Environmental Design : Less is More, More is Less

"Less is More, More is Less" is a famous phrase that we always heard and being told by lecturers. I think it is an important concept that must be remember by design students. Less is more and more is less is important because it help to take balance of the design. The white space and the design must look balance to provide eye relief and show the content/information of the design more efficiency.

Too less thing on a design cause the design look plain and lost something. It will make users confused about what is the design trying to tell or sell. Yet, too much information put on one design will cause the design look complex and user might not take attention to every single details. Even though all the information/elements are very good, put all in together will only drag down the quality of the information. So, less is more and more is less is very often advocate in any designs. 

Well balance of less is more and more is less does help to show the main focus of the design and bring out the information clearly yet make the viewers feel comfortable with it. Less is more and more is less highly emphasis on produce a minimalist design. A minimalist design bring out the important information by only few important points and help users to understand the design's meaning easily.

Environmental Design : Le Modulor

Le Modulor.

The Modulor is an anthropometric scale of proportions devised by the Swiss-born French architect Le Corbusier (1887–1965). It was developed as a visual bridge between two incompatible scales, the Imperial system and the Metric system. It is based on the height of an English man with his arm raised. It was used as a system to set out a number of Le Corbusier's buildings and was later codified into two books. - Wikipedia

Le Corbusier's dictum, “A house is a machine for living”, applies in a broader sense to all construction types and uses. However, what is sometimes forgotten is that human functioning is both external and internal. Yes, the body walks and crawls, stretches and reaches, climbs and descends, sits and lies down. But, these are only some of its outward manifestations. The designer must not forget the internal workings of the body. Not only does a healthy person use all five physical senses, but the body, mind and emotions form impressions from an aggregate intake of those senses. - [ http://www.greensage.com/ezine/10Oct07/ezine10-07SacredGeo.html ]

Geometric & Mathematical Extensions to the Modulor 

The limitless numerical values

Range of Le Modulor.

Geometric & Mathematical Extensions to the Modulor 

The Modulor grid.

Source of reference : 

http://www.michael-robinett.com/isis/mod-1.htm

http://www.michael-robinett.com/isis/mod-2.htm

From the above research, Le Modulor as defined as my own understanding is a type of proportion measurement that is created by Le Corbusier. It is a modular of Le Corbusier hence it got its name as Le Modulor. It is a scale or ratio mostly for architect measurement. It is highly related with the Vitruvian proportion or maybe can say that it is a revolution of it. Le Modulor show the golden ratio of human and it does help to measure the golden ratio for other things especially for measurement use in buildings because Le Corbusier is an architect. I think that the human figure in Le Modular raise up his hand is for the purpose of  measurement for ceiling height because the height of ceiling greatly affect the space of buildings. The ceiling height of a building must be at least accommodate the height of the person raising his/her hand so that the space will not be too packed. And as if the human in golden ratio can raise his hand then the space reserve for ceiling height is also in golden ratio that everyone can suitable with it. It is same goes to other proportion measurement. 

Media Stereotypes

What is Media Stereotypes?


From my research, Wikipedia defined stereotype as a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings. Stereotypes are standardized and simplified conceptions of groups based on some prior assumptions. Stereotypes play an important role in today's society and particularly in Propaganda. According to the Webster's Dictionary stereotyping is defined as a fixed conventional notion or conception of an individual or group of people, held by a number of people. Stereotypes can be basic or complex generalizations which people apply to individuals or groups based on their appearance, behavior and beliefs.

Stereotypes are quick easy ways that give audiences a quick, similar understanding of a person or group of people usually involving their, ethnicity, class, race, gender, sexual orientation, social role or occupation. Nowadays no one is safe from stereotypes even today's youth is suffering from it. Stereotypes can be problematic. They can reduce a wide range of differences in people to simplistic categorizations, transform assumptions about particular groups of people into "realities", be used to justify the position of those in power,and also perpetuate social prejudice and inequality.


Below are some examples of media stereotypes that I had found by doing research:


First of all, it was a media stereotype about Sara Palin that I had found on a online magazine, do visit here to view the whole article.


http://jezebel.com/5090641/hillary-and-sarah-the-bitch-and-the-ditz-of-american-politics


Next, I think most of us know about it. The good looking actor and actresses (especially for TV and commercial advertisement)


I had saw this article on Yahoo! Answer and I think it was also a quite normal stereotype that face by many of the actors and actresses. The title of this article is " When are black actors/actresses going stop taking these degrading & demaning roles??" and following by :

It's like they are living up to the stereotype that we already have. In many predominately white shows and movies black actors/actresses are taking roles as characters that fit the stereotypical black person.
ex: Disney Channel's Hannah Montana: on one show a large black woman got her wig pulled off by one of the main characters.This fitting the stereotype that black women always have fake hair.

