Professional Courses
Industry-relevant training in Business, Technology, and Design to help professionals and graduates upskill for real-world careers.
Categories
Interactive Games
Fun, engaging games to boost memory, math fluency, typing speed, and English skillsβperfect for learners of all ages.
Typing
Memory
Math
English Adventures
Knowledge
Interactive Audio Lesson
Listen to a student-teacher conversation explaining the topic in a relatable way.
Discoverability
Unlock Audio Lesson
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Lesson
Welcome, everyone! Today we are delving into the first principle, discoverability. Can anyone explain what they think discoverability means?
I think it refers to how easily a user can find features or actions in a system.
Exactly! Discoverability is about whether users can perceive the possible actions available to them. It's not just about seeing options but understanding how to use them. For instance, in a word processor, having the 'Bold' and 'Italic' icons clearly visible helps users know they can apply text formatting without confusion.
So, itβs like being able to click on something and knowing what it will do right away?
Correct! High discoverability ensures minimal cognitive effort is required. Now letβs summarize: Discoverability allows users to understand what actions can be taken. Can anyone recall an example of good discoverability they've encountered?
The search bar at the top of a webpage! It makes sense to be in that location.
Thatβs a perfect example! The placement aligns with users' expectations. Remember, discoverability improves user experience by minimizing initial confusion.
Feedback
Unlock Audio Lesson
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Lesson
Next, letβs talk about feedback. Why do you think feedback is important in user interfaces?
It lets the user know what their action has caused, right?
Absolutely! Feedback is crucial as it communicates whether an action has been registered and the resulting state of the system. What types of feedback can you think of?
Visual feedback, like a button changing color when clicked.
And auditory feedback, like a beep when a file uploads successfully!
Yes, great examples! Effective feedback should be immediate and relevant. Letβs wrap up: Feedback confirms users' actions and keeps them informed. In what ways have you experienced poor feedback?
When I click 'Save,' and nothing shows up; I feel unsure if it worked.
A common frustration! Effective feedback is vital for user confidence.
Affordances and Signifiers
Unlock Audio Lesson
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Lesson
Now letβs combine two principles: affordances and signifiers. Can someone define each?
Affordances are about what users can do with an item, while signifiers indicate how to perform those actions.
Correct! Affordances inform potential uses, and signifiers guide where and how to perform actions. For instance, a blue underlined text typically indicates a hyperlink. Why is this important?
It helps users interact intuitively, making processes smoother.
Exactly! Confusion arises when affordances are hidden or when signifiers are unclear. Whatβs an example of poor signification you've encountered?
A website with buttons that weren't labeled correctly, making me unsure of what would happen if I clicked them.
Very true! Clear signifiers are essential to enhance interaction understanding.
Mapping and Constraints
Unlock Audio Lesson
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Lesson
Which brings us to mapping and constraints. What can you tell me about mapping?
Mapping refers to how controls relate to their effects, right? It has to make sense.
Exactly! Good mapping helps users execute actions intuitivelyβthink about furniture in a room as an analogy. If everything is laid out logically, moving around becomes easier. What about constraints?
Constraints limit what actions a user can take to prevent mistakes.
Right! Constraints can be helpful, like graying out options that are unavailable. Can someone explain the difference between physical and logical constraints?
Physical constraints are based on actual items, like a door that wonβt open if it's locked. Logical constraints make sense based on how the system is set up.
Great job! Mapping and constraints significantly improve user interactions by guiding correct behavior. What have you learned about combining these concepts?
When done well, they reduce confusion and make tasks easier to complete!
Conceptual Models
Unlock Audio Lesson
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Lesson
Finally, letβs discuss conceptual models. These are crucial for users to form an understanding of how a system functions. What do you think a clear conceptual model does?
It helps the user predict how the system will behave, making it easier to troubleshoot.
Absolutely! A well-crafted conceptual model aligns the user's expectations with the actual interface functions. Can someone give an example of a confusing conceptual model?
When a file management system doesnβt use common terms like 'folder' and 'file', it confuses users.
Exactly! Designing with users' mental models in mind is critical. Letβs recap: Good conceptual models reduce errors and frustration, and they support smooth learning and interaction. Why do you think that's vital in HCI?
Because it enhances user satisfaction and efficiency when using a system!
Well stated! Thank you for engaging actively today!
Introduction & Overview
Read a summary of the section's main ideas. Choose from Basic, Medium, or Detailed.
Quick Overview
Standard
This section covers Donald Norman's Seven Principles, which are grounded in cognitive psychology and human perception, emphasizing discoverability, feedback, affordances, signifiers, mapping, constraints, and conceptual models to enhance user experiences with technology.
