What makes some designs good and others bad? Why do some designs work while others don’t? Posts in this category offer thoughtful design critiques of modern digital interfaces, with commentary inspired by Don Norman’s “The Design of Everyday Things.”
Ask any well dressed person walking the Manhattan streets- they probably got part their ensemble from Zara. Zara is a e-commerce website that sells clothing, accessories, shoes, beauty products and perfumes. This article attempts to critique the websites design decision using Don Norman’s book- “The Design of Everyday Things” and the 10 Usability Heuristics coined […]
Design Critique: Zara’s Desktop Website (2023) Read More »
Smart speakers are devices that act as a loudspeaker and voice-user interface with an integrated virtual assistant. The Echo Dot is a smart speaker with Alexa, the virtual assistant technology in Echo Dot that allows interaction through voice commands. Through Alexa, users can perform various tasks by talking to their smart speakers like searching for information, creating to-do lists, and shopping on Amazon.com, among others. This post aims to evaluate how users with disabilities may interact with some features of the Echo Dot.
Assistive Technology: The Echo Dot (5th Gen) Read More »
The Quha Zono Mouse is an assistive technology for anyone who can’t effectively or easily use a hand-operated computer mouse. It works gyroscopically, meaning it allows the user to move the cursor on a screen with head movements. Three iterations of the mouse exist: the original Zono, the Zono 2 and the Zono X. Components
Assistive Technology: The Quha Zono Mouse Read More »
The Nike Go FlyEase is accessible designed footwear that can be put on and taken off without any hand-held assistance. Slipping the shoe on and stepping down allows the shoe to lock into place. The shoe opens when one foot steps on the “kickstand” heel, allowing the shoe to pop up, and open. The design
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Assistive technology is a term that describes tools used by people with disabilities to accomplish tasks. For this blog entry, the assistive technology I chose to discuss is 3-D printing prosthetics design. I was introduced to this technology through PBS’s program Move to Include. (Link to 3-D prosthetics segment) Move to Include is a PBS-produced
Assistive Technology: 3-D Printing Prosthetics Read More »
For people who stutter, Electronic Fluency Devices may be used to enhance fluency in speech production. These devices alter the feedback users receive when speaking to create a “choral effect, or the perception that one is speaking in unison with others,” according to the Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center. “Choral speaking has long been a method used in therapy to increase fluency or decrease stuttering.” Devices like SpeechEasy, though costly, may help people who stutter with speech fluency if desired.
Assistive Technology: SpeechEasy & Electronic Fluency Devices Read More »
Read&Write is a literacy software produced by the company Texthelp that allows users to embed tools such as screen masking, speech/text conversion, and page simplification to existing webpages and programs. By providing these tools, Read&Write can help make education more accessible to students with learning disabilities such as dyslexia and dysgraphia. What are learning disabilities?
Assistive Technology: Read&Write Read More »
The New York Times Cooking app is meant to help users find new recipes organically, search for specific recipes, and collect and return to favorite recipes through the NYT interface. The app also features certain recipes based on time of year, occasion, and even craving that a cook might have. Preparation/Ingredients Toggle Once a user
Design Critique: NYT Cooking (ios App) Read More »
The American Express mobile app lets American Express clients manage their credit card account and saving account through a simple interface, and it delivers personalized offers. The American Express mobile app has a user-friendly interface to click through different American Express credit cards or scroll through different accounts with just a few taps. It’s also
Design Critique: Amex (iPhone App) Read More »
VSCO is a photography mobile app, which offers in-app editing, image sharing, and community in one fully-functioning ecosystem. It allows users to capture photos and videos in the app and edit them, using preset filters and editing tools. VSCO is a place to find and share inspiration.
Design Critique: VSCO (iOS app) Read More »