Nickoleoden's Drake and josh : Helen one of the characters is a very loud mean black woman.
stereotype: all black women are LOUD and "ghetto".

This show the stereotype of mostly western countries that having a negative and not so good stereotype among the black actors and actresses. This may be the problem faced by most of the black artists.

The other examples of stereotype is

The blonde stereotype, the stereotypical perception of blond-haired women, has two aspects. On one hand, over the history, blonde hair in women has been considered attractive and desirable. On the other hand, a blonde woman is often perceived as making little use of intelligence, as a "woman who relied on her looks rather than on intelligence."

Examples :

Pop Cultural Examples Supporting the Dumb Blonde Stereotype

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (a comic novel, a Broadway musical, and two films) explores the appeal of blonde women. The film starred Marilyn Monroe as the blonde and Jane Russell as her wise brunette friend. The Encyclopedia of Hair describes Monroe's role as that of "a fragile woman who relied on her looks rather than on intelligence—what some people refer to as 'dumb blond'." At the same time, in the film she demonstrates a certain amount of wit regarding her life position expressed in her hit"Diamonds are a girl's best friend". And when her fiance's father (who initially disliked her but eventually was won over) asked her why she pretends to be dumb, she answers that men prefer this way.

Many blond actresses have played stereotypical "dumb blondes", including Judy Holliday, Jayne Mansfield and Goldie Hawn, best known as the giggling "dumb blonde", stumbling over her lines, especially when she introduced Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In "News of the Future".

In the American sitcom Three's Company the blond girl (originally Chrissy played by Suzanne Somers, and later Cindy and Terri) is sweet and naive, while the brunette (Janet played by Joyce DeWitt) is smart.

In the TV Series Glee, actress Heather Morris plays Brittany Pierce, a cheerleader who is also a member of the glee club New Directions. Heather's character also represents the dumb blonde stereotype; sexy and beautiful, but with less intelligence.  - [source: Wikipedia]

In conclude, media stereotypes create a lots of basic impression toward some certain thing. Just like the generation of us, we know that Marilyn Monroe as a symbol of sexy and we also heard about the story of Princess Diana. But, we also been giving the stereotypes about Caucasians can't dance, Islam are terrorist, Irish are alcoholics and so on. Stereotypes can be divide into positive stereotype and negative stereotype, it shouldn't be share and teach to other if anyone doesn't know the correct answer and it should be well-taught to people without personal prejudice and bias.

Environmental Design : Form Follows Functions and Functions Follows Form

After searching for some related information about Form Follows Functions and Functions Follow Form, I come to a comprehend  that it might differentiate by depend on what the design is for. Form follow functions is putting the priority to functions perform then just follow the functions to adjust the form. While functions follow form is vice verse that the form is the priority then just think about its functions. 

They are no specific answer for whether it should be form follow functions or functions follow form. But the users nowadays is smarter than before. They no only searching for beautiful design but also an useful design. Users nowadays are more emphasis on both functions and form. And for me, the priority of an design should be more functional than looking good. A beautiful design without any function is regard as poor design even though a functional design without appropriate form is also regard as a poor design. A real designer or a successful designer should be able to take balance of both function and beauty.

Besides this, I personally think that it is depend on the user to decide the design should be form follow functions or functions follow form. As an example, for the customers that prefer a house for a certain purpose and functional or wanting it as a use for office. The architect must build a building that given priority to serve for those functions and then just think about its form. Yet, the form of the design is surely needed to be appropriate to its function. But, for the customers that more care about the design of form for the house, the architect need to have a beautiful and innovative design that suit the customer's preference then just think about its function. It is same goes to web designer and industrial designer also. But, as I say before this, users are getting smarter. They only want the best thing that consist of both functional and beauty. So, the design purpose and user intention is the most important thing to decide whether form follow functions or functions follow form.

Random Word / Image Association

Random word / Image association

- an idea generation method which allows students to systematically generate new ideas though fixed formula.The whole premise of Random Association is to use a Random Word to provoke a reaction from the brain.