Detailed
Lecture 1: Norman's Seven Principles
Donald Norman's principles, drawn from cognitive psychology, provide a framework for designing intuitive interfaces in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). These principles ensure that technology serves as an extension of human intention, facilitating seamless interactions. The seven principles are:
1. Discoverability
Discoverability answers whether users can perceive possible actions within a system. Interfaces with high discoverability offer clear affordances, like visible buttons in a word processor's toolbar, enhancing the user's ability to understand functionality without prior knowledge.
2. Feedback
Feedback involves the communication from a system confirming an action's registration and conveying the current system state. Effective feedback is immediate and relevant, including visual changes and notifications, ensuring the user remains informed and confident during interactions.
3. Affordances
Affordances signify how an object can be used. In HCI, design elements should visually communicate their use, such as a button that clearly looks clickable. Clear affordances lead to intuitive interactions that resonate with users' existing mental models.
4. Signifiers
Where affordances indicate possibilities, signifiers direct the user on how and where to execute those actions. Clear signifiers reduce ambiguity, like labels on doors guiding users on whether to push or pull.
5. Mapping
Mapping illustrates the relationship between controls and their effects. Effective mapping ensures that the interface logically correlates with usersβ expectations, reducing confusion. A well-designed interface makes operations intuitive based on spatial or conceptual relationships.
6. Constraints
Constraints limit possible actions to prevent user errors and simplify interactions. They can be physical, logical, semantic, or cultural, guiding users toward appropriate actions. For instance, a disabled button that indicates an unavailable option is an example of a logical constraint.
7. Conceptual Models
A conceptual model is the user's mental representation of how a system works. A clear and consistent model helps bridge the gap between the user's expectations and the actual interface, enhancing learnability and decreasing frustration.
Understanding and applying these principles is essential for any HCI designer aiming to craft superior user experiences and proactively address usability challenges.
Audio Book
Dive deep into the subject with an immersive audiobook experience.
Introduction to Norman's Principles
Unlock Audio Book
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book
Donald Norman's principles transcend mere design rules; they are rooted in cognitive psychology and human perception, offering a profound understanding of how users interact with and comprehend designed artifacts. These principles aim to make technology extensions of human will, intuitive and frustratingly unobtrusive.
Detailed Explanation
Donald Norman's principles aren't just basic rules for designing technology; they are based on how humans think and perceive the world. These principles help designers create technology that feels natural and easy to use, removing obstacles that can frustrate users. Essentially, the goal is to make interactions smooth and intuitive, so users don't even have to think about how to use the technology theyβre dealing with.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine learning to drive a car with a well-designed dashboard. The speed, fuel level, and engine status are clearly visible without taking your eyes off the road. This intuitive design allows you to focus on driving rather than struggling to figure out what each meter means.
Discoverability
Unlock Audio Book
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book
This principle addresses the fundamental question: Can the user even perceive what actions are possible? It's not just about visibility, but about the clarity of affordances and signifiers that draw attention to those possibilities. A system exhibits high discoverability when its functionalities are immediately apparent, requiring minimal cognitive effort or prior knowledge.
Detailed Explanation
Discoverability is about whether users can understand what actions they can take within a system. It means making the options clear, so users know what to do right away, without having to think hard about it. For example, if buttons are clearly labeled and positioned where users expect to find them, it makes it easier for users to understand how to interact with the system without extra effort.
Examples & Analogies
Think of a television remote control. If the buttons for power, volume, and channel change are large, labeled, and positioned where users naturally reach, people can quickly understand how to use them without searching for a manual.
Feedback
Unlock Audio Book
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book
Feedback is the critical communication from the system back to the user, confirming that an action has been registered, illustrating the result of that action, and indicating the current state of the system.
Detailed Explanation
Feedback lets users know whatβs happening after they interact with a system. This communication is vital because it reassures users that their actions have worked. Effective feedback can be visual, auditory, haptic, or textual, and it should be clear and timely. If users don't receive proper feedback, they may feel uncertain or frustrated, wondering if their actions had any effect.
Examples & Analogies
Picture sending a message on your phone. You see a 'sent' notification, which is a form of feedback that confirms the message is on its way. Without this confirmation, you might wonder if the message actually went through.
Affordances
Unlock Audio Book
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book
Originating from ecological psychology by J.J. Gibson, an affordance is a property that suggests how an object can be used. In HCI, it's about making the functional possibilities of an interface element perceptible.
Detailed Explanation
Affordances refer to the qualities of an object that suggest how it could be used. In design, itβs crucial that users can easily see how theyβre supposed to interact with elements in an interface. If the design clearly shows what you can do, users can intuitively engage with it without instructions.
Examples & Analogies
Consider a door handle: If itβs shaped so you can easily grip and turn it, that's an affordance. If the handle doesnβt look like it can be pulled or pushed, users might struggle to understand how the door operates.
