Dena+Amara



Assignment Proposal

__Week 1: __


 * Question**: Describe the unusual business model used in the iPod's fabrication as developed by Apple

The iPod's unusual business model lies in its manufacturing segment. The iPod relied on outside sources in order to build the final product. Apple was able to take these sources and make decisions in terms of aesthetics and product quality. While its difficult to understand such a business model it does have its plus points. Apple was able to save on alot of costs because they already had parts to integrate and build the iPod from the multiple sources. The costs they dealt with were mostly on putting the parts together. However, since these parts already existed and were created by other manufacturers, then it gives Apple less control and rights over them.

Apple? What new materials are enabling different design?
 * Question**: What distinguishes the work of the team of Jobs and Ive in relation to products designed by

The difference between Jobs and Ive lies in the way they express design and what makes a great design. Ive's emphasises greatly on how a design should be "fanatical care beyond the obvious." He is basically refering to the importance of detail in a product and how each detail makes a difference in the final product. The products aesthetics changes an individuals thought and feeling towards the object.Twin-shooting materials and polymer have been materials which have made a difference in design. These materials were important in the making of the iPod because it enabled Apple to seal the plastic and metal with laser in order to create a longer lasting battery.

The unique aspect of Apple's design team is their individual highly qualified talents which come together creatively to create the final product. Their talents communicate innovation, uniqueness and creativity. Although Apple takes different part from other manufacturers to create their final products, their team is a huge asset because they take on the responsibilty to decide how the different parts must come together. I would have to say that other companies would be competing with Apple because a successful team is the most important aspect behind a successful product. The decisions made by a team will only be evaluated by the outcome of an object. If a team can create a product by considering the target market carefully then they have managed to fullfill the objects future success and the Apple team has sure done that.
 * Question**: Describe the importance of Apple's design team. Are other companies trying to compete with Apple by creating their own design teams?

Week 2  Ergonomics is the science of a products design in order to achieve a higher level of human interaction. Humans weight and height are considered in order for the design to be successful at fullfilling its potential goal. Physical Ergonomics is a study dealing with how a human physically interacts with objects. The study includes biomechanical, anthropometric and physiological.

Cognitive Ergonomics involves the study of the interaction of mental processes such as perception and memory among humans and systems.

Suggestion to Case study 4: The manufacturing company can use adjustable seating which corrosponds with the individuals height and the operator in order for the worker to feel relaxed. Example of a sound ergonomic product: WorkMod Forearm Support  Features: - provides forearm support for using a pointing device and/or keyboard - important to ensure that it does not impede chair from getting close to the work surface http://www.ehs.utoronto.ca/services/Ergonomics/products/wristres.htm


 * Week 3:**

I chose Africa as the country and 'One Laptop Per Child' caught my attention from the product list. The laptop is a $100 which is designed as an educational tool for children in developing countries. OLPC is a non-profit organization which attempts to bring technology and education together into the schools in Africa as a communicating tool for children. Its a simple, user friendly and quick to learn design to help children communicate. The colour is bright which works well in grasping a child's attention. http://other90.cooperhewitt.org/Design/one-laptop-per-child

Week 4 ** Write three paragraphs on how Annie Leonard defines the system of the 'materials economy' and describe its interactions. **  Annie Leonard describes a system in crises in the video “The Story of Stuff.” Starting with the government she moves through a series of dangerous decisions which have devastated our world today. She explains a linear system which cannot survive on Earth, or should I say will not help the Earth survive. Leonard argues that we have exhausted our resources, risked our health and destroyed our futures.

The ‘material economy’ is a system built to make humans the ultimate cause of the destruction due to their shopping habits. How did this system manage to develop? Natural resources are taken into the production line with toxins, producing toxic products. These toxic’s are eventually integrated into the food chain causing harm to things like breast milk. However it doesn’t stop at just products because desperate unemployed individuals resorted to working in toxic factories. So not only were products exposed to toxics but humans were wasted as well. So how does all this fit into the material economy?

Well, according to Leonard’s research, quick production was a key element in pushing individuals to keep buying. To convince individuals to become consumer’s producers insured that the price is right; upgrades are constantly available and advertisement is strategic. Leonard used examples such as technology (computers) and women’s fashion to highlight how producers have been successful at creating a consumer economy and externalizing true cost of production.

