Expectation effect is when the personal expectations of a user affects their perception and behavior.
Examples are everywhere. Advertising uses the expectation effect to convince people that their claims will work, even when there is no evidence of it.
In this illustration, I made an advertisement for Microsoft Windows 8 that makes use of the expectation effect.
Errors are a part of design because designers need to consider that users may try to use their design in unintended ways, and try to offer guidance or reminders about how to use a system correctly.
In general, there are two kinds of errors: Slips and Mistakes.
Slips occur when a user does something out of unconscious habit, such as driving past a turn on a commonly traveled route towards a well-known destination, or visiting a website that they visit all the time, when trying to get to a new one. An example of a preventable slip in software is when you use the word attachment in your Gmail, but don’t add an attachment, Gmail reminds you that you may want to add the attachment before sending.
Mistakes, however, occur when a user makes a conscious mistake, like driving too far into a parking space and bumping the front of your car. Cars can prevent this kind of issue with alarms that let you know when you are about to run into something while parking or backing up.
In this illustration, I created an error dialog that makes the user admit that they are sure that they want to remove a lot of potentially precious data.
The Development Cycle is a studied and recognized series of actions in a design process that tend to lead to more successful production outcomes.
The Requirements part of the process is a discovery process, where stakeholders are given a formal way of reporting their needs through codified inquiry. Simply asking what someone “likes” or “needs” may result in a less effective response than a form that asks qualifiable, reliable questions about the product in question.
The Design part of the process is where the requirements are turned into actions in the design. Stakeholder requirements drive the answers to the key questions of the design.
Development is where the real product is produced, incorporating all the requirements and design.
Testing is where the product is used, reviewed, and benchmarked. If needs arise at any stage in the development cycle, they are reincorporated at the next cycle. After a few cycles, a product may stabilize.
This morning, I decided to build something hearty, savory, spicy, and warm for breakfast. I decided on an egg sandwich and did a few things to make it a little special. First, I got out a bagel and split it, some American Cheese, and some crushed tomatoes. I seasoned all of that with garam masala, salt and pepper, before putting all that in the oven for 5 minutes at 300° Fahrenheit.
Then I cooked an egg in an egg pan, covered on very low heat for 5 minutes, checking intermittently. I scrambled and seasoned the egg with garam masala, salt, and pepper as well. When it was done, I topped the cheese with the egg.
After bringing the sandwich together, I cut it so that it was easier to manage. The tomato was warm, a bit spicy and savory. The egg was clean, still a bit soft due to the low heat, and added a nice bit of protein. The cheese acted as a de facto sauce, creamy and cooling. The bagel was soft on the inside, but had a satisfying crunch on the outside. All told, the sandwich is about 450 calories, and a very delicious way to spend them.
The entry point design principle is about making your entry point a place for your user to get past, then enter the deeper space of your place, product, or site. There are a few things to keep in mind in designing a good entry point: Low barriers to entry, incentives to drive users past the entry point, and strong clues about intended navigation or navigation options. A prime example of a great physical entry point is a store that does not interrupt your entry with any sensory interruption, like high traffic between users and the space, or lemonade-stand style interruptions as you enter. Navigation cues should be especially easy to figure out in a store or web site, and should not compete with advertisements or other distractions. There should be incentives for the user to go deeper, such as reminders of popular products or services, and invitations to use them.
In my illustration, I decided to show how entry point theory is applied at lemasney.com.
Desire lines are a development tool that a designer can use from the way that people actually interact with an interface, space, or object before finalizing features, paths, or navigation. It is often used in designing walking paths in a new space to help determine the best place to put a paved path. It is also used in interface design for software and industrial design for tools and other objects, but can be applied in lots of situations.
In this illustration, I made thin lines indicating paths (desire lines) that people used to get from one place to another in a space, and wider pathways reacting to the desired lines that most people chose that might be paved and formalized.
Technology and the Arts Special: Art All Night Trenton 2013
