Design Approaches

The purpose of this task is to think about the “Yes Buts” of applying UCD to pervasive computing. Also, thinking about the implications for technology design from the IDEO photos given for the task.

The “Yes Buts” for using UCD for Pervasive Computing

Statement	YES BUT
The aim of User Centred Design is to design user interactive technologies, i.e. to meet the user’s requirements, prototyping alternate design or evaluating them.	YES BUT, do we actually know whether they have the needs for the system in practice.
Establishing requirements and understanding user needs; what do users want, what do users need.	YES BUT, User Centred Design relies on understanding there is a set of needs for an activity. This concept holds back the idea of giving users experiences of the concept.
Hi-fi prototypes results in the idea of the final outcome using materials, features and functions likely to be used in the final product.	YES BUT, using such graphics tools and applications, are they considered to be examples of the pervasive computing model.
The evaluating design process, involving users or experts through usability testing, field studies or predictive evaluation.	YES BUT, when we compile the product or system to get the user’s feedback, will things be as expected, what will occur. This is acceptable in principle but still contentious in evaluation.

Implications for technology design (IDEO photos)

Relating to some photos from the IDEO, the aim of this exercise will be to get ideas and notice:

· What people do in their everyday lives

· What they use

· How they do it

· How that might inform design

Photo 1

This photo shows three people, one female and two male people sitting down reading a newspaper on what looks like a long marble raised bench, which is attached or built to the exterior of a building. There is no interacting with their surroundings and between each other since they are sitting far apart and look isolated individually involved in themselves.

The design implications for this may reflect the linear style of the bench and its stretched size. This surface can be used as a table style concept or a seating areas relating to its height. It is limited. The increase size reflects the comfortability factor. Two people are sitting relaxed utilizing the space yet another looks intense and lonely. On the other hand this may not be an intended seating areas, may since there no benches around. To increase interactivity he seat spacing should be limited or have a number of individual sets of benches/seating. In terms of sitting down on this platform area may apply to User Centered Design. But there are no user centered design principles working around specific user needs as stated above.

Photo 2

The second photo shows four people walking in alternate direct in a long, wide corridor or walkway. The walls and floors are very simple, bright but boring giving the impression that the destination is their focus. This is the impression I got.

The implications for technology design lurk in the interaction and of the people and their surroundings as they walk down this corridor area. There is no photo frames, posters, literature on the walls. In response, I feel the lighting should be reduced and digital videos or advertisements should be displayed on the walls so people accessing this area will have something to look at and appreciated. UCD will apply to these new design ideas since user needs are being targeted for better design.

Photo 3

This photo shows the photo shot focused on the screen of the monitor which displays some sort of graph and there two hands pointing at the graph i.e. pointing at particular parts of the graph using both hands. Maybe there is no mouse to aid the user.

The implications shown here relate to how the user is pointing at the screen pointing to certain areas of the screen and the being two hands. It could be certain features are not there to do this for the user or it is visually difficult for the user to notice this without pointing at the screen. So UCD design needs to be considered to reduce the physically need to aid the user. Using technology would be at a design ease and reduce problems or errors.