She also mentioned three specific ways they succeeded in creating the “materials economy”: Where does all the waste go? According to the statistics Leonard uses, on average humans dispose 4.5 lb of garbage per day. Either in a landfill or burned and eventually placed in a landfill. However, the process of burning releases toxins into the air. The pollution begins at production and continues at the destruction of the products. Humans are buying way too much which kill natural resources more and more. And when they finish from the product, they are trashed destroying our planet.
 * 1) **Planned Obsolescence**: Designed for the Dump- create stuff with a limited time span to eventually make them useless.
 * 2) **Perceived Obsolescence**: Intentionally convince individuals to throw their stuff even though they are still useful by creating upgrades to the product.
 * 3) **Advertisement**: Though television ads consumers are told what they should have and don’t have.

Review on the video:

http://www.andybrain.com/qna/2007/12/07/annie-leonards-the-story-of-stuff-review-and-analysis/

Week 5 ** Bodystorming is a tool which helps project managers to imagine a pre-existing product in order to uncover its issues, benefits and constraints. It can also be used as an ‘internal tool’ which help project teams to predict the outcome of social and cultural interactions in a community. Bodystorming is quite different than brainstorming. Bodystorming is the conversion of raw ideas into actual projects. Bodystorming is much more effective because the product is already predicted and planned. Bodystorming works towards advanced steps while brainstorming deals with the initial steps. Brainstorming is many ideas which are scattered and not as detailed.

Part 2 **

The cases shown in the video outline three disabilities: Blindness, ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and chronic arthritis. The case of blindness deals with a participant who felt lost and confused when she was asked to perform specific tasks. She expresses that she relied solely on her other senses in order to make decisions during the tasks. Through this experiment the study found that it is important to develop ideas with multi-sensory approaches that employ both sound and touch.

In the second study, the participant had Attention Deficit Disorder(ADD). The individual found it quite challenging to perform tasks which affected him psychologically. It caused a high level of negativity towards his self-esteem. Therefore the study found it important to use clear narrations in order to make the product pleasant and ultimately improve the actions. Lastly, the final participant dealt with chronic arthritis. During this segment, it was clear that the individuals developed a fear from injury and caused the body temperature to increase. The case concluded that individuals with chronic arthritis must have accessible routes, passing spaces and tangible objects with safe materials. Speech recognition is still an area which needs more research for individuals with arthritis. <span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">

**__Week 6__**

<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">David Liddle is a project leader for Xerox Star, founder of Metaphor Computer and head of Interval Research. In his years of design experience, Liddle came up with three stages which technological adaptations and innovations undergo in order for a new design to develop.

The stages are:

<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">1) <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Enthusiast Stage

These are individuals who enjoy technology in an ‘aesthetic way.’ They find a new way to improve products which may not be user friendly or it may be a product which requires specific qualifications from a user. In the interview, Liddle uses the camera as an example to explain the Enthusiast stage. When the camera first arrived, it was very complicated and could only be used by professional photographers. An enthusiast looked at the camera and found ways in which the camera could be made more practical and possibly used at a work place. At this stage an enthusiast wants the product to say “exploit me and look at my capabilities”

<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">2) <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Professional Stage

During this stage, the product has already undergone alterations and has been stabilized. The product must now reach a reasonable price point. At this stage, the camera’s control buttons become automatic instead of manual. A user can now depend on the camera to turn on the flash, take pictures by one button and zoom easily. At this stage a professional wants the product to say “ look at my productivity and what I can give you”

<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">3) <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Consumer Stage

The camera is now made easy enough to sell to any individuals. It does not require many qualifications for one to use. In the final stage, the product is ready to sell and use by the consumer. The price point is determined at this stage on the basis of supply and demand. Prices also shift due to more adaptations. For instance, last year’s Sony digital camera did not have a touch screen option. The price for the camera without a touch screen option decreased because of the new adaptation. At this stage, the product wants to say “look at how I fit with your style, look at who you are if you use me and my capabilities” <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Products which have undergone similar stages are: PC to laptop, landline to cell phones, cars, etc.