"Chances come to everyone but not everyone see it because they not have the knowledge."

"Chances only come to the people who have knowledge."

"Without knowledge we wont find the chances"

We always have our motivation,just like a donkey have a carrot to make it move.

The carrot of us maybe is money,or anythings.

...but how we get away from the carrot?

 @ When to use it

..Use it to stimulate open and divergent thinking and seek creative new ideas.

..Use it to re-ignite creative thinking when you are running out of ideas.

..Use it to get people out of a rut when their thinking is still rather conventional.

-[http://creatingminds.org/tools/random_words.htm]

@ How to use it

1. Find a random word

- Find a random word that will be used as a stimulus for new ideas. You can do this in a number of ways, including:

• Look around you. What can you see? Can you see any words? What about things? What else is happening?
• Open a book at a random page. Run your finger around the page and stop at a random point. Look for a suitable word near your finger.
• Ask the people you are with to give you a random word.
• Select a word from a prepared list of evocative words (fire, child, brick, sausage, etc.)

Good random words are (a) evocative and (b) nothing to do with the problem being considered. Ambiguity also helps. Nouns are usually best, but verbs and adjectives can also be used effectively.

2. Find associations

- Think about other things about which the word reminds you. Follow associations to see where they go. 

- Think openly: associations can be vague and tenuous (this is creativity, not an exam!).

- When working with a group of people, you can write these down on a flipchart as people call them out. It can be useful (but not necessary) to leave a space after each associate for use in stage 3.

3. Use the associations to create new ideas

- Now create new ideas by linking any of the associations with your problem. Again, the linkage can be as vague as you like: what you want is ideas!

- Write the ideas either next to their associations from step 2 or on a separate page.

- If other people give ideas that trigger further ideas from you, then you can go off down that route to see where it goes.

- As a variant, you can do stages 2 and 3 together, finding an association and an immediate idea from this.

Example : 

How to make a person to stop smoking in 6 months time?

Random word : Traffic Light

What will you think of when you saw a traffic light?

- Colour

- Price

- Thin

- Awareness

Association : 

Colour : We can use colours to indicate dangers. The red colour indicate most danger follow by yellow colour and green colour.While the smokers see the colours he/she will think about the dangers he/she will face and slowly stop smoking.

Price : We can increase the price of amercement not the cigarette price so when they smoke in the non smoking area they will get the high price amerce.

Thin : Make the cigarette's material become thin so the smoker will become weariness to smoke.

Awareness: Create an awareness image on the cigarette skin and show that smoking will not make people become slim and yet it will make our lungs to become dark and also ugly .

Conclusion : So, people won't buy it if the colour of the cigarette's smoke is in colour and they won't be taking risk to do that .

Juxtaposition

Juxtaposition can be defined as placing two variable, side by side and their contrast or similarity are shown through comparison. Many creative processes rely on juxtaposition. By juxtaposition two objects or words next to each other, human brain will automatically assiociate or transfer meaning. Usually "turning" something familiar to something less familiar or vice-versa.

Definition of Juxtaposition : A placing or being placed in nearness or contiguity, or side by side,as a juxtaposition of words. The act of juxtaposing is to place two objects or words next to each other.

"When two things put side by side, your brain try to figure what is the relationship between these two? What automatically happens is that there is transference of meaning.Usually from something familiar to something less familiar."

(what is the relationship? Or the Meaning or the Similarities?)

Conflict between LEFT BRAIN and RIGHT BRAIN happens...

VISUAL PUNS

- Creating an artwork in which several visual form which look alike are connected and combined so as to bring out two or more possible meaningful. Visual puns are lower version of visual metaphor.

METAPHOR

- In a figure of speech in which two different things are linked by some similarity. Comparison that are obviously are not consider metaphor. Therefore, metaphor occur, when two different ideas are being connected in imagination and agreed to be dissimalarity at first.

SIMILES

- Using as / like

Example : Life is like cooking. It all depends on what you add and how you mix it. Sometimes you follow the recipe and at other times, you are creative. Life is like a maze in which you try to avoid the exit.

ANALOGY [two or more things agree in some respects]

- is a comparison of things that are essential dissimalarity but are shown throught the

analogy to have some simililarity.A form of logical inference or an instance of it, based on the assumption that if two things are known to be alike in some respects then they must be alike in other aspects.

Analogies :

-Logical analogies

[eg. A bird can compared to an aeroplane because both can move on air]

- Affective analogies

[eg. the Constructive worker are Hardworking as ant.]

Below are some pictures that showing juxtaposition :

Here the Church is juxtaposed beside a tall contrasting blue building

Juxtaposition allows the assessment in the overall achitecture of the city

There are three subject matters that are juxtaposed into this one frame; the clock, the modern skyscraper, and the old chapel. The juxtaposition creates a sense of time gap between the old and the modern. It's entitled "History", taken in downtown Chicago.

Bizarre juxtaposition, but it serves its purpose.

Physical Design : Getting Concrete

Design is about making choices and decisions. It have to take the balance of factor of environmental, user, data and usability requirement with functional requirement. Physical interface of interactive product should not conflict with the user's cognitive processes involved in achieving the task.


Physical Design : 

• Considers more concrete, detailed issues of designing the interface.
• Iteration between physical and conceptual design.
• Guidelines for physical design :
• Nielsen’s heuristics.
• Shneiderman’s eight golden rules.
• Different kinds of widget (dialog boxes, tool-bars, icons, menus and etc).

Use Scenario in Design : 

Scenarios can be used to explicate existing work situation but are more commonly used for expressing proposed or imagined situations to help in conceptual design. 

Four roles for scenarios :

• A basic for the overall design.
• For technical implementation.
• As a means of cooperation within design teams.
• As a means of cooperation across professional boundaries such as in a multidisciplinary team.

Used for the notion of plus and minus scenarios : 

• Attempt to capture the most positive and the most negative consequences of a particular proposed design solution. 
• Helping designers to gain a more comprehensive view of the proposal.

Using Prototype in Design : 

Paper prototyping is a method for designing, evaluating and improving user interfaces for software, web and handheld device applications. The term is sometimes used to describe the production of page comps, wireframes and storyboards that facilitate communication within design teams and with clients, allowing the exploration of a range of design ideas (Snyder 2003:9). Here, paper prototyping is used to refer to screen mock-ups on which representative users attempt a series of realistic tasks while a second person acts as the computer, manipulating the mock-ups in response to the user's actions. This form of paper prototyping enhances user involvement in the design process (Beyer and Holzblatt 1998: 371, Hackos & Redish 1998: 380) and is an effective means of identifying potential usability problems (Virzi et al 1996, Catani & Beers 1998).

Paper prototyping can also be used in the design of a range of interactive devices such as ticketing machines and photocopiers. It is also used in the design of intelligent agents. In these circumstances it is commonly referred to as "Wizard of Oz", where a human "wizard" simulates the system's intelligence and interaction. This kind of prototyping is used for systems that are costly to build or which require new technology (Maulsby, Greenberg & Mander, 1993).

Paper prototyping has been used as a design tool for over 10 years, and while companies such as IBM, Digital, Honeywell and Microsoft have integrated the method into their development processes, its use in mainstream web design and development is still not commonplace (Snyder 2003:3). There are undoubtedly several reasons for this. Web development is relatively straightforward and a variety of tools now support the rapid development of web pages. This creates pressure to deliver web projects quickly. Added to this is a tendency for developers to be focused on technology and forget about the needs of end users (Grady 2000: 39).

Some example of Paper Prototyping : 

Paper prototype for phone.

Paper prototype for phone GUI. 

Paper prototype for tablet.

Paper prototype for iPad.

Paper prototype for iPad.

Tool Support :

Brad Myers (1995) suggests nine facilities that user interface software tools might provide :

1. Help design the interface given a specification of the end users' tasks
2. Help implement the interface given a specification of the design
3. Create easy-to-use interfaces
4. Allow the designer to rapidly investigate different designs
5. Allow non programmers to design and implement user interfaces
6. Automatically evaluate the interface and propose improvements
7. Allow the end user to customize the interface
8. Provide portability
9. Be easy to use

Reference :

Preece, J., Rogers, Y., & Sharp, H. (2002). Interaction Design: Beyond Human-Computer Interaction. United State of America: Wiley Publisher.

Snyder, C. (2003) Paper Prototyping, San Francisco: Morgan Kaufmann

Beyer, H. and Holzblatt, K. (1998) Contextual Design, San Francisco: Morgan Kaufmann

Hackos, J.T and Redish, J.C. (1998) User and Task Analysis for Interface Design, New York: Wiley.

Virzi, R.A., Sokolov, J. L. and Karis, D. (1996) "Usability problem identification using both low- and high-fidelity prototypes", Proceedings of CHI 96, pp. 236-243.

