Design Journal 3: Part 2- Crown Royal

Highlighting
The Crown Royal bottle embodies what it represents, class. The title, Crown Royal, is highlighted by the use of bold as well as italics. This ensures that there in minimal noise by using bold, and a sense of subtlety through the use of italics. Crown Royal also chose to use only one font, promising that aesthetics and readability is not disputed by multiple fonts. There is a small description located underneath the heading. The description does not hinder the focus of the title due to the small font size and the lack of bolding. Crown Royal sticks to four primary colours in the design of the label, blue, gold, red, and black. Black is used in the heading to emphasize the name.

Introverted Pyramid
On the back of the Crown Royal bottle there is a short blurb discussing the product. At the top there is the Crown Royal logo, a line stating “The Legendary Whisky” below the logo, and a rhetorical paragraph describing the “superb whisky of unequalled taste”. The introverted pyramid information pattern highlights substantial facts first, which is expected to be remembered, and leaves the consequent information for the latter.


Legibility
The typeface used in the Crown Royal design is the only questionable legibility. Despite the fact that the typeface is in script, it depicts the “royal” theme. The font size is roughly 12 pt for the body of the text, while the “Crown Royal” heading is roughly 3 font pts larger. The black typeface on top of the gold background ensures an aesthetic pleasing and legible background. The spacing between the heading and the body of the text is appropriate to differentiate between the two sections.

Picture Superiority Effect
A crown lying upon a purple velvet pillow is placed above the Crown Royal heading. Due to the nature of the product the use of the easily-remembered crown photo is essential to the marketing of the product. To purchase Crown Royal the consumer must travel to the liquor store. When looking for an item, they will view hundreds of similar products in a short period of time. According to the picture superiority effect information is better recalled when pictures and words are exposed collectively. This allows consumers to better recognize the product, particularly in when making a decision in a short period of time. Thus, in order for Crown Royal to make an impact of the buyer it is essential they include a photograph.

Mnemonic Device
Similar to the picture superiority effect the mnemonic device principal ensures that through imagery and words designs are memorable. In terms of Crown Royal designers used the image of a crown to aid users in related the image to the keyword, crown. Similar to other mnemonic devices, the image is exaggerated. The crown is overtly royal. This is because it is placed on a purple velvet pillow and surrounded by a regal curtain. The strong image influences consumers to recall the information presented.

Design Journal 3: Part 1 Computer: The outward design of the laptop and basic start-up procedures

Good Continuation
The mobility of the laptop design in comparison to a desktop is dependant upon the continuation of lines, maintaining relatedness of the computer. Laptops are a rectangular shape with rounded edges when closed. Upon opening the laptop the monitor and keyboard maintain the same shape as when closed. This continues the established direction the user senses when first perceiving the object. Through the shape of the monitor mirroring the shape of the area where the keyboard, mouse, and speakers are placed the perceived alignment corresponds the relatedness of the two sections.

Hick’s Law
When applying Hick’s Law to starting up a computer is appears there is only one alterative. The task is simple, the goal is to turn on the computer, and there is only one available option, the on button. Designers of laptops make the decision easy by only including one primary button deemed as “on”. However upon implementing the option a number of decisions follow. The user must decide what their primary goal is when entering the computer. Due to the number of complex decisions presented when starting up a computer, Hick’s Law only applies to the process of turning on the computer.

Hierarchy of Needs
All basic laptops should follow the hierarchy of needs design principal. Thus, the design should satisfy basic needs before concentrating on adding innovative features. The design of a laptop must be able to meet the basic functionality needs of computing. The laptop must then be able to meet reliability and usability needs. If these needs are met the device will consistently compute, be tolerant of basic user errors, and be the product of an intuitive design. Once these basic needs are met, designers can focus on high-value needs such as proficiency and creativity needs.

Life Cycle
Computers are designed to last a finite amount of time. New hardware and software are constantly being developed. Computers are designed to accommodate the transition in software, by being built to last roughly four years. The growth, maturity, and decline of computers are accommodated by the use of warranties. A standard warranty is typically valid for one year, maintaining customer satisfaction during the adolescent years of the computer. The computers companies then give to option to purchase an extended warranty. These indefinite extended warranties accommodate computers until their stage of maturity.

Mapping
The shell of the laptop allocates simple controls to users. The good use of mapping allows beginner to advanced computer users to anticipate the effects of laptop controls. That is, users understand that the largest button, usually located above the keyboard, acts as the power button. The keyboard is located in the middle of the bottom portion of the laptop and the mouse pad is placed below the keyboard. The predictability and ease of laptop controls indicates a good use of mapping.

Design Journal 2: Part 1 The Starbucks Cup

The Exposure Effect
The success of Starbucks can be accounted through the notorious Starbucks coffee cup. The green mermaid Starbucks emblem plastered in the middle of the white cup is constantly seen in the hands of the rich and famous. As the famous becomes increasingly associated with Starbucks people see cup as a status symbol. The repeated exposure of Starbucks amplified the popularity of the overpriced coffee. Starbucks increased this effect by including inspirational quotes in the design of the cup. Thus, the more one purchases Starbucks the more often they will be exposed to meaningful words, strengthening the exposure effect.
Starbucks advertising campaigns are based on the exposure effect rather than advertising campaigns, resulting in the massive success of the company.

Expectation Effect

As the Starbucks cup became increasingly exposed, people began to hold expectations of people who possessed the cup. Due to the high prices associated with Starbucks the cup tends to define consumers as wealthy and sophisticated. When applying the expectation effect to the Starbucks cup, the halo and placebo effect highlight the expectations that can arise from a design. For example, if an employer was a Starbucks enthusiast and a new employee came into work with a Starbucks cup, the employer would view them more positively then a Tim Horton’s toting employee. This idea follows the halo effect phenomenon. Touching upon the placebo effect, an insecure person who wants to portray them self as urban and chic could use the Starbucks cup as an antidote. The belief that a Starbucks cup will make them appear more sophisticated would change the way the act.

Framing
Starbucks changes the design of the cup depending on the season. During the 2008 holiday season the design of the traditional white cup has been changed to a deep red with white silluotes of Christmas characters. The design was reframed to accommodate the new red campaign. The campaign emphasizes the positive effect of buying the expensive product, which is to help save children in Africa. For example, if a critic was to frame the red design negatively they may emphasize the expensive prices and that we help save people in Canada.
Figure-Ground Relationship
The Starbucks cup has a stable figure-ground relationship. The Starbucks emblem acts as the figure, while the surrounding white space acts as the ground. The figure is the object of focus. This is due to its defined circular shape and its location underneath the horizontal brim of the cup. The surrounding white space ensures that the emblem is the only point of visual stimuli. Additionally the use of white space minimizes visual confusion eliminating any other visual stimuli, allowing the emblem to be easily recalled.

Figure-Ground Relationship
The Starbucks cup has a stable figure-ground relationship. The Starbucks emblem acts as the figure, while the surrounding white space acts as the ground. The figure is the object of focus. This is due to its defined circular shape and its location underneath the horizontal brim of the cup. The surrounding white space ensures that the emblem is the only point of visual stimuli. Additionally the use of white space minimizes visual confusion eliminating any other visual stimuli, allowing the emblem to be easily recalled.

Constancy
When a consumer walks down the street holding Starbucks cup the size remains constant to a person perceiving the object from a distance. This is due to the fact that a Starbucks cup is an easily recