues like practicality, durability, ability to convey a message, and cost of production exist for packaging.
Good packaging from a usability perspective- sigg water bottles
Bad packaging from a usability perspective- computer cables in thick plastic packages etc.

1. This reading relates to the concept of user-focused design that we have discussed because it is all about website usability and what makes a good website. Flanders states that a good website is one that is easy to use and gets the message across quickly and efficiently. It should look good too, but mostly the purpose is for everything on the site to be clear.
2. I felt like the most important point was point number 2. If someone can't even figure out what your website is about, then it serves absolutely no purpose and no one will be able to use it unless they somehow have prior knowledge.
3. Visually appealing
Good mapping
Easy to use/simple design
Natural linking

1. I think that one of the main points Schiff is trying to make is that innovation is good, even though resultant outcomes are not always what was initially intended. Wikipedia is innovative, and while there is a large room for error, it ultimately has replaced Britannica for a whole generation of people.
2. "A twenty-four-year-old University of Toronto graduate is the site’s premier contributor. Since composing his first piece, on the Panama Canal, in 2001, he has written or edited more than seventy-two thousand articles. “Wikipediholism” and “editcountitis” are well defined on the site; both link to an article on obsessive-compulsive disorder. (There is a Britannica entry for O.C.D., but no version of it has included Felix Unger’s name in the third sentence, a comprehensive survey of “OCD in literature and film,” or a list of celebrity O.C.D. sufferers, which unites, surely for the first time in history, Florence Nightingale with Joey Ramone.)"
Here the author uses good supporting detail. She follows up her point about wikipediholism with a detailed reference to the comprehensive linking within wikipedia and how wikipediholism links to a comprehensive page on OCD. I think this is effective because it shows the interconnectivity of wikipedia and how it outshines Britannica.
3. From a design perspective, there is a huge difference between Wikipedia- an online encyclopdiea, and Britannica- a serier of large books (there is of course the online version). Wikipedia appeals to a more fast-paced, younger, more tech savy group that likes instant gratification, where Britannica is more time consuming and appeals to an older generation that relies on books for the most reliable knowledge. Wiki is more behavioral/functional, but Britannica is more visceral.

1. How do you feel simplicity/complexity contributes to Visceral Design, Behavioral Design, and Reflective Design?

I think that simplicity and complexity contribute to all aspects of design and how they appeal to people. Visceral design and behavioral design are most dependent on simplicity, since visceral design appeals to our basic instincts, and behavioral design is all about usage which is highly tied into simplicity.

2. Find ideas from two of your classmates' blogs that could be combined to make an interesting observation about design. Copy the relevant passages and explain how they relate to the point.

"Upon reflecting on several technological purchases made over the years, I can say without trepidation that the determining factors in many of these purchases centered on whichever device was most complex and feature-rich." 

- Javin

"When I bought my phone, complexity made it much more desirable for me. I chose the phone that I have now because of all the features that it has. Even though I do not use all of the features, I bought the phone because I have the option to use them."

- Ronnie

I chose these two posts from Javin and Ronnie's blogs because they highlight an interesting trend in purchases. When it comes to technology, people associate more functions with a better product. Also, more functions usually equate with more money spent, and influence the reflective design aspect- "Look at my [phone, pda, camera, tv, etc.] it has so many cool functions, it was expensive, I am rich, don't you want what I have/ be with me?". This is not necessarily true, but we have been taught to think so, so much so that it has become an inherited instinct, and we think of it as visceral design.

Wiki Proposal

For my Wikipedia article I have chosen to do recycling here at K. I think that it is a wonderful program here and I am impressed with how comprehensive and effective it is. I would love to be able to educate other people about how well it works. I remember the shock and dismay I felt when I saw the recycling boxes at my high school get dumped into the trash dumpsters with the garbage.