Week 7

The primary question Mat Hunter asks is ‘what does a camera look like?’ The interaction architecture theory focuses on building rules which would allow many camera series to follow a similar design. At first, they created a box called ‘user experience prototype’ which allowed the user to take a picture, delete it and share it with others. The user needed the box, the camera and a cord to connect to a computer. However, this design idea was not very convenient. Instead, the idea of what the box does was integrated into a digital camera. Instead of the box, a user can now take, review, delete and share photos using only the camera. The DC210 was the first camera to incorporate the user experience prototype. The user experience prototype now created a set of rules which most cameras incorporate today. The new interaction architecture of the Kodak digital camera now has easier steps to capture and review images with its new interior architecture. Rikako Sakai takes it a step further and creates software called PhotoStitch. PhotoStitch helps users to edit an image using animation. With Hunter’s user experience prototype, users can go a step further and enhance their photos using a computer software. PhotoStitch can improve photo quality and image size with minimal computer skills. PhotoStitch can also fall into Hunter’s ‘set of rules for interaction architecture.’ The software can be used for all camera series.

Questionnaire <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">A leading question is one that entails a specific answer. In this type of question, a participant can easily make a mistake because the choices of answers are related to each other. The answers attempt to cover a large range of possible responses from participants. The example of answers in a leading question the author uses are: <span style="color: rgb(224,16,16);">1. Superb 2. Excellent 3. Great 4. Good 5. Fair <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="color: rgb(224,16,16);">6. Not so Great <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(200,25,25);"><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> However, a hypothetical question asks a participant to image themselves in a specific scenario in order to answer. For instance, the question can be based on a real situation or a fantasy. The question positions the participant in a situation they may not have thought of before. Hypothetical questions can sometimes be tricky because they lack clarity and consistency. The participants may not be able to relate to the scenario and may produce a false opinion. An example of a hypothetical question is: Ex. If you were governor, what would you do to stop crime? <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The author does //not// suggest hypothetical questions in a questionnaire.

media type="file" key="Stitches That Scream.flv"
 * //Unrelated to course material but worthwhile to watch//**

Week 8

<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">An article by Sara Corbett published in the New York Times Magazine attempts to understand how individuals in different parts of the word interact with a cellular phone. //Can the Cellphone Help End Global Poverty,// follows the journey of Jan Chipcase, a human-behavior researcher for Nokia. Chipcase becomes a part of many lives in order to gain information about human behavior to help cell phone designers, marketers and technologists. Chipcase attempts to find a way to incorporate a cellphone in the non-cellphone population countries. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Cellphones have been able to positively contribute socially and economically. Cellphones have been the one technology which has the potential to increase business profit. They have also been useful in eliminating distance and receive information a lot faster. However, research is important because different societies can depend on cell phones differently. Consider that “ eighty percent of the world’s population now lives within range of a cellular network, which is double the level in 2000” (Corbett, 2008) <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">For instance, in places like Dubai and Jordan, they depend on cellphones rather than landlines. During a research process, the way a cellphone is used would help to determine the type of technology, marketing and design.

Nokia has been successful in their targeted markets. However, Chipcase’s research is a way to expand their market. Cost and compatibility are key elements to fit a community’s lifestyle and culture. Compatibility would include the design which would best fit. Existing elements (camera, texting, internet, etc) found in a cell phone now could be researched to see how they fit in a particular culture. If Chipcase’s research materializes, it could potentially help third world countries economically.

<span style="font-size: 140%; color: rgb(146,22,22);">Week 10


 * Bill Moggridge is the founder of IDEO, an outstanding company which deals with integrating software and hardware to design practical solutions. He has done a number of public lectures in Royal College of Art in London, the London Business School and more. He is presently a part of the Joint Program in Design at Stanford University as a Consulting Associate Professor. Moggride is a designer, a communicator, graphic designer, video maker, writer and project manager. His designs reflect a great interest in what people would find more useless in their everyday life. **


 * Moggridge believes in ‘togetherness’ when it comes to designing an object or service. Design as a collaborative process is understood through three approaches. Firstly, how new desig **** n practices are changing. Secondly, how to work with people and lastly, the context in which we design in is constantly changing. **


 * Designing includes the people who will be involved in the project. It’s important to have teams with different backgrounds. Different backgrounds result in more than one idea and perspective for the design. For instance, business, marketing, engineering backgrounds are just a few out of many that can be included in a team. Within a team, its important to build an intimate relationship where people will get together and brainstorm ideas in a meeting room. The meeting room becomes a symbol of creativity where individuals can come back to and remember the ideas brainstormed. **[[image:url.gif width="276" height="189" align="right"]]


