There is a theoretical number called Dunbar´s number, that roughly states that the ideal number for an organization is about 150 people. Beyond that number, the ability for members of a group to maintain stable relationships with each other goes down quickly.
In design, the concept of proximity (part of Gestalt theory in design) suggests that elements that are close to each other are likely linked in some way or another. When we design elements like this, we can reinforce the function or meaning of elements by placing them in proximity to others.
Perhaps, in an effort to cut costs, airlines have started offering in-flight entertainment through an app that you can download on to your own device, rather than putting screens in the back of the seat in front of you. This would probably be fine, except that not everyone has a device, and you don’t necessarily find out ahead of time.
Recently I came across what will likely become the new elevator experience. I was downtown for some training and had pulled into an underground car park for the day. After I parked my car, I went to the elevator and was faced with a keypad. There was a G on it, so I pushed it, assuming that it was for Ground floor. Before I got into the elevator car, I took note of the fact …
Recently, I watched a TED talk by Daniele Quercia titled “Happy Maps“, in which he encouraged all of us to take a chance sometimes and take the road less travelled, rather than the most efficient. As he put it, you can likely have a more enjoyable experience by eschewing the world that is “fabricated for efficiency” and look for something that is perhaps, quieter, greener, and more beautiful.
People’s paths can sometimes tell us a lot. Whether we actually do what we say we do or not, one of the more interesting aspects about human behaviour in places, is that we tend to leave evidence of our actions behind for analysis. In urban planning they call this concept desire lines. They are the organic emergence of where people want to go versus where we plan for them to go. Have you ever seen …
As I walked past a restroom recently, in a building I was visiting, I came across a bathroom door that used a more conceptual symbol to identify the intended gender for the room. Next to that sign, stuck on the door with tape, was another photocopied sign with a more conventional image and text. I walked around until I found the men’s restroom and saw that it had been temporarily re-signed the same way.
An old art professor of mine used to tell us that when an artist makes a piece of art, they are responsible for the whole canvas, regardless of whether they put anything on it or not. As UX designers, we are responsible for the whole experience, whether it is part of what we are designing or not. Now, this does not mean that we must account for and mitigate every conceivable point of interaction. It …