1. Can you think of something that you bought, or wanted to buy, where complexity made it more desirable?
Yes, although it's kind of a silly example. Back in 9th grade when I needed to buy a graphing calculator there were two options, the regular TI-83 plus, and the TI-83 plus silver edition. The silver edition had more options and functions, and even though all I needed were the basic functions on the regular model, I still remember wanting the more expensive silver edition. Thank God mom said no.
2. When do you think complexity is justified? When is simplicity most important?
I think that complexity is justified when an object needs more functions, like in an airplane cockpit, and simplicity is most important in objects used on a daily basis, like washing machines and other appliances.
3. Select a brief passage from one of your classmate's blogs and post it to your blog. (It can relate to any dimension of design, not just simplicity.) Explain why you thought it was interesting.
"Electronics, especially computers, have about over one hundred uses and you need to have a little bit of experience before you use them. I remember my first time using a computer. I had to type an essay and I didn’t know how to get to the Microsoft word. I didn’t know anything about having to type the letters, the use of a space bar, backspace, capitalizing letters, and using symbols and punctuations. My friend had to sit with me and tell me what to do. But, because they are so useful and necessary, it is understandable for them to be complex."
-Maureen
I think that this example is a great one, because computers fall into both categories-- we use them everyday, so they must be simple, but computers are very complicated and highly developed machines. I too had a similar experience as Maureen, and I had forgotten about the first time I used one until I read her post!

1. Select a brief passage from Chapter Three Emotional Design by Donald Norman and post it on your blog. Explain why you thought it was interesting.
"The principles underlying visceral design are wired in, consistent across people and cultures. If you design according to these rules, your design will always be attractive, even if somewhat simple. If you design for the sophisticated, for the reflective level, your design can readily become dated because this level is sensitive to cultural differences, trends in fashion, and continual fluctuation. Today's sophistication runs the risk of becoming tomorrows discard. Great designs, like great art and literature, can break the rules and survive forever, but only a few are gifted enough to be great."
I thought this passage was so interesting because it highlights the importance of simplicity when designing. I think it's very easy for designers to get carried away and overload design to try to make it unique and new. I totally agree that good design should be able to cross cultural borders, and that the visceral level is whats really important when attracting people to a design.
2. Norman uses the terms Visceral Design, Behavioral Design, Reflective Design. Do these categories seem useful to you? Would other names or phrases make the categories clearer?
Yes, I think that categories are useful for defining and organizing ideas, and I found them really helpful when I read the chapter. I think that visceral design is an excellent name, although I think behavioral design and reflective design are a bit confusing. Behavioral design is about use and function, and the name could be clearer. Reflective design is about message and meaning, and I think it too could be better named...however I don't know what I would call them instead-- maybe functional design and image design.

1. What do you feel were the author's key points in this chapter?

I felt the author's key point was that good design must cater to human emotions. By doing so, it must reach us on three different levels, the visceral, behavioral, and reflective. 

2. How does this chapter compare to the earlier writing (The Design of Everyday Things) by the same author?

I thought that this chapter expressed many of the same basic concepts of design that the chapter in the first book did, and that it's underlying message was that design should be human-centered. The focus of the second was, as the name suggests, more emotional, and it had recent examples.

3. Give examples, from your own experience, of 1) something that succeeds as Visceral Design, 2) something that succeeds as Behavioral Design, and 3) a Reflective Design success? What do you think makes each thing successful.

At the risk of sounding obsessed, the one product that stands out to me for all of these design categories is Apple's iPod. On a Visceral level, the iPod is essentially, pretty. It looks and feels nice, and it' s something that feels nice and is visually appealing. On a Behavioral level, the iPod does everything it says it will and more. It functions exceptionally well, and meets the needs of a handheld music and entertainment device. Lastly, on a Reflective level, there are few products that match the iPod. Few products have had such a cultural impact. It promotes a good self-image and it sends a positive message about the owner. 

1. Select a brief passage from Chapter One of The Design of Everyday Things (Donald Norman) and post it on your blog. Explain why you thought it was interesting.
"Whenever the number of functions and required operations exceeds the number of controls, the design becomes arbitrary, unnatural, and complicated. The same technology that simplifies life by providing more functions in each device also complicates life by making the device harder to learn, harder to use. This is the paradox of technology."
I thought this passage was particularly interesting because the "paradox of technology" is something I have thought about often, and it has consistently proven to be true. The notion of technology following a trend and curve is something that I think is easy for people to grasp, and it's helpful when thinking about technology from the perspective of a designer or as a consumer.
2. Norman's book was first published in 1988 and it still influences designers today. Why do you think this book continues to be influential 20 years later?
Although I found the book to be a bit dated, it still has a lasting effect on the world of design because it discusses very important and timeless issues relating to design. No matter what year it is, people will react to natural design, visibility, mapping, and other key elements discussed in the book.
3. Based on this chapter, what factors would you include on a checklist for evaluating the design of a product?
I would include factors like, visibility, natural design/signals, affordance, constraints, mapping, and cost vs. usability.

1. What do you feel were the author's key points in this chapter?
I felt that the author's key points in this chapter were that design is first and foremost based on the psychology of everyday things and the fundamentals that go along with it like visibility, appropriate clues, and action feedback, and that the fundamental principles of designing for people provides a good conceptual model and makes things visible.
2. Think of a specific object that you have had difficulty using. How did design contribute to making it difficult to use? Does the usability problem arise from one of the principles that Norman discusses in this chapter?
I know the example of a phone was used often, but this past summer I worked as a temporary office administrator in a small environmental engineering office where I lived. My main responsibility was to answer the phone, and I often had difficulties transferring and holding calls that came in. The worst experience was when I accidentally called someone and thought that they had called me. That led to an awkward exchange...
The design of the phone was too complicated. I could not remember all the different combinations of buttons that I needed to transfer, hold, and call out. Like Norman said, there were too many functions.
3. How did the designers of the iPod address the principles that Norman discusses here?
The iPod is so wonderful because it is both beautiful and extremely easy to use! The iPod designers used natural design when creating the original wheel, and it is also used with the touchscreen on the latest models. The iPod is simple, and uses constraints. There is only so much you can do with the limited buttons, and the user interface is simple and visible.

Response to "The Perfect Thing" by Steven Levy:

1. What elements of the design process does this article illustrate?

This article illustrates most of the basic elements of the design process. The iPod went through many stages of research, analysis, trial, and evaluation, until a final product was selected. It talked about the lengthy process of designing the iPod's hardwear, softwear, and it's exterior, and how each part underwent many trials and tests before it was approved for production.

2. What factors would you use to evaluate a "perfect thing"?

I think that it is impossible to create a "perfect thing", but if I were to evaluate a potential one, I would do so using a trial and error system where all aspects of the product could be tested. A "perfect thing" would be held to a standard where its form and function blended perfectly and it was flawless in how it worked and how it looked.

3. Whether you own and iPod or not, you probably have some opinions of this product. what do you feel are its strengths and weaknesses?

I do in fact own an iPod. I have the 1st generation 32 GB iPod touch, and currently I am upset over the fact that it's only about 3 1/2 months old and already obsolete...thanks Apple. Despite the fact that its no longer the newest and coolest (or rather "funnest") iPod on the block, I think it's pretty darn cool. I absolutely love the touchscreen, accelerometer, internet ability, itunes button, and all the applications and games. It's wonderful, and has many strengths. I do think it has a weak battery ( I understand it is a highly functioning piece of technology), and I would like external speakers, a built in camera, and more memory. Maybe I should just buy an iPhone...?

So let me preface by saying that I have never blogged before. This is a totally new experience for me, and I think it will be a great way to cut down on papers for class.
What a great idea.
My name is Hannah Kehoe, I will be eighteen next Wednesday (the 24th), and I have called Michigan my home for the past 16 years. I was born in Hanover, New Hampshire, but have lived in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for the majority of my relatively short life. I love my home, my city, my family, and my friends all very much. I have always found it fascinating that some people look to college as an escape from home, as this is not my feeling at all. Even though there are many things that I am finding hard about college, I still look forward to seeing how I will be able to transform here at Kzoo.