DESIGN PRINCIPLES

We covered Discoverability and Understanding. Interacting with the product, figuring out how to work it, and discovering what operations are possible: discoverability. If you dig deeper discoverability results from six fundamental design principles.

1. Affordance: Don norman cites the term affordance refers to the relationship between the physical object and a person. An affordance is a relationship between the properties of an object(the product) and the capabilities of the agent(the users) that determine just how the object could be used. For example, A door affords("is for") support and, therefore, affords security. Anti-affordances are the properties that prevent interaction.
2. Signifiers: communicate to the user how to use the product. Signifiers communicate where the actions should take place. For example, "Push" or "pull" signs on doors, if these signifiers on doors work just the opposite, you'll end up with a "norman door." Designers should provide the clues. The clues can be a sound, color, labels, etc.
3. Constraints: help guide actions and interactions of the users. Constraints are limitations. It explains how to operate the system. The designers should keep the products under a constraint. So, it will lead to a simple solution that allows the users to accomplish their goals.
4. Mapping: The relationship between the elements of two sets of things. In simple terms, Mapping is the relationship between the controller and the objects to be controlled. Have you ever seen the show called "Sesame Street?" Every character in the show is a puppet. The puppeteers are controlling Elmo, Cookie Monster, and others(Puppets). Let's take a look at another example: computer mouse, when you move the mouse the cursor moves as well.
5. Feedback: ever pressed the copy shortcut on the keyboard repeatedly like "(Hold) Ctrl + cccccccccccc" and ever watched people push the UP or DOWN button repeatedly. It is annoying, right? Because there is no feedback. Feedback is important for the users to understand what happened. Feedback should be immediate, appropriate, interpretable, and unobtrusive.
6. Conceptual Model: It is an explanation of how something works. When designed properly - the conceptual model will lead to understanding and feeling of control. If not designed properly the users tend to avoid the product or its functions.

Photo by JESUS ECA on Unsplash