In preparation for narrowing the Bug List down to one topic for semester long research and development, the readings this week provided good information on forming a great team, prototyping, and designing to eliminate potential human error when using a product or service. I'm very interested in the crossover between design and business leadership or creating a culture within a company. Tom Kelley's discussion of "hot teams" is one of my favorite chapters of the entire book. It seems so simple to foster a fun, collaborative environment and motivate employees to do their best work and be invested in their work, yet so many small businesses fail miserably at this task and endure the struggles that come with a divisive, unmotivated workforce. With the plethora of books and articles touting servant leadership and collaboration, how is it that so many business are still getting it wrong?
I'm endlessly fascinated with the connections between compensation (both money and fringe benefits) and motivation. I don't believe there is any magic formula for compensation, but aside from money, creating an environment similar to that of IDEO seems like an achievable task for any company. I'd like to think that - given the opportunity - I could try and emulate at least some of IDEO's strategies for building a hot team. First and foremost, getting buy-in from team members is crucial. When discussing the shopping cart project, Kelley says that the team members "were totally dedicated to achieving the end result [...] everyone was enthusiastic." I feel this is the first misstep for most companies. If a team member doesn't feel valued and important, it is not likely they will pour 110% effort into any project. IDEO's lack of permanent hierarchy gives all employees an opportunity to play "the expert." Furthermore, Kelley states that "The right team and leader can create their own energy around the task at hand." Innovation is not something that can be achieved through rote memorization of a process or by following a book. Inspiring leadership and dedication are vital to innovation. One more word on inspiring hot teams. I love Kelley's statements about morale. He says, "You can't worry about how much time or money the fun costs. You'll get back whatever time the team lost in the next week and quickly move into the black. After all, morale isn't something that can be measured or planned." Such a fantastic statement, but apparently harder for businesses - particularly small businesses on a tight schedule or budget - seem to embrace.
In his advice about prototyping, one sentence really spoke to me this week, as it is something I have always struggled with...this week's assignment no exception. "Think about tackling problems when you don't have the answers." Even as I made my Bug List last week, I found myself already trying to solve the problem that I couln't even articulate. I had to constantly prod myself to add a problem to the list or research the problem further even if I had no worldly idea what I might be able to do to solve that problem. In a society that is so results-driven, so much emphasis is placed on success. Success in worldly terms. Making more money. Saving more money. Winning awards. Even knowing that greats like IDEO have created "failures", it's difficult to embrace the process and the experimentation without having the answers already. And risking failure. Maybe more than once. I know numerous inventors and entrepreneurs have failed numerous times and later gone on to be a great success, but that is a huge barrier to cross, even in a school environment. I must keep reminding myself that there is still learning in "failure." :)
I continued to be fascinated by Norman's discussion of errors and mistakes (two completely different things that I'm sure I have used interchangeably by "mistake"). The entire chapter boiled down to two simple sentences advocating for user-centered, empathetic design. "Think of the user's point of view. Assume that every possible mishap will happen, so protect against it." One funny side note about "every possible mishap will happen"...
During my first year or two of college, my grandmother came to stay with me for a weekend and we made an outing to the new Target store. Although she normally still wrote checks for most purchases, she was paying with a credit card this time and had her first opportunity to use the point-of-sale card reader. She slid her card to pay. Then, despite the special stylus hanging from the display, my grandma carefully used her ballpoint pen to sign for her purchase and permanently etched her first, middle, and last name in beautiful cursive on the digital screen. Don Norman is right again!
Now, to narrow down that Bug List to one single problem...
Monday, September 10, 2012
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Bug List | Part 2
My original Bug List, plus some:
1. I never have a camera handy when I run. ( I have a little point and shoot, but it's still too clunky to take on a run. I don't take a phone on runs, and typically don't take an mp3 player either.) I constantly see interesting things when I'm out running on both trails and the road.
2. Most measuring spoons won't fit down inside store-bought spice and seasoning bottles. I bake a lot, and because I am impatient, I typically remove the "cap" that has small holes for sprinkling or a larger opening for pouring so that I can pour faster straight from the bottle. Also because I am impatient, I usually over shoot and spill said spice into my mixture of ingredients with no good way of retrieving it. Then I just have to guess how much more of the spoon's contents I need and return the rest to the bottle.
3. My driver's license gets stuck in the clear window pocket of my wallet and I break fingernails and get frustrated when trying to fish it out.
