Looking through my blogs, it is clear that I have embraced a variety of different UX design concepts and mindsets through studying diverse design philosophies from well-known designers around the world. The 5C model (figure 1) was initially used in my prototype building from the very beginning ( Friis and Getting, 2014). The prototyping process is also how I understood that design should be guided by technical knowledge of the technology, the appreciation of the typical users, and that intuition is no longer enough (Norman, 2016). Therefore, the card paper prototype is a relatively low-cost yet highly efficient methodology, which consequently became one of my blogs to understand users’ feelings more clearly. Additionally, the movie about user interface design created by Google designers inspired me to use the right software while creating user interactions for apps. 2016 (Connover, Saran). This was a massive help to me understand that design is the interaction between humans and technology. In addition, reading about service design introduced me to essential concepts like computer support for collaborative work (CSCW), human-computer interaction (HCI), and new processes and frameworks like “human-centered design” (HCD) and “design thinking.” (Kotlyarenko,2018) These kept emphasizing that design may one day be more than just a trade and practice but also a way of thinking. The presentation by Bill Verplank, which offered me a revolutionary understanding of art, design, and craft (Verplank, 2011) and the various principles he adhered to when creating computer user interfaces, absolutely surprised me. Among these hypotheses, the one Piaget and Brunner found—which divided human cognition into enactive, iconic, and symbolic stages—was an authentic insight to me (Verplank, 2011). In addition, Es Delvin’s video on creating cardboard prototypes astounded me with the rich and sensational prototypes she created with her team and the process of creating a cardboard prototype inspired by nature, trees, lungs, and quarantine (Delvin, 2020). After then, the idea of accordance entered my consciousness when I read the journal Introduction: Why Affordances?, where I learned the term’s definition and its many concrete and abstract aspects (Kaptelinin, 2015). Additionally, I gained a deeper understanding of the fact that a multi-touchpoint experience design can combine user experience design, service design, and omnichannel design in addition to human-centered and brand-centered design (Aldred, 2021).
I may see significant changes in my design attitudes after witnessing this feast of design concepts and techniques. For example, my new insights have me concentrating more on prototyping in my designing procedures to visualize my ideas for viewers further, putting myself in the users’ shoes to take their perspective and utilize their preferences when designing user interfaces, dividing the design process into various human cognitive stages to make the user experience design more accurate according to actual human intuitions, and designed with consideration of related categories of affordance o With all these discoveries, I am reminded of the prior academic studies, which should serve as a strong foundation rather than a restriction to the creative and intuitive design progress. This, however, is a relationship that I overlooked in the first place, yet proved to be crucial, for academic evidence and knowledge of inspirated objectives may be presented more accurately in this manner. I believe that after going through this study session, I will be less swayed by the data and research scope, apply different design elements like buttons and scroll bars in a more delicate way to fit the cognitive stage that the application’s users are from, and create an interactive contextual interface that fully explores the affordance of numerous categories of shapes, colors, sizes, and shadows to improve user experience. My awareness of user-friendly design, thorough prototyping techniques, a deeper understanding of human-computer interaction, and a more comprehensive view of affordance utilization have all given me confidence that I can be less shallow in future designs.
In all object making, that part which connects to mental interpretation is art,’ I recently learned. Design is the relationship of an object to its intended use. The skill with which this relationship is carried out is called craft. in 2011 (Verplank), I am sincerely appreciative of the entire session, which helped me progress from having an intention while designing to eventually grasping numerous techniques to make my intentions more clearly communicated to the audiences. Furthermore, this entire process reminds me of arming a knight with armor and spears, which could be a more accurate way to think about the way that instrumental affordances ((P-T)-O) function (figure 3). As a result, I have a precise model of dividing design components by affordances categories. This helps design delicacy, which was previously tricky even slightly to increase. As a result, attending such a session was one of the most valuable experiences I have ever had because of the numerous glossaries with sophisticated philosophical underpinnings and the great new craft approach offered. Another example would be the step-by-step cardboard prototype made by Es Delvin, which is seen as a precious experience because, without a guide like it is in the session, I might overlook the project, which could result in my lack of interest in prototyping for several years in the future due to the complicated making process. However, I have entirely changed my erroneous viewpoint on prototyping, and I have mastered several techniques that will help make the prototyping process even more systematic. With the session, I can improve the precision of my delivered intentions, which can take a lot longer without it. These ideas began to form in my head because these revolutionary concepts profoundly impacted my previous understanding. They forever changed concepts like “user” to “various cognitive stages,” “computer-based design,” “human centered design,” “using materials I like to employ affordances appreciated,” and “interface design” to “multipoint touch design.” These ground-breaking ideas led me to a brand-new design and media hall.
As a result, I will significantly benefit from this academic experience in my future endeavors. As the lecture has renewed the definition of design, which is not just a conceptual interpretation, but a conceptual interpretation with a precise aim, I will use this definition in my future design classes. I plan to concentrate more on the original goals of the designers as a result of this change, making it easier for me to understand new concepts in the design business. Additionally, the cognitive processes identified by Piaget will undoubtedly assist me in classifying the design’s objective audience and determining whether the layout is acceptable. Additionally, I might emphasize prototypes in my future projects because doing so will undoubtedly improve the precision with which my intentions are expressed and the ease with which outsiders understand the program. Due to the clearly stated aims, my applications will be more straightforward for most regular customers to utilize due to this marketing. Because of the contextual situation it created, which matches the users’ intuitive reflection, I may also focus on the affordance of other aspects, including shapes, colors, textures, and shadows, in future designs. A collection of connoted information will be matched independently to various design factors with further study of affordance, which can serve as a material platform for my future works. The elaborate step-by-step eliciting of the design procedure and its philosophy requires a strong academic background, accurate guidance from experienced and versatile professors, and intense studying will overcome the difficulties encountered. As a result, in my future career, I might be more prepared in user experience design than designers who lack experience alike. As a result of this invaluable learning experience, I may be better able to recognize and meet the needs of users. The professional education I received throughout the workshop may also help me understand other people’s designs on a much deeper level in my everyday life, even though some of the concepts were genuinely challenging for me to grasp fully. This may also result in a greater appreciation of other designers’ work because I will be better able to see past the interface design and appreciate the amount of work that has gone into it as well as how delicate a designer’s analysis can be. As a result, I may find it easier to find inspiration for my own designs in the future. Furthermore, because I was a proficient user after this academic session, my interaction with computers or androids might become more natural and comfortable. Eventually, I will purposefully incorporate my new insights and knowledge into my projects to put them into practice, especially during the prototype and conceptual interpretation phases. This will significantly improve my design method and cognition.
Figure 1, the 5C modelFigure 2, a page of sketch to illustrate the 3 stages: enactive, iconic, and symbolic(Verplank, 2011)Figure 3 instrumental affordances, (Kaptelinin, 2015)
Reference
Albert, S., Friis, K., and. Gelting, A.K. (2014). The 5C Model, Copenhagen School of Design and Technology, Copenhagen, Denmark
Norman, D. A. (2016). When You Come to a Fork in the Road, Take It: The Future of Design. She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation, 2, 343-348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sheji.2017.07.003
