Mahnoor+Aziz



Hi my name is Mahnoor..

**Week 1:** 
 * Describe the unusual business model used in the Ipod's fabrication as developed by Apple. **
 * 1) Apple designed the product elegantly in a “classic Apple fashion,” by using the reverse engineering design of the device by Portelligent.
 * 2) Apple picked PortalPlayer for the audio system due to its high quality of sound according to industry sources.
 * 3) Apple used a stereo digital to analog converter from Wolfson Microelectronics Ltd and flash memory chip from Sharp Electronics Corp. Apple did not use an ASIC or a other custom chip to integrate all the functions together so that it could save battery life and space.
 * 4) Apples design chain relied on “off the shelf components” which were integrated and made a whole however they did not realize that soon other smaller companies would use the same components to make MP3 players and Ipods and sell them at a cheaper price.
 * 5) Apple relied on Toshiba for guidance about heat dissipation and shock tolerance and Toshiba contributed significantly to the overall design.
 * 6) By using a multiple partners in its product design the protection of apples Ipod and market space is at threat and risk.
 * 7) Competitors will eventually ship products using the same basic components and technology. For eg Portal Player uses silicon and filmware etc.
 * What distinguishes the work of the team of Jobs and Ive in relation to products designed by Apple? What new materials are enabling different design? **
 * 1) Jonathan Ive described the design of Apple as the “fanatical care beyond the obvious.”
 * 2) He transformed the IMac product design by introducing light and color into the techno savvy world of computing. Until the new IMac arrived new products produced were encased in opaque grey or beige plastic.
 * 3) Ive and his close knit team of designers of Apple had become passionate for fine details and attention towards the development of innovative new products, for example the Cube and the Power book G4 was the worlds lightest and slimmest laptop.
 * 4) Ive believed form and color defined the “perception of the nature of an object.” In order to design a product Ive completely understood the cultural and historical context of the product design.
 * 5) When Steve Jobs returned to Apple who was the cofounder of Apple, they decided to start the new innovation and product designs by giving special importance to design and innovation.
 * 6) The development, marketing and sales teams were committed in achieving the same goals.
 * 7) The defining qualities of apple: ease, use and simplicity were going to be integrated into the product design once again.
 * 1) The decision was to keep the core team small and invest heavily in tools, equipment and processing that would generate collaboration and effective team work. Also giving attention to detail which is often over looked such as adaptors etc.
 * 2) Materials, Processes, product architecture and construction had become important drivers in design.
 * 3) Being different “superficially,” using different product designs and equipment is the main goal to stay ahead of competitors and yet come up with some exclusive and different.
 * Describe the importance of Apples design team. Are other companies trying to compete with Apple by creating their own design teams? **
 * 1) Apple the “craft of design” is today the way it is because of the unity and strength of its core team which works together.
 * 2) The team limits the number of projects they take on and pay special attention to the processes, materials and deep understanding of how to make the product.
 * 3) Jobs provides the inspiration and direction where as Ives makes Apples creativity with the nuts and bolts required to make remarkable things.
 * 4) Apples greatness is mainly because of the alchemy between the chief designer and powerful boss.
 * 5) At Apple everyone knows their employment depends on living up to Apples high standards.
 * 6) The communication between all departments is excellent and Ives and Jobs speak on a daily basis.
 * 7) They adopt an informal style which makes their work environment more friendly and less tense.
 * 8) Apples design team is an intense version of a cult.
 * 9) The team has worked in idyllic comfort for a long time and they do not believe in outside recognition.
 * 10) They personally reflect on Apples designed products and often take dinners and lunches together, take vacations and occasional trips.
 * 11) Ives team works closely with marketers, engineers, outside manufacturing contractors.
 * 12) They spend a lot of time assessing the materials and the production processes.
 * 13) The explosion of great Apple products started with the design of the new Imac. They wanted to create a friendly all in one model. The team wanted the internal electronics to be redesigned to make sure they look good through the thick shell. They wanted to make a plastic shell look exciting rather than cheap.
 * 14) They unveiled the first computer made of Titanium and then came the Ipod and other amazing Apple products.
 * 15) Apples products are the set apart from its “fit and finish” impression.

**Week 2:**

**Ergonomics** is a scientific discipline concentrating on designing according to the human needs and a profession which applies theory, data, principles and methods in order to improve and benefit the human and well being and improve the over all performance of any particular system. This information helps in evaluating tasks, jobs, products and environments at work and improving them by making them more compatible with the human workforce and working on the weaknesses and limitations.