4. When I remove the lint trap in the dryer to clean it, a fine "mist" of lint goes everywhere! The screen scrapes against the edge of it's special little compartment, sending a cloud of lint all over the floor in front of the dryer. My old dryer had a lint trap on top that was really long and fit into it's compartment quite snugly. It created an even larger mess when removing. I had to wipe down the top of the dryer each time and hold my breath while I was removing the lint trap.
5. I get tired of having to scoop two bowls of dog food out of the stinky dog food bag morning and evening. Self-feeding bowls are nice, but the dogs could keep eating from these continuously if they wanted.
6. I follow a gluten-free diet. Because of that, eating out in restaurants tends to be more work than it's worth. I either have to try and guess the ingredients in a dish or I have to be a pain in the neck for some busy server by asking a million questions. Some restaurants have a dedicated gluten-free menu, but they are few and far between. I don't always have the luxury of going online to check ingredients or allergy information for a restaurant before going. It would be nice if there was some sort of universal standard for allergy labeling...I'm sure there are many folks out there allergic to nuts, dairy, eggs, etc that face these same obstacles.
7. I HATE, Hate, hate the process of buying a car. I shouldn't have to pay more for a car just because I'm not a very good negotiator. I can't imagine how many people are taken advantage of each year when purchasing a vehicle. Buying a car should be like going to Walmart...you see the price of each item and you decide if you're willing to pay that or not.
8. When I need to refill my CamelBak water bottle, I have to unscrew the lid and either hold it in my mouth or find some odd way to hold it in the same hand as the bottle to keep both the straw and the mouthpiece from touching anything while I fill the bottle. If I'm trying to carry any other items like books or a purse, I'm sure this all looks ridiculous.
9. When I floss my teeth, I wrap the floss around my fingers 800 times to keep it from slipping off my hands when I apply pressure (my teeth are really close together). This means that my fingers are blue by the time I finish.
10. I am terrible at polishing my nails. Polish ends up all over my skin and my cuticles.
11. My headphones get incredibly tangled when they are tossed in my bag or floating around at home. I like to have a long cord for them so that I can move around easily if need be, but the longer the cord, the more tangles I have.
12. When camping (backpacking), it would be great to have some type of flat surface to sit things on. I normally use rocks, or just the ground, but the uneveness combined with the dirt can sometimes equal problems. My water jug, a container of food, utensils, etc would be better off on a nice flat surface. Camp tables exist, but I need something super light-weight, compact or foldable, and preferably dual-purpose. Space is limited in a backpack, so each item has to earn it's keep.
more to come I'm sure...
1. I never have a camera handy when I run. ( I have a little point and shoot, but it's still too clunky to take on a run. I don't take a phone on runs, and typically don't take an mp3 player either.) I constantly see interesting things when I'm out running on both trails and the road.
2. Most measuring spoons won't fit down inside store-bought spice and seasoning bottles. I bake a lot, and because I am impatient, I typically remove the "cap" that has small holes for sprinkling or a larger opening for pouring so that I can pour faster straight from the bottle. Also because I am impatient, I usually over shoot and spill said spice into my mixture of ingredients with no good way of retrieving it. Then I just have to guess how much more of the spoon's contents I need and return the rest to the bottle.
3. My driver's license gets stuck in the clear window pocket of my wallet and I break fingernails and get frustrated when trying to fish it out.
4. When I remove the lint trap in the dryer to clean it, a fine "mist" of lint goes everywhere! The screen scrapes against the edge of it's special little compartment, sending a cloud of lint all over the floor in front of the dryer. My old dryer had a lint trap on top that was really long and fit into it's compartment quite snugly. It created an even larger mess when removing. I had to wipe down the top of the dryer each time and hold my breath while I was removing the lint trap.
5. I get tired of having to scoop two bowls of dog food out of the stinky dog food bag morning and evening. Self-feeding bowls are nice, but the dogs could keep eating from these continuously if they wanted.
6. I follow a gluten-free diet. Because of that, eating out in restaurants tends to be more work than it's worth. I either have to try and guess the ingredients in a dish or I have to be a pain in the neck for some busy server by asking a million questions. Some restaurants have a dedicated gluten-free menu, but they are few and far between. I don't always have the luxury of going online to check ingredients or allergy information for a restaurant before going. It would be nice if there was some sort of universal standard for allergy labeling...I'm sure there are many folks out there allergic to nuts, dairy, eggs, etc that face these same obstacles.
7. I HATE, Hate, hate the process of buying a car. I shouldn't have to pay more for a car just because I'm not a very good negotiator. I can't imagine how many people are taken advantage of each year when purchasing a vehicle. Buying a car should be like going to Walmart...you see the price of each item and you decide if you're willing to pay that or not.
8. When I need to refill my CamelBak water bottle, I have to unscrew the lid and either hold it in my mouth or find some odd way to hold it in the same hand as the bottle to keep both the straw and the mouthpiece from touching anything while I fill the bottle. If I'm trying to carry any other items like books or a purse, I'm sure this all looks ridiculous.
9. When I floss my teeth, I wrap the floss around my fingers 800 times to keep it from slipping off my hands when I apply pressure (my teeth are really close together). This means that my fingers are blue by the time I finish.
10. I am terrible at polishing my nails. Polish ends up all over my skin and my cuticles.
11. My headphones get incredibly tangled when they are tossed in my bag or floating around at home. I like to have a long cord for them so that I can move around easily if need be, but the longer the cord, the more tangles I have.
12. When camping (backpacking), it would be great to have some type of flat surface to sit things on. I normally use rocks, or just the ground, but the uneveness combined with the dirt can sometimes equal problems. My water jug, a container of food, utensils, etc would be better off on a nice flat surface. Camp tables exist, but I need something super light-weight, compact or foldable, and preferably dual-purpose. Space is limited in a backpack, so each item has to earn it's keep.
more to come I'm sure...
Monday, September 3, 2012
The Bug List
I am really loving The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman right now. The book is making me think that taking some sort of behavioral psychology class might be a good idea for improving my ability and intuition as a designer. In chapters 3 and 4, Norman discussed knowledge, memory, constraints and mapping in relation to tasks and objects that we encounter on a daily basis. There were many things in these two chapters that stood out to me, the first of which was the problem with learning through rote memorization. Learning information in school, or learning how to use a product through rote memorization affords the user no reason or explanation for particular actions. With no reason for an action, the user has no understanding of what to fix or adjust if a problem arises. Although I am still not entirely sure how this will play into my responsibilities as a designer, it seems very important to keep at the forefront, particularly where education might be concerned.
Norman's discussion of natural mapping and the four types of constraints (physcial, semantic, cultural, and logical) was fascinating. His discussion of doors, stoves, and light switches made me realize that I have experienced every one of these frustrations in my life. I have lived in 10 different places so far in my adult life, which means that I've used at least 10 different stoves and dealt with 10 different combinations of light switches. All of the stoves had labels for the burner controls. I can't begin to count the number of times I have flipped the wrong light or fan switch because I "forgot" which switch controls which device. Just by reading these two chapters, I will now think about the way natural mapping and constraints have been exploited or destroyed by a design.
While Norman's writing makes me consider how I can be more observant to improve my design, chapter 4 of Tom Kelley's The Art of Innovation had me thinking about leadership. Being able to participate in a great "brainstormer" is one thing, but I think a designer needs to develop the skills to facilitate a great brainstorm. That being said, Kelley's fourth secret in Seven Secrets for Better Brainstorming seems to be the most difficult, yet most important to master: Build And Jump. I think this would be a skill that could actually be practiced though. By having a peer develop a few pre-scripted brainstorms that fizzle at some point, the facilitator-to-be could practice that skill of building and/or jumping in an effort to reinvigorate the session. Maybe this should be an exercise that we build into a class? Just a thought.
BUG LIST
Had I read Norman's two chapters earlier in the week, I might have developed a more robust list of items and tasks that bug me. As usual, I found myself going through the week at break-neck speed and not stopping to observe and contemplate as often as I should have to create a really nice list. Here are a few thoughts that I did have this week however.
1. I never have a camera handy when I run. ( I have a little point and shoot, but it's still too clunky to take on a run. I don't take a phone on runs, and typically don't take an mp3 player either.) I constantly see interesting things when I'm out running on both trails and the road.
2. Most measuring spoons won't fit down inside store-bought spice and seasoning bottles. I bake a lot, and because I am impatient, I typically remove the "cap" that has small holes for sprinkling or a larger opening for pouring so that I can pour faster straight from the bottle. Also because I am impatient, I usually over shoot and spill said spice into my mixture of ingredients with no good way of retrieving it. Then I just have to guess how much more of the spoon's contents I need and return the rest to the bottle.
3. My driver's license gets stuck in the clear window pocket of my wallet and I break fingernails and get frustrated when trying to fish it out.
4. When I remove the lint trap in the dryer to clean it, a fine "mist" of lint goes everywhere! The screen scrapes against the edge of it's special little compartment, sending a cloud of lint all over the floor in front of the dryer. My old dryer had a lint trap on top that was really long and fit into it's compartment quite snugly. It created an even larger mess when removing. I had to wipe down the top of the dryer each time and hold my breath while I was removing the lint trap.
