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.”
Introduction Rijksmuseum, located in Amsterdam, Netherlands, is home to many well-known pieces of Dutch art and history, like, The Night Watch painting by Rembrandt van Rijn (1642), The Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer (1654–58) and the Vincent van Gogh self-portrait (1889). The collection of art dates back almost 800 years and represents the beauty of Dutch […]
Design Critique: Rijksmuseum Website Read More »
Overview: The New Jersey Transit app is designed to help commuters purchase tickets, plan transit schedules and find commuter information all in one place. While it groups together important information for commuters, it assumes a familiarity with public transit and the area, which could be limiting for many users. Design features: This critique looks at
Design Critique: NJ Transit App Read More »
Introduction X-plane store is an online marketplace and community forum for flight-simulation enthusiasts. Built specifically for the flight-simulation software X-plane, this store allows users to purchase and upload add-ons, modifications and other content to improve their flight simulation experience inside the X-plane software. Who is this service for? As per the organization’s ethos, their primary
Design Critique: X-Plane Store (Web Interface) Read More »
Ssense is a Montreal-based clothing retailer offering high-end streetwear and designer fashion for both men and women. Their website showcases more than 70,000 items from over 500 labels, incorporating new and emerging designers as well as household names like Gucci and Prada. Emphasizing product and editorial, the website is a clean, minimalist design with simple navigational options.
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Google Lookout, an innovative assistive technology application developed by Google, offers enhanced vision support to individuals facing visual impairments, encompassing blindness and low vision. This free Android app employs the capabilities of AI and image recognition technology to identify objects and read text using the smartphone’s camera, making it an invaluable tool for those with
Assistive Technology: GOOGLE LOOKOUT- Assisted vision Read More »
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology adopted a clever way to answer the question “What’s that bird?” making the wealth of knowledge in ornithology accessible to the general public. This critique provides user-centric insights on how usable the Merlin Bird ID app is for a user interested in identifying and learning more about birds around them.
Design Critique: Merlin Bird ID App Read More »
Project Relate is an Android beta application built by Google, which uses machine learning to help individuals with non-standard speech communicate more effectively in daily face-to-face interactions.
Assistive Technology: Project Relate (Android Beta App) Read More »
XRAI Glass is a new product that provides an app and eyewear that can be connected to get subtitles in real time. This assistive technology has transformed how people with disabilities like deafness and hard of hearing navigate the world around them. The founders, Dan Scarfe and Mitchell Feldman created this product to help their
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The Amazon Kindle is the best selling e-reader on the market since its launch in 2007, with more than 30 million active Kindle users in the U.S. alone. Though not specifically designed for people with disabilities, it offers a variety of assistive features for users of all skill levels and abilities.
Assistive Technology: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Read More »
Amazon’s AI product, Alexa, offers multiple ways to help complete daily tasks. However, as a virtual assistant, Alexa is more than just a convenient tool that helps check things off your to-do list. It opens up many new opportunities and capabilities for wider audiences—making it a great example of an accessible and inclusive product.
Assistive Technology: Amazon Alexa Voice AI Read More »