Catani, M.B and Biers, D.W. (1998) "Usability evaluation and prototype fidelity: users and usability professionals, Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 42nd Annual Meeting, pp. 1331-5.

Maulsby, D., Greenberg, S. and Mander, R. (1993) "Prototyping an intelligent agent through Wizard of Oz", Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. 277 - 284.

Grady, H.M. (2000) "Approaches to prototyping: web site design: a case study in usability testing using paper prototypes", Proceedings of IEEE Professional Communication Society International Professional Communication Conference.

Design, Prototyping and Construction.

What is Prototype?

According to SearchCIO-Midmarket website, the definition of prototype are as follow : 

1) In software development, a prototype is a rudimentary working model of a product or information system, usually built for demonstration purposes or as part of the development process. In the systems development life cycle (SDLC) Prototyping Model, a basic version of the system is built, tested, and then reworked as necessary until an acceptable prototype is finally achieved from which the complete system or product can now be developed.

2) In prototype-based programming, a prototype is an original object; new objects are created by copying the prototype.

3) In hardware design, a prototype is a "hand-built" model that represents a manufactured (easily replicable) product sufficiently for designers to visualize and test the design.

The word prototype comes from the Latin words proto, meaning original, and typus, meaning form or model. In a non-technical context, a prototype is an especially representative example of a given category.

Source : http://searchcio-midmarket.techtarget.com/definition/prototype

Prototype also defined by Merriam-Webster encyclopedia website as : 

1. an original model on which something is patterned : archetype
2. an individual that exhibits the essential features of a later type
3. a standard or typical example
4. a first full-scale and usually functional form of a new type or design of a construction (as an airplane)

Source : http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prototype

In Interaction Studies / Interaction Design, Prototype is :

• Paper-based outline of a screen/ sets of screen.
• Electronic ' picture '.
• 3-dimensional paper / cardboard mock-up.
• Stack of hyper-linked screen shots.

that allow stakeholders to : 

1. Interact with an envisioned product.
2. Gain experience in realistic setting.
3. Explore imagined uses.

A PROTOTYPE is a limited representation of a design that allows users to interacts and explore its usability.

Why We Use Prototype ?

• Aids when discussing ideas with stakeholders.
• Communication device among team members.
• Effective way to test ideas.
• Examples :
• Clarify vague requirements
• To do user testing and evaluation
• Check a certain design direction is compatible with the rest of the system development.

Types of Prototyping :

• Low-fidelity prototyping ( A set of drawings (e.g., storyboard) that provide a static, non-computerized, non-working mock-up of user interface for the planned system )

• High-fidelity prototyping ( A set of screens that provide a dynamic, computerized, working model of the planned system )

Novelty, Creativity, Innovation and Invention

"Novelty aren't creativity but novelty can lead to creativity; and innovation lead to invention."

Novelty >> 

Novelty (derived from Latin word novus for "new") is the quality of being new. Although it may be said to have an objective dimension (e.g. a new style of art coming into being, such as abstract art or impressionism) it essentially exists in the subjective perceptions of individuals.

It also refers to something novel; that which is striking, original or unusual. The term can have pejorative sense and refer to a mere innovation.

[ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novelty ]

Creativity >> 

A creative person is a person who generate new ideas. A creative process is how these new ideas, solutions, and inventions produced. Creativity involves the translation of our unique gifts, talents, and vision into an external reality that is new and useful. It takes place unavoidably inside our own personal, social, and cultural boundaries.

The picture above shows that the creativity of the Japanese. They invented this butter stick. When you are racing against time, this butter stick will come handy. You do not have to use a butter knife and you can bring the butter stick with you because it is compact.

Creativity appears to be utilized in varying degrees by different people with different culture and backgrounds.

Innovation >> 

Innovation comes from the Latin innovātus which means to renew. Innovation can therefore be seen as the process that renews something that exists and not, as is commonly assumed, the introduction of something new.

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innovation]

Invention >> 

An invention is a new composition, device, or process. An invention may be derived from a pre-existing model or idea, or it could be independently conceived in which case it may be a radical breakthrough. In addition, there is cultural invention, which is an innovative set of useful social behaviors adopted by people and passed on to others.Inventions often extend the boundaries of human knowledge or experience. An invention that is novel and not obvious to others skilled in the same field may be able to obtain the legal protection of a patent.