5. I get tired of having to scoop two bowls of dog food out of the stinky dog food bag morning and evening. Self-feeding bowls are nice, but the dogs could keep eating from these continuously if they wanted.
I know there are A LOT more things that bug me that I'm just now slowing down enough to appreciate, so I'm sure this list will continue to grow.
Norman's discussion of natural mapping and the four types of constraints (physcial, semantic, cultural, and logical) was fascinating. His discussion of doors, stoves, and light switches made me realize that I have experienced every one of these frustrations in my life. I have lived in 10 different places so far in my adult life, which means that I've used at least 10 different stoves and dealt with 10 different combinations of light switches. All of the stoves had labels for the burner controls. I can't begin to count the number of times I have flipped the wrong light or fan switch because I "forgot" which switch controls which device. Just by reading these two chapters, I will now think about the way natural mapping and constraints have been exploited or destroyed by a design.
While Norman's writing makes me consider how I can be more observant to improve my design, chapter 4 of Tom Kelley's The Art of Innovation had me thinking about leadership. Being able to participate in a great "brainstormer" is one thing, but I think a designer needs to develop the skills to facilitate a great brainstorm. That being said, Kelley's fourth secret in Seven Secrets for Better Brainstorming seems to be the most difficult, yet most important to master: Build And Jump. I think this would be a skill that could actually be practiced though. By having a peer develop a few pre-scripted brainstorms that fizzle at some point, the facilitator-to-be could practice that skill of building and/or jumping in an effort to reinvigorate the session. Maybe this should be an exercise that we build into a class? Just a thought.
BUG LIST
Had I read Norman's two chapters earlier in the week, I might have developed a more robust list of items and tasks that bug me. As usual, I found myself going through the week at break-neck speed and not stopping to observe and contemplate as often as I should have to create a really nice list. Here are a few thoughts that I did have this week however.
1. I never have a camera handy when I run. ( I have a little point and shoot, but it's still too clunky to take on a run. I don't take a phone on runs, and typically don't take an mp3 player either.) I constantly see interesting things when I'm out running on both trails and the road.
2. Most measuring spoons won't fit down inside store-bought spice and seasoning bottles. I bake a lot, and because I am impatient, I typically remove the "cap" that has small holes for sprinkling or a larger opening for pouring so that I can pour faster straight from the bottle. Also because I am impatient, I usually over shoot and spill said spice into my mixture of ingredients with no good way of retrieving it. Then I just have to guess how much more of the spoon's contents I need and return the rest to the bottle.
3. My driver's license gets stuck in the clear window pocket of my wallet and I break fingernails and get frustrated when trying to fish it out.
4. When I remove the lint trap in the dryer to clean it, a fine "mist" of lint goes everywhere! The screen scrapes against the edge of it's special little compartment, sending a cloud of lint all over the floor in front of the dryer. My old dryer had a lint trap on top that was really long and fit into it's compartment quite snugly. It created an even larger mess when removing. I had to wipe down the top of the dryer each time and hold my breath while I was removing the lint trap.
5. I get tired of having to scoop two bowls of dog food out of the stinky dog food bag morning and evening. Self-feeding bowls are nice, but the dogs could keep eating from these continuously if they wanted.
I know there are A LOT more things that bug me that I'm just now slowing down enough to appreciate, so I'm sure this list will continue to grow.
Monday, August 27, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Portfolio Website Designs
In preparing to finally design a website for myself (yay!), I've been prowling the web for bits and pieces of other portfolio sites that I find enjoyable, while also making mental notes of what bugs me.
BUG
There are a few things I'm not crazy about in Zachary Bettendorf's site - namely some of the writing and the actual shots of his portfolio. I do enjoy his casual home page that cycles small, random tidbits about himself that make you want to check out the rest of the site. I also like the simple presentation and minimal color palette. I imagine that most potential clients are hoping to get a good look at a designer's work when visiting a portfolio site though, and I'm not sure this site provides that.
INSPIRE
One of the best presented portfolios I came across was for Baker. Granted they seem to be a larger company than most of the individual portfolios I looked at, but I thought Baker found a very nice balance of the right information and the right number of images and descriptions. The site is professional looking and easy to navigate. The list of projects (and which company they are associated with) can be viewed in its entirety, or can be sorted based on the type of work. A single, vibrant image with a brief, yet informative description appears with each image. Although I probably don't have a body of work quite this large, and I don't care for their black and purple, this is a site I can definitely see influencing my own. I also really enjoy the professional nature of their blog.
