Everyday Objects

Design of Everyday Things (Ch 1-2): I found Don Norman's writing and examples very interesting. I could relate to every example he provided - from blaming myself for not being able to properly use a poorly designed product, to forming faulty mental models and attributions. I can already sense that I am thinking differently about products and their effectiveness. I like neat, clean appearance. If I'm in a pinch, I'll stash way too many things in a closet just so my house appears clean and organized. I also like products that have a neat, simple appearance. This may not always be the best product however, as one of Norman's principles of good design is visibility. Making sure the operations and feedback are easily visible for a user is more important than a sleek appearance.

The Art of Innovation (Ch 1-3): I love reading about IDEO, their stories never fail to inspire. What I really enjoy the most, is the company's well-rounded approach to innovation. It seems obvious by now that the traditional view of management and what a workplace should be will never produce more than mediocre results. Exciting innovations come from individuals and firms that are willing to take a chance, willing to be a little different. But IDEO clearly has a process hidden under all the appearances of fun. I've actually read this book before, and what jumped out at me then, and is sinking in even more the second time around, is the power of studious observation.
Unfortunately, I have a tendency to go through life rushing from one thing to the next, rarely taking the time to observe and ponder. Since returning to graduate school, this has been the skill that I have noticed is severely lacking in my process. I need to slow down, look around, and then contemplate what I've just seen. I hope that reading this book for a second time will really help me develop that skill.

INNOVATIVE VS. NOT-SO-INNOVATIVE
I think of "everyday" objects as low-tech, oft-used, rarely thought-of objects that most of us take for granted. I realize that iPhones are definitely used every day, but - in my book - that kind of technology is not an everyday object. So I sat and pondered. What repetitive task is easy, requires very little thought, doesn't make me growl in aggravation, and works well every single time. I tried to become more observant of the small things I encounter multiple times a day. I would stop and think, "Do I get mad when I perform this task or use this product?"

I immediately thought a few weeks back to the time my husband and I spent teaching my grandmother - who had just purchased a new DVD player - how to switch from using her VCR, or her DVD player, back to her regular satellite programming or vice versa. What should have been the press of a button was a multi-step nightmare of at least two remote controls (sometimes 3), contextual menus and a variety of buttons scattered across the remotes. To help her remember once we were gone, I wrote step-by-step instructions and they took an entire sheet of paper that included button names and diagrams to explain where to find the buttons. I'm afraid to even call and ask if she's attempted the process yet!

That's not where my TV remote complaining ends though. I am not a big TV watcher. We have the most basic cable package, with no satellite, no TiVo, no nothing, basically. On the rare occasion that I sit down to watch television, I can promise you that the phone will ring. And it will ring from somewhere deep inside my purse. Which is buried under a pile of other stuff. Which is in a different room. I frantically search the TV remote for the mute button. Where is it. Where is it. Where is it....finally! Is anybody ever NOT in a hurry to find mute? Nestled among 26 buttons that I've never used in my entire life, is a small, quiet, lightly labeled mute. Which brings me to my NEXT complaint. I use 7 buttons on my 51-button remote control. Power, Mute, Channel up and down, Volume up and down, and Previous Channel. That's it. On the rare occasion, I may use the number pad to go to a specific channel. What do the other 34 buttons even do?? It seems as though remotes are designed to be able to handle the entire spectrum of television and movie watching. One could theoretically connect satellite, VCR, DVD, DVR, etc, etc and operate all through one remote. The problem is, I don't know anybody who has actually done that. Everyone I know that uses multiple devices also uses multiple remote controls. Is this because the setup is too difficult? I'm not sure, but maybe there's something to be said for simplicity.

So as I wondered about what everyday product I found innovative, a quick bathroom break brought inspiration. (My dad always claimed that he did his best thinking in the bathroom. Guess that's one more thing I can add to the list of "Things My Dad was Right About.") A humble, lowly roll of toilet paper on a cheap and simple wall-mounted holder works perfectly...every single time. I never think about the device. I never complain about it malfunctioning. It never lets me down. But it seemed a bit ridiculous to write about toilet paper and it's holder on a design blog, so I tried to find reasons to disqualify it, but a strange thing happened. I began to develop an even greater appreciation for this apparatus! I couldn't really think of a better way to "contain" toilet paper. Individual sheets of toilet paper would require additional packaging, and a surface to lay them on (although they could potentially also live on the wall). A roll with no hanger is just a nuisance. It gets in the way, and has a habit of falling off of whatever surface it is sitting on and takes off, leaving a trail of paper behind it that NOBODY can manage to wind back up neatly, so the roll hanger is a necessity. There are really only four parts: the paper, the cardboard tube, the wall brackets, and the spring-loaded bar that connects them. With the exception of the slight movement because of the spring, there are no moving parts here. No explanations needed regardless of which brand, style, or finish you purchase. I can see the potential for eliminating the cardboard roll, but otherwise, can anybody really top this setup?? If not, then I'd say it's pretty innovative, despite where it lives and what it's used for.



In Need of Innovation:
TV Remote Control.

Surprisingly Innovative:
Roll of toilet paper and roll holder.