 * Designing in the context of ‘togetherness’ includes understanding how people think. Designs are not meant to be useful for only one individual, but many different people. By integrating the people the design it’s for, it makes the design experience even more effective. Including the target audience will let designers know what important features to include in the new design. The Participatory design with Surgeons involved surgeons in the design project. The design was a device which performs ear, nose and throat s **** urge **** ry. The designers included surgeons and they were able to suggest features which the design team may not have thought about. The design experience was much more effective with the surgeons. **


 * Moreover, the American Red Cross Donor Program needed more people to give blood. In this case, people (donors) were involved in the research process. They were included by providing their profile after dona **** ting in order to encourage other to do so as well. They included their pictures along with a short summary about themselves. It gave recognition to the donors and humanized people in the process. **[[image:url-1.jpg width="269" height="216" align="left"]]

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">An example of collaborative design is Bruce Mau’s Dell design, the RED version. The RED version includes designers from New World by Joseph Amedokpo, Shine Within by Siobhan Gunning and Healing Patterns by Bruce Mau. “Dell’s (PRODUCT) RED Studio 15 and Studio 17 are powered by Intel’s Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM, and 250GB hard drive. They have 15-inch and 17-inch display respectively.”

Week 10 __Echolocation__ **

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The Sonar-Enabled Cane is just brilliant. It’s a re-design for vision-impaired or legally blind who use a cane to find their way. I always wondered how they find their way when it’s an unfamiliar path. However, with this new technology, it allows the users to know of any upcoming object through a sound. Objects include people, street signs, objects, etc. This high-tech device is a warning to voice any collision between the individual and upcoming objects. <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> = __ Keeping the Bugs Ou t __ = = =   Antibacterial Film This is an antibacterial technology which kills bacterial microbes. An Australian company called Biosignal came up with a seaweed which is made up of natural ingredients to prevent bacteria build-up. The seaweed comes in a form of a ‘film’ and it can be applied to various products. For example, the film can be applied to contact lenses which would prevent bacteria build up and possible harmful infection. ** __Leaving No Trace__ ** <span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Self-Cleaning Paint

A German company discovered that since lotus leaves repel water and paint repel water then that means rainwater can wash away any type of dirt. This solution is great because it does not require toxic ingredients which detergents currently have. Rainwater is the new self-cleaning paint which will be environmentally friendly.

__** Week 11 **__

**1. How would you describe web accessibility?**
 * We are currently in the ‘Information phase” where the number one source of obtaining information is the internet. However, among the wonderful things the internet has brought to societies, its accessibility does not cater to everyone. Past sources of information were able to provide multiple ways of accessing information which made it possible for information to reach everyone. For example, newspapers offer brail or audiotapes for legally blind individuals. However, there is no equivalent solution with the internet for blind people. Even in the education system, schools are now introducing the internet at an elementary stage. Children with disabilities that need web accessibility will not have the same education opportunities. Web accessibility would aim to include the same opportunity of learning for all types of individuals. **

**2. Who do you think benefits from accessible websites and how?** ** The major disabilities deal with visual, motor, hearing and cognitive impairments. Individuals in any of these categories would benefit from accessible websites. Web accessibility means different for each type of disability. For instance, the visually impaired/legally blind would rely on audio options included in the website. For the hearing impaired, an individual would rely on visual representation along with text, especially for video and audio sources. For the motor inabilities, web accessibility would ensure alternative options instead of the mouse (i.e. clear on where to click, objects/text needed to be clicked is bigger in size, straightforward: not too many places to click on in order to access a specific document due to limited fine motor control, etc). Lastly, cognitive disabilities have many levels which need to be understood in order to create web accessibility solutions. For example, autistic children are easily distracted. Perhaps, bright colours and vivid pictures would grasp their attention. ** 3. Do you think your website/blog should be accessible? Should all Canadian websites?

** I think all types of websites should be made accessible because everyone has the equal opportunity to learn. We can start with Canadian websites and eventually propose similar designs to other websites. **

**4. What do you think is the biggest challenge of making a website accessible?** I think the biggest challenge is finding web accessible solutions for each type of disability. Every disability is unique in its characteristics. For example, cognitive disabilities have a wide range of different types of disabilities (i.e. autism, ADD, dyslexia, etc).