BUG
There are a few things I'm not crazy about in Zachary Bettendorf's site - namely some of the writing and the actual shots of his portfolio. I do enjoy his casual home page that cycles small, random tidbits about himself that make you want to check out the rest of the site. I also like the simple presentation and minimal color palette. I imagine that most potential clients are hoping to get a good look at a designer's work when visiting a portfolio site though, and I'm not sure this site provides that.
I also really enjoyed the simplicity of Andrew Ramos' portfolio site. Simple typography, subtle bits of texture, and minimal, but lively color made the site easy to look at and let the work take center stage. That being said, I didn't feel like Andrew presented enough work to give viewers a good sense of his talent or specialties. Conversely, I looked at many sites that bombarded the viewer with image after image of work. I've made a mental note to myself to try and find a good balance between too little and too much!
INSPIRE
One of the best presented portfolios I came across was for Baker. Granted they seem to be a larger company than most of the individual portfolios I looked at, but I thought Baker found a very nice balance of the right information and the right number of images and descriptions. The site is professional looking and easy to navigate. The list of projects (and which company they are associated with) can be viewed in its entirety, or can be sorted based on the type of work. A single, vibrant image with a brief, yet informative description appears with each image. Although I probably don't have a body of work quite this large, and I don't care for their black and purple, this is a site I can definitely see influencing my own. I also really enjoy the professional nature of their blog.
Maybe I'm crazy, but I'm also considering designing my portfolio responsively. With the continual increase in the pace of our lives and the near constant evolution of technology, it does not seem unreasonable to me that a busy client may need to view designer portfolios on the go instead of from the comfort of a desk and widescreen computer. Besides, it is a skill I would like to have, so who better to experiment on than myself.
One of the nicer responsive portfolio sites I discovered was for Oliver Russell. The neutral with brights color palette and simple typography were inviting yet professional. Rather than jumping from page to page within the site, jumplinks were used to simply hop up and down the page. The opportunity to contact the designer directly from the page is a nice addition when considering the busy users of mobile devices. In the presentation of the actual work, I think it is nice to see the "Situation" and "Solution" descriptions with each piece. These are kept brief enough to be readable, but provide a nice context for the work, and even a bit of a measuring stick to judge the design's appropriateness.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Mapping West Virginia's Poverty Data
Using IBM Research's "Many Eyes" data visualization tools, I have generated a map of all West Virginia counties using U.S. Census data about poverty. Counties are colored based on the percentage of that particular population living below the poverty level. Three different maps were generated based on educational attainment: those with no high school diploma, with a high school diploma, and with a Bachelor's (or higher) degree. View the visualization by clicking below:
Percentage of West Virginia Population Living Below Poverty Level, 2010
It is evident from the three maps that encouraging West Virginia students to complete high school and then pursue a college education is an important step in improving the future of our state and its residents.
Percentage of West Virginia Population Living Below Poverty Level, 2010
It is evident from the three maps that encouraging West Virginia students to complete high school and then pursue a college education is an important step in improving the future of our state and its residents.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Websites of Interest
Week of March 12
The sites I've compiled this week have one main thing in common: responsive design.
This first site, Content Choreography, is not only a responsive design, but it's about responsive design. Although this is my first foray into reading about this topic, the site seemed to make some good points, so I thought this might be helpful for others thinking about going the responsive route.
The sites I've compiled this week have one main thing in common: responsive design.
This first site, Content Choreography, is not only a responsive design, but it's about responsive design. Although this is my first foray into reading about this topic, the site seemed to make some good points, so I thought this might be helpful for others thinking about going the responsive route.
I found it really interesting that Andersson-Wise Architects had already embraced responsive design. Currently, I think if really utilitarian sites as the ones that would be pushing for a site that functions well on any device. I can't quite imagine needing to visit this particular site from my phone, but on the other hand, it seems that being early adopters is part of Andersson-Wise's business strategy. I'm slightly bothered by the fact that the grid doesn't line up as the page scales and that the photo croppings become awkward at certain points in the scaling process. I am, however, in love with some of their houses!
For some reason, the word "Sasquatch" has come up in more conversations I've had this past week than in my entire life I think. So when I ran across this responsive site for Sasquatch Festival!, it seemed like destiny that it be included here. One thing I enjoyed about this site, is that the computer screen width features some small animation effects in the header and footer that simply become static at the tablet and phone widths.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)