Brain Scribbles

I am currently reading Designing Pleasurable Products by Patrick W. Jordan and want to share some of the quotes that I found interesting below. As I get further into the book, I will add more.

“The reason why they are limited is that usability-based approaches tend to look at products as tools with which users complete tasks. However, products are not merely tools: they can be seen as living objects with which people have relationships. Prodcts are objects that can make people happy or angry, proud or ashamed, secure or anxious. Products can empower, infuriate or delight - they have personality” (Jordan, 7).

I justed wanted to capture this homepage before it goes away. It is such a great example of clean design. Beautiful!

Oh! The computer looks sweet too. But that homepage–Wow!

This NY Times article illustrates the lengths that some companies go to keep customer satisfaction levels high. I have always had a great experience with Amazon and with service described in the article I wonder why I ever buy anything from the big box stores!

Today I received an updated copy of Kress and van Leeuwen’s Reading Images: The Grammar of Visual Design in the mail.

This quote from Kress and van Leeuwen’s The Semiotic Landscape reminded me of graduate school, specifically readings of Kenneth Burke, Barton & Barton, and Bizzell.

“Given that societies are not homogeneous, but composed of groups with varying, and often contradictory, interests, the messages produced by individuals will reflect the differences, incongruities and clashes which characterize social life. It is likely, and in our experience often the case, that the different modes through which texts are constructed show these social differences, so that in a multimodal text using images and writing the writing may carry one set of meanings and the images carry another” (20).

On the recommendation of a tweet on Twitter, I watched this presentation: The Story of Stuff.

I was immediately drawn to use of sketches combined with video of the presenter. I felt the sketches gave the presentation a sense of realism, as if the presenter was working through the problem with us (the viewers). I found myself watching the sketches change as the speaker provides us more information. The presentation gave me the sense we were designing together. The person with the pen was making visual design decisions that I would make. For example, making the corporation larger than the government for emphasis.

The presentation’s credibility was given another boost through the video of the speaker. This is not a sketch. This is a high fidelity video! As a viewer you feel a connection to the speaker. Perhaps, this contributes to the feeling that you are working with her to solve a problem?

Well, I really enjoyed this presentation. It helps that the content is also very interesting. I am going to go back to this site later and look at the tips to live a more sustainable life.