There are 3 different types of Ergonomics:
 * Physical Ergonomics:**

This relates to the physical activity by focusing on the biomechanical and physiological characteristics. It covers topics such as repetitive movements, postures, materials handling, safety and health and workplace layout.


 * Cognitive Ergonomics:**

This is concerned with mental processes such as perception, mind and reasoning and how these affect and impact human interactions and other elements in the system. Work load, stress levels, human computer interaction, human reliability etc are all topics covered under this section.


 * Organizational Ergonomics:**

This is concerned with the organizational structures, patterns, policies and processes. It includes topics such as team work, communication, quality management and organizational culture.


 * Case Study 4: Wet Mopping**


 * Advice:**

Ensuring that the buckets are not full to the brim with water and solution but an average level is set so that water spillage and other accidents are minimized.

Instead of using mops with buckets, they could come up with a more efficient mop which does not need to dipped in water and solution before mopping but the mop automatically releases solution as the floor is mopped. This way the repetitive action of dipping the mop head in water solution can be avoided.

Product which is ergonomically sound: **BodyBilt J750 Task Chair**  http://www.ergopro.com/Index.cfm?obj=prodDetails&pID=419

**South America**

 * Access to the basic computing technologies at affordable prices
 * Providing water purification services to generate income
 * Providing learning, information and communication to children in developing countries.
 * Introducing Solar Aid and solar powered battery chargers for children with hearing disability.
 * Coming up for alternatives for environmental degradation and deforestation for example Sugarcane Charcoal.

=**Week 4: Case Study on Story of Stuff **=

** "Story of Stuff" is a movie by Annie Leonard which discusses the rising problems of "materials economy" due to global consumerism dangerous acts committed by human beings. The movie discusses about how the government has to make a series of dangerous discussions and how one wrong act leads to another. It has brought our society at a very unstable and dangerous position. Will these continuing acts let our Earth survive? Or will it eventually become extinct due to our wrong habits. These irresponsible acts are leading to the destruction of our health, environment and society. ** ** The material economy which she refers to as the "humans" is the main cause of destruction due to the never ending chain of consumerism and our irrational shopping habits. Leonard describes a continuous chain system of extraction, processing, production, consumption, distribution and disposal. None of these acts do we perform with consideration and respect for our economy. With the process of extraction we continue to dig up the treasures of our planet and use them to satisfy our wants and desires. This process is referred to as trashing the planet as it is eventually running out of all reserves. The process of production involves mixing and exchanging of dangerous toxins and pollutants which contribute towards the rising level of pollution and un clean air in the world. These toxins are taken in and out of the systems and produce toxic products. For example Breast Milk, these toxic products when mixed into the natural food chain violate and destroy the health of human nurturing. ** ** Fast and efficient production urges and pushes individuals to make irrational purchases. This constant habit of satisfying desires due to competitive pricing strategies used to lure customers has become a problem which needs severe attention. Due to the developments in technology countries are able to produce products faster and satisfy their customers. Another example presented is about fashion for instance women our more concerned about whether they should wear stiletto heels or flats rather than being concerned about the availability of clean fresh air or water which are the basic elements and essentials for them to survive. ** ** There are three specific ways in which a materials economy is created. There is "planned obsolescence" which is designed for Dump create stuff with a limited time period where products become useless and consumers throw the old ones and bring in the new ones. Then there is "Perceived obsolescence" where individuals are convinced enough to throw their old products even though they can be upgraded to new ones. Lastly there is Advertisement which is communicated through television, radio, billboards and magazines informing customers about the latest fashion and products which they should have in their lives. ** **Week 5:** Body Storming is a mechanism used by project managers to assess an imaginary product in order to determine its qualities, positive and negative attributes and constraints and limitations. It is different from brain storming as in brain storming one randomly puts thoughts on paper, where as in body storming one converts ideas into actual projects. This is a very helpful device as it allows individuals to plan in advance and take care of any negative attributes which may affect the product.

There are three different cases shown in the video which highlight three main disabilities: Blindness, ADD( Attention, Deficit Disorder) and chronic arthritis. In the case of blindness, the participant expressed her feelings about how she was solely dependent on her senses to make decisions while performing specific tasks. She was so dependent on her senses that without them she was completely lost and baffled. At the conclusion of this experiment a very important discovery was made that it is important to develop ideas with multi sensory approaches which include both sound and touch.

In the second case the subject was a victim of Attention Deficit Disorder. The individual felt that it was difficult to perform certain tasks which affected him psychologically and this negatively impacted his respect for himself and self confidence. At the end of this experiment it was determined that clear use of narrations can help in making a product appear appealing and approachable and this can help individuals perform tasks and raise their self respect.

