This link has been bookmarked by 131 people . It was first bookmarked on 06 Aug 2008, by John Bouvery.
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Perhaps the
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Consider the screwdriver. The goal of a screwdriver is pretty straight-forward: to drive screws. Although there’s certainly a lot of room for innovation in screwdriver design — there are screwdrivers with more ergonomic handles, ratchet-assemblies, magnetic tips, and exchangeable heads — ultimately everything in a screwdriver’s design is aimed towards the accomplishment of that single goal: driving screws.
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Perhaps the
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Perhaps
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eration in the de
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ingle most important consideration in the design process — and the one most often forgotten — is the intended a
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Look at what you’ve made. Beautiful, isn’t it? But does it w
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Consider the product’s goal.
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Consider the screwdriver. The goal of a screwdriver is pretty straight-forward: to drive screws. Although there’s certainly a lot of room for innovation in screwdriver design — there are screwdrivers with more ergonomic handles, ratchet-assemblies, magnetic tips, and exchangeable heads — ultimately everything in a screwdriver’s design is aimed towards the accomplishment of that single goal: driving screws.
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Ultimately everything in a screwdriver’s design is aimed towards the accomplishment of that single goal: driving screws.
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For the folks at Am -
azon, the website has one purpose: to sell stuff. All the features that allow those other uses were put in place as ways to sell more products.
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But none of those are the reason the site was built. For the folks at Amazon, the website has one purpose: to sell stuff. All the features that allow those other uses were put in place as ways to sell more products. (And it seems to be working!)
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Consider who will be using it.
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Perhaps the single most important consideration in the design process — and the one most often forgotten — is the intended audience for the product
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Think about the way your parents or grandparents use their computers. Anyone with a bit of tech-savviness has probably fielded dozens of "tech support" calls from family members who are simply baffled by things like adding an email account to their email program, downloading family pictures from the Web, or dealing with a too-full hard drive.
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dparents u
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Since CNN’s web-site is supposed to be used by huge and versatile audience, it has to work equally well for all its potential users if it’s to accomplish its goal.
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- They don’t know enough about how computers work.
- They don’t have enough experience with computers.
- They don’t have time to figure things out.
- They don’t enjoy tinkering until they find a solution to a computer problem.
- The manuals are written in a dense, uninviting language that they find boring and difficult to comprehend.
- What kind of knowledge do your users bring with them?
- How much experience do they have?
- What kind of time do they have? Are they looking for a leisurely diversion or do they want to get in and out fast?
- What kind of personalities do they have?
- How much support will they need, and what form should it take?
Why do people have so much trouble with their computers?
Considering the kinds of problems they have can give us a clue about the kinds of questions designers should be asking about their audience.
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Consider what your audience intends to do with it.
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As we saw in the case of Amazon.com, there are a lot of ways that users use a product besides those that directly fulfill the product’s main goal. In fact, every user comes to a product with his or her own intention — and they are rarely the goals that designers have in mind.
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Is it clear how to use it?
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The best design, as often said, "speaks for itself". It is immediately clear — at least to its target audience(s) — what a product does and how to use it. Clarity is key to functional design. Probably one of the best-designed objects in the world is the ball. With minimal instruction even infants can use it!
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In contrast, look at the website above. That’s the home page for Chipotle, the Mexican fast food restaurant known for its use of free-range, organic, and locally-grown ingredients. Not that you’d know that from the homepage. What you know is a) they have a logo, and b) there’s something you should know about jalapeño peppers. If there were no food scare involving jalapeños, you’d see only the logo.
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How does your user know it’s working?
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Please press the "Submit" button only once. Pressing more than once will duplicate your purchase.
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These are all examples of inadequate feedback — it’s not clear whether you’ve completed the task you inteded to do or if there are more steps still required. While technically a product is fun
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While technically a product is fun
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07 Jan 09
Will NevilleBy Dustin M. Wax Look at what you've made. Beautiful, isn't it? But does it work? For whom does it work? Of course you can use it, but can anyone else? In short, is it
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16 Dec 08
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Luciano Santa BrígidaBy Dustin M. Wax Look at what you've made. Beautiful, isn't it? But does it work? For whom does it work? Of course you can use it, but can anyone else? In short, is it
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08 Nov 08
Steve WildeHow-To | Smashing Magazine
webdev webdesign web-design web ux usability ui tutorials tt280
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03 Oct 08
Mark BlairLook at what you’ve made. Beautiful, isn’t it? But does it work? For whom does it work? Of course you can use it, but can anyone else? In short, is it functional?
At the heart of every piece of practical design, whether it be a website, product package, office building, manufacturing system, piece of furniture, software interface, book cover, tool, or anything else, there is a function, a task the item is expected to perform. Most functions can be achieved in a variety of ways, but there are some basic elements a designer needs to take into account to create a product that best fulfills its intended function.
These are the elements of functional design, the process of responding to the needs or desires of the people who will use an item in a way that allows their needs or desires to be met. Functional design is both an outcome and a process. As an outcome, it describes products that work well to perform their assigned tasks; as a process, functional design is a set of practices guided by the principles that produce that positive outcome. (Functional design is also a computer modeling technique, but that’s not what we’re discussing here.)
In order to create a product that works, there are seven questions you should keep in mind about the product you’re designing, who will be using it, and how they’ll be using it. -
01 Sep 08
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28 Aug 08
Kim YackoskiAt the heart of every piece of practical design, whether it be a website, product package, office building, manufacturing system, piece of furniture, software interface, book cover, tool, or anything else, there is a function, a task the item is expected to perform. Most functions can be achieved in a variety of ways, but there are some basic elements a designer needs to take into account to create a product that best fulfills its intended function.
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Simone Economo"In order to create a product that works, there are seven questions you should keep in mind about the product you’re designing, who will be using it, and how they’ll be using it."
functional design guidelines usability user experience interaction interactive interface technology ui tips webdev webdesign for:craiv for:andreagandino for:dreamquest for:checkm for:concordiac for:tyrion.mx
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07 Aug 08
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7 Essential Guidelines For Functional Design
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Maggie VersterThese are the elements of functional design, the process of responding to the needs or desires of the people who will use an item in a way that allows their needs or desires to be met. Functional design is both an outcome and a process. As an outcome, it
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edtechtalkVery useful guide for anyone who designs anything for other people to use. Also useful for people who train other people on stuff.
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Jennifer MaddrellVery useful guide for anyone who designs anything for other people to use. Also useful for people who train other people on stuff.
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06 Aug 08
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Doug BelshawVery useful guide for anyone who designs anything for other people to use. Also useful for people who train other people on stuff.
webdesign usability elearning for:edtechroundup for:edtechtalk
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John EvansThese are the elements of functional design, the process of responding to the needs or desires of the people who will use an item in a way that allows their needs or desires to be met. Functional design is both an outcome and a process. As an outcome, it describes products that work well to perform their assigned tasks; as a process, functional design is a set of practices guided by the principles that produce that positive outcome.
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These are the elements of functional design, the process of responding to the needs or desires of the people who will use an item in a way that allows their needs or desires to be met. Functional design is both an outcome and a process. As an outcome, it describes products that work well to perform their assigned tasks; as a process, functional design is a set of practices guided by the principles that produce that positive outcome.
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Luis OopshAt the heart of every piece of practical design, whether it be a website, product package, office building, manufacturing system, piece of furniture, software interface, book cover, tool, or anything else, there is a function, a task the item is expected
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