Saturday, February 05, 2005

Engineering emotions.

"As software developers, we focus heavily on efficiency. We're careful about optimizing expensive compiler operations, we're meticulous in writing smart code with slick destructors and our classes are as clear as a manual for a light switch. When GUIs are designed, we take what we've learned from usability studies and focus groups, and make idiot-proof interfaces that improve productivity for end-users. After testing our creation, which has grown into a seamless blend of impeccable design and solid engineering, the product beta-tested and further refined. The only problem is that no one wants this worthless, crappy application."

User Interface Display

1 Comments:

Anonymous Marco van Hout said...

Hey, I totally agree to let people feel involved with their software by providing them with the opportunity to adapt it to their preferences or add something of their own.
I like the IKEA example. Another great example can be found in Norman's book "Emotional Design": a product to cook you a nice dinner by only adding some water hopelessly failed, but when the manufacturer changed it and let people add an egg and something like an onion (completely cut into small pieces by themselves!) it worked! People really need to feel involved with the product.

I am curious about other people's suggestions on how to achieve this in software/ interactive products. I did some research on it for my master's thesis in 2003, but didn't succeed yet to relate 'emotional fit' with interactive products to emotional states/expectations.

Also visit my weblog www.design-emotion.com

5:50 AM  

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