In the third case the subject was a victim of chronic arthritis. Victims of chronic arthritis were more prone towards rising fear from injury or smaller accidents leading the body temperature to rise. Such victims should have access to accessible routes and objects made of harmless materials and chemicals.

**__Week 6:__**

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; Enthusiast Stage, Professional Stage and Consumer Phase ,in which technological adaptations and innovations undergo in order for a new design to develop.

__**Enthusiast Stage:**__

Individuals in this phase enjoy and use technology in an "aesthetic way." They try to invent new ways of improving the product which are not user friendly adding to their fun and enjoyment. In his interview Liddle used the example of a camera to explain this stage. In the 50's when the camera was first invented it could only be used by a professional camera man however enthusiasts came up with different ways to use the camera and exploit all its possible functions and applications. They tried to make the camera look more practical and user friendly for everyone. At this stage the enthusiast wants the product to say that "exploit me and look at my capabilities." Thus enthusiasts exploit these hidden capabilities and try to develop unusual ways of using a product.


 * __Professional Stage:__**

During this stage the camera has reached its reasonable price unit. The product undergoes certain alterations and changes and has been stabilized. At this stage the user can depend on the camera for basic functions such as zoom in zoom out, turning the flash on and taking automatic pictures. At this stage the product want the professional to say "look at my productivity and what i can give you." At this stage the camera has passed its stage of being an expensive exotic piece and is a standardized and stabliized product.


 * __Consumer Stage:__**

At this stage the camera can be easily sold to consumers at the determined price. It is user friendly and the basic functionality criteria has been achieved. The product is ready to be used and sold to consumers and basis of the price is set by the rules of demand and supply.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” Thus today there are several cameras such as Sony, Canon and Nikon which have different prices determined according to their fuctions and usability.

**WEEK 7**


 * Part A:**


 * Mat Hunter describes that the interaction architecture theory focuses on designing a series of rules that would allow more cameras to be designed and developed. Digital Photography was a new technology for consumer cameras. They developed a new notion called “User Experience Prototype” which allowed the user to take a picture, share it with others and delete it if picture is not acceptable or approved. A big box was created that connected the camera and the cord to the computer. This design was utilized in the design of a digital camera where Kodak used this User Experience prototype and introduced the DC210.**


 * Rikako Sakai was dedicated towards creating a software called PhotoStitch. This particularly program helped users to use animation to edit their images. It was mainly for beginners. Sakai started the development of Version 3. The earlier structure was not user friendly and did not lead to a lot of interaction, the newer and advanced structure included a tab interface instead of the step by step approach.**


 * Part B:**


 * Leading Question:**
 * A leading question requires a certain type of answer. In this question the mistake usually occurs in the answer. A closed format question is when the answers supplied do not cover the responses on a larger scale but are more general questions. Examples of such answers are: Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Not So Great.**


 * Hypothetical Questions:**
 * A hypothetical question is one in which the participant is faced with a situation which he would have never faced before. It does not give you an answer and usually this question is based on fantasy or a real life situation.**


 * __ Week 8 __

In three paragraphs, describe the role of Jan Chipchase in defining the role of cellphones in the developing world for Nokia, and the benefits of analyzing and defining cellphone use and design in different cultures as part of their market expansion.

Human-Centred Design Case Study of Cellphones in Developing Countries ** Can the Cellphone Help End Global Poverty? By Sara Corbett  Jan Chip chase a “user anthropologist” conducts research that’s deals particularly with human behavior. He travelled to different parts of the world specially to third world coutnries to research on human behavior. He accumulated research about human behavior that he shared with Nokia a very famous cell phone company. The main goal is to capture the different modes and forms of communication and promoting new technologies that could be used by people all over the world. In an increasing changing world Chipcase stated that the cell phone has slowly become “one fixed piece of our identity.”(Corbett 2008). He supports the new designs that engage people and allow them to benefit from that technology and thus allowing Nokia to make better phones. Economists believe that cell phones have an “Economizing effect,” that attempts to restructure developing countries. “Just in Time “technology allows people to communicate as they move and it helps people connect with one another before meeting at a planned place. It is an efficient technology as it avoids people from meeting in the wrong place or having them to wait for the arrival of a friend.

Cell phones have become important in increasing people’s productivity and allowing them to be reached when needed. This is further explained in the example mentioned in the article where a live in housekeeper in China was bound to her job until she bought a cell phone and new customers could now call and book her services. (Corbett 2008). This allows people to be in touch with one another and further is more efficient for emergency uses. Cell phones also have an important feature Short Messaging Options or SMS where it allows people to talk to one another and ask anonymous questions. Overall Chip chase’s research has been successful towards Nokia. He has created different elements of designs that combine different technologies into one device (i.e. text messaging, camera, internet, etc) that fits one’s lifestyle and culture.

