Information Design III:

"Interaction Design- Beyond Human-Computer Interaction," by H. Sharp

Chapter Five of Sharp’s book discusses the affective aspects of interface design, defining affective as something that generates an emotional response. The chapter describes how the design of interactive systems can provoke an emotional response in users. The ultimate goal of a designer is to strike a balance between designing interfaces that are functional while pleasing to the eye. Expressive interfaces, while providing users valuable feedback in a “fun” manner, often provoke feelings of annoyance or anger if perceived as condescending or too “cutesy”. Overly complex interfaces designed to execute relatively simple actions often evoke negative emotions as well. Another condition that may elicit feelings of negativity are designs that do not meet user expectations, either functionally or aesthetically. Obtuse messages often evoke feelings of annoyance.

This ties into Norman’s model of “emotional design” which claims that the emotional attachment we have with products is as important as how easy we find to use them. In turn, Norman states that designs that evoke positive emotions make people more tolerant when dealing with minor issues or defects.

The chapter also discusses the controversial use of virtual agents in learning environments.There is much debate surrounding the implementation of anthropomorphism in interaction design, where designers assign human attributes to virtual objects. While, some users appreciate the human touch these designs afford, many criticize the approach as condescending, causing users to feel inferior or stupid. Many users find them annoying and artificial and feel the agents have insincere personalities.

I use the iPod as an example of a device whose design strikes a good balance between form and function. The menus are clean, easily navigable and efficient. Songs are well-organized and accessible in multiple ways (i.e. by artist, genre, song, album or playlist). Because of its stellar design, I am less annoyed when I occasionally have to reboot the device. I notice my annoyance quadruples when I need to reboot my PC or when I have to reset my Internet router. I believe my annoyance lies in that my router and PC malfunction routinely, while at the same time I find little pleasure in working with either device. If they malfunction, then there is nothing left but annoyance! At least with the iPod, the fun, interactive and efficient design elicits feeling of pleasure up until the point when the device freezes on you...