In my post about some Coca-Cola tents in Shanghai I commented on a device with a design that led me to misinterpret how it was intended to be used -- with nearly destructive consequences. At the historic Wenchang Pavilion site in Guiyang, Guizhou, I saw another example of a design that also suggested to some people an unintended use.
The ramp in the photo above is on a high wall overlooking the pavilion. I suspect that the designer(s) weren't intending it to be interpreted as a kiddie slide. Furthermore, the ramp's potential use as a slide may not have occurred to me had I not seen the kids using it that way. But if I were still a kid I suspect I may have been similarly inspired.
It's a simple example highlighting that not only may people interpret the use of something in unexpected ways but that perceived uses can vary for different subgroups of people. This is a key issue in designing useful and usable technology -- whether it's online services, software, hardware, etc.
Like the ramp above, unexpected interpretations of a design aren't necessarily always problematic. In fact, sometimes they prove to be invaluable. Regardless, identifying any such issues early in a design process is often the most opportune time to resolve or capitalize on them. This may mean leveraging available knowledge of human behavior & cognition and/or conducting novel research.
The better and earlier that intended users can understood, the lower the risk of an undesired hit or slide when it's too late.
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| Kids sliding down a ramp |
The ramp in the photo above is on a high wall overlooking the pavilion. I suspect that the designer(s) weren't intending it to be interpreted as a kiddie slide. Furthermore, the ramp's potential use as a slide may not have occurred to me had I not seen the kids using it that way. But if I were still a kid I suspect I may have been similarly inspired.
It's a simple example highlighting that not only may people interpret the use of something in unexpected ways but that perceived uses can vary for different subgroups of people. This is a key issue in designing useful and usable technology -- whether it's online services, software, hardware, etc.
Like the ramp above, unexpected interpretations of a design aren't necessarily always problematic. In fact, sometimes they prove to be invaluable. Regardless, identifying any such issues early in a design process is often the most opportune time to resolve or capitalize on them. This may mean leveraging available knowledge of human behavior & cognition and/or conducting novel research.
The better and earlier that intended users can understood, the lower the risk of an undesired hit or slide when it's too late.
I think those kids have the RIGHT idea ... I want to slide down that ramp too!!! W.C.C.
ReplyDeleteYes, kids often have brilliant ideas. Maybe in a later post I'll share about slides in Guiyang, Shantou and Xuzhou designed for adults. They certainly provided a fun way to descend some hills.
ReplyDelete