=Week Nine: Design as a Collaborative Process=

**__Describe how he defines 'design as a collaborative process', and cite two examples of how creators involve the people they want to create for in their work, according to Bill Moggridge's lecture.__**

Bill Moggridge explains design as a collaborative process through the concept of “togetherness” (with & by.” He refers to three main concepts while explaining design as a collaborative process. 1) The way our practices in design are changing 2) Trying to work with the people we design for 3)  Trying to change the context around which we design

The first part looks at how design practices are changing. He refers to pair of sunglasses and explains when they are designed the product team has to look at certain physical features such as the head, relationship to the nose, etc. However in today’s society everything is connected through the internet or chip. Even when designing something like a steel chair it is important to keep in mind the knowledge of the physiological aspect of the body and spine movement. Its important for designers to understand how people think, the way their psychological minds work, the interconnectedness or their cultures and different attributes which modify their decisions while choosing a product. Thus this highlights the important concept of team work. Team work allows people to work together collaboratively by sharing their minds, thoughts and ideas. People from different cultures are brought together and allowed to work together. The second aspect focuses on working with the people who you’re designing for. This allows individuals to use “participatory design” where people can actually design the product they want. This way one gets a deeper insight on how people view certain products and how they would want to modify it to meet their requirements and needs. The last concept focuses on the context we design around. People have started creating safer products which can change a person’s perspective about a particular product. The design of a product today has a significant impact on todays society.

Moggridge uses two particular examples to show how product creators involve people in the creation of certain products. For example a design team wanted to discover a safer and secure way of performing nose surgeries. They asked real surgeons how they felt about holding the nose instrument in a certain manner. They used the feedback, collected the ideas and gave them to the actual designer so that he could use them in his design process. Another example Moggridge discussed was Red Cross. In this they aimed at making the environment safe and organized so that when people come ot donate blood they are not afraid of doing so and feel safe while donating blood. The designers came up with a method to make the people feel they were recognized for donating blood by a putting up pictures on a “Why I Give” board when they donated blood and a small paragraph including the reason behind their donation. This allowed people to connect to other individuals and encourage them to donate blood. At the same time it helped in promoting a safe and secure environment where people were aware of what they were doing.

Example: Design Consultancies such as IDEO now work with client engineers and product managers to study customer needs and design the products to fir the desirable needs of their customers. For example the Florence ( a concept design project with Intel) aimed at turning the laptop PC into a better consumer multimedia device. This is happening as more companies are speeding up the conversation with technologies with players who are downstream. Thus more and more design companies are working with other partners and are playing bigger roles in innovation in order to create better customized products catering to the desirable needs of customers.


 * WEEK 10: Biomimicry: Janine Benyus and the Biomimicry Institute and Guild **

Biomimicry is practice that has become common in most industries over the last 10 years. Most industries use nature as a guide for “elegant innovations.” Janine Benyus is the back bone behind this movement and has introduced this idea to many companies to try to study “non polluting, energy efficient manufacturing technologies” in order to allow nature in thrive in peace and serenity. Janine Benyus was named as the “environmental hero of 2007” in the Time magazine. Currently she’s working on her book Natures 100 Best technologies which if successful will promote her thinking towards adopting a non pollutant design of work and promoting peace and harmony for the environment. Benyus spends most of her time is researching on Biomimicry. She divides her time equally between a non profit Biomimcry Institute and the For Profit Innovation Consultancy. She is determined to show engineers and different designers of how to incorporate biomimicry in most of their design and technology. The Biomimicry Guild also provides a “dial a biologist” service where different designers and researchers can contact her team of scientists in order to obtain an answer for technical questions and support. Some of the famous clients include General Electric, NASA and Hewlett Packard. Most companies are also inquiring questions related to internal processes for example some companies not only want to know how to green a product but an entire company’s internal processes.Biomimcry has recently gained recognition by many companies of different sizes and names. For example Fords Volvo Div developed an anti collision system based on the natural mechanism of locusts swarms without actually colliding into one another. This way the car has a alarm that triggers as soon as a car crash takes place. This is also known as the Accident Avoidance System which is currently installed in expensive Volvo vehicles. IBM designers have researched on how abalone shells are formed by transforming tiny particles of calcium carbonate chalk in a process called “self assembly.” The same analysis is applied towards the development of many processors and this has reduced energy consumption by approximately 35%. Benyus’ next book will be an encyclopedia that focuses on the unusual forms and processes of nature that have yet not been accommodated in the manufacturing industry. The book will also include some project analyses which companies should take into consideration to reduce the negative impact on the environment and economy.Benyus targets to safeguard many endangered species and wants to convey this message to most companies. Nikes Goat Tek a No-Go design failure was a major drawback for Biomimcry as it does not always promise success. The shoes were discontinued as they mimicked feet of mountain goats. Human beings were not pleased with the idea of their feet being compared to goat feet. Thus this led to the failure and created a challenge for the Biomimcry design. Despite the several failure Benyus is still determined to convey this message on a larger scale to the public. She believes that the demand for biomimetic design will eventually grow as more and more people will be concerned about where exactly their product is coming from. Many companies are concerned in greening their internal processes as well as their external product. At the same time companies look up to nature for the solution of many design problems. Benyus new book can help companies search for the answers to their several problems thus leading to a healthier and greener environment.

