Design Critiques

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.”

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Design Critique: Super Mario Run (iPhone App)

Super Mario Run is a mobile video game released by Nintendo in 2016. In this game, you control the main character, Mario, by tapping the screen to jump as he runs through various courses. Being Nintendo’s first venture on iOS, this platform game has received a lot of critical feedback since its launch.

Assistive Technology: OrCam Read

Reading is a fun diversion, whether it’s a riveting novel or an interesting blog post or a funny tweet. It becomes a challenge when you are sleep-deprived or in a noisy environment and it’s hard to concentrate. This simple activity poses an even greater challenge for people with cognitive impairments that affect their ability to read.

Design Critique: Universe (iOS)

Universe is the first website builder made for building websites from an iPhone. Universe is available on iPhone, iPad, and MacOS. Universe uses a Grid interface to allow you to drag and drop elements, “Blocks”, to create websites the palm of your hand.