Signifiers
Unlock Audio Book
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book
While affordances communicate what actions are possible, signifiers communicate where to perform those actions and how.
Detailed Explanation
Signifiers help guide users by indicating where and how they can interact with an object. They are crucial for clarifying affordances where the action might not be obvious. Signifiers make it easier to understand the intent behind a design and reduce confusion.
Examples & Analogies
Think about a push door that has a clear 'PUSH' sign. This sign tells you exactly what to do without guessing, ensuring your interaction with the door is simple and efficient.
Mapping
Unlock Audio Book
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book
Mapping describes the relationship between controls and their effects. Good mapping ensures that the operation of controls is logical and intuitive relative to the desired outcome.
Detailed Explanation
Mapping is essential for ensuring users can easily understand how to operate controls. Good designs make these relationships clear, so users can make the right connections between controls and their effects intuitively.
Examples & Analogies
An example of good mapping is the layout of car controls: the steering wheel logically relates to the direction the car goes. If turning the wheel left makes the car turn left, thatβs an intuitive mapping that aligns with user expectations.
Constraints
Unlock Audio Book
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book
Constraints are limitations or restrictions on the possible actions that can be performed, which serve to guide users, prevent errors, and simplify interaction.
Detailed Explanation
Constraints help by limiting the actions users can take based on the context or current state of the system. They help prevent errors by guiding users toward correct actions, making the interface easier to understand further.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine a child-proof bottle cap designed so that it can only be opened with a specific twist. This physical constraint prevents children from accessing dangerous contents while allowing adults to open it easily.
Conceptual Models
Unlock Audio Book
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book
A conceptual model is the mental representation a user forms of how a system works. It's their internal understanding of its structure, functionality, and behavior.
Detailed Explanation
Conceptual models help users build an understanding of how a system operates based on their interactions with it. A well-crafted model allows users to predict the behavior of the system and navigate it intuitively, while a poor model can lead to confusion and errors.
Examples & Analogies
Consider a filing system on a computer that mimics a physical filing cabinet. If the folders, files, and layout mirror what people already understand about physical storage, users can easily adjust their mental models to use the system effectively.
Definitions & Key Concepts
Learn essential terms and foundational ideas that form the basis of the topic.
Key Concepts
-
Discoverability: The ability of users to identify what actions can be taken.
-
Feedback: Information conveyed from the system to confirm user actions.
-
Affordances: Characteristics that suggest how an object could be used.
-
Signifiers: Signals that indicate how to perform actions.
-
Mapping: The correlation between controls and outcomes in a system.
-
Constraints: Rules that limit the way users can interact.
-
Conceptual Models: How a user understands the workings of a system.
Examples & Real-Life Applications
See how the concepts apply in real-world scenarios to understand their practical implications.
Examples
-
A toolbar in a word processor that clearly shows icons for text formatting enhances discoverability.
-
A visual change like a button turning green when clicked provides feedback that the action was successful.
-
Physical affordances, like a door handle, imply that it can be pulled or pushed.
-
A loading spinner serves as feedback to indicate that a system is processing a task.
-
In a music player app, the arrangement of controls reflects their actual function, demonstrating good mapping.
Memory Aids
Use mnemonics, acronyms, or visual cues to help remember key information more easily.
π΅ Rhymes Time
-
Discover, click and find, feedback leads you, so be kind. Afford, signify, and map it right, constraints will guide you day and night.
π Fascinating Stories
-
Imagine a traveler in a new city, facing a map with clear signs directing them where to go. The well-marked paths represent affordances, while street signs are the signifiers guiding them to their destination.
π§ Other Memory Gems
-
D-F-A-S-M-C: Discoverability, Feedback, Affordances, Signifiers, Mapping, Constraints, Conceptual Models.
π― Super Acronyms
The acronym DFASC-M helps remember
- Discoverability
- Feedback
- Affordances
- Signifiers
- Constraints
- and Mapping.
Flash Cards
Review key concepts with flashcards.
Glossary of Terms
Review the Definitions for terms.
-
Term: Discoverability
Definition:
The extent to which users can perceive possible actions within a user interface.
-
Term: Feedback
Definition:
The system's communication to the user regarding the result of an action and system state.
-
Term: Affordances
Definition:
Properties that suggest how an object can be used.
-
Term: Signifiers
Definition:
Indicators that specify where and how actions can be performed.
-
Term: Mapping
Definition:
The relationship between controls and their effects, ensuring intuitive operation.
-
Term: Constraints
Definition:
Limitations placed on user actions to guide correct behavior and prevent errors.
-
Term: Conceptual Models
Definition:
The user's mental representation of how a system works and its structure.