Sound Foresight is a small company in Barnsley, England which has innovated the “Ultra Cane.” This unique device is targeted towards the vision impaired individuals by incorporating a sonar like technology which is similar to the way bats travel in the dark. This cane sends out sound waves which sense oncoming objects such as streets, people, and other objects. They also provide warning through the canes handle which warns the individual of the obstacle. The Australian Company Biosignal researched on a type of sea weed which naturally prevents the accumulation of bacteria by developing a film that uses a mechanism called “Jamming” which interferes with signals used by microbes to interact with one another. For example if applied to contact lenses it does not allow bacteria to build thus leading eliminating infections and building barriers for harmful bacteria.
 * Echolocation: **
 * Keeping the Bugs Out: **
 * Leaving No Trace: **

The Germany Company Sto was inspired by lotus leaves. The hydrophobic surface structure of these leaves develops self cleaning paints. The microscopic structure od these leaves introduced the concept of solutions which did not require toxic detergents. The internal structure of the leaves resists water thus not allowing any dirt to build up.

=**__ Week 11: __** = Glen Farrelly: Questions on Usability and Accessibility  
 * 1) ** How would you describe web accessibility? **
 * Web accessibility means making websites easily usable and available to all kinds of people ranging from an ordinary individual to a visually impaired or disabled individual. Web accessibility aims to target important issues such as making text and images of larger sizes available in order to be read and understood easily by poor sighted individuals, underlining links and differentiating them with a color to be easily interpreted and noticed by a color blind user, when embedding videos making sure sign language version videos are available for the deaf and hard of hearing users. Web accessibility websites aim to accommodate all kinds of users. Web accessibility features include important issues such as: **
 * ** Visual Impairments which include blindness, color blindness, low vision and poor eye sight **
 * ** Hearing or Deaf impairments which helps individuals who are hard of hearing **
 * ** Cognitive disabilities which include learning disabilities such as dyslexia, logic skills and other issues which affect the memory. **
 * 1) ** Who do you think benefits from accessible websites and how? **
 * People suffering from disabilities benefit a great deal from such websites as it offers them with equal and fair use of information. Visually impaired individuals benefit from the availability of larger text and image sizes as it is easy for them to understand and interpret the information. Links which are underlined and at the same time differentiated by using a color are helpful for color blinded individuals who can easily notice them and browse the internet. When videos are embedded on a website, the availability of a sign language version of the video of closed captioned videos help the deaf or hard of hearing individuals to understand the video. When the content of the website is written using simple language and more instructional diagrams and tables are used this is helpful for dyslexic users who suffer from learning difficulties and through this are able to better comprehend the text. Thus when websites are built it is important to keep all these requirements in mind in order to produce an easily accessible and usable website. **
 * 1) ** Do you think your website/blog should be accessible? Should all Canadian websites? **
 * A website or blog should be accessible as it allows different kinds of individuals to access information freely and interpret it at the same level. Disabled users are able to enjoy and benefit from this fair use of information and keep up with the latest updates and changes in the technological world. Canadian websites should be accessible in order to help and assist disabled users and promote equality on the web. With the help of technologies such as Speech Recognition and Screen reader the experience of browsing the internet can be made more friendly and enjoyable for a disabled user. **
 * 1) ** What do you think is the biggest challenge of making a website accessible? **
 * The biggest challenge faced in making a website accessible is of taking all the disabled users into consideration and aiming to fulfill all the requirements. This leads to a lot of time and energy consumption which requires the expertise of qualified designers who can cater to a vast audience taking into consideration different languages and cultures. **

http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/feb2008/id20080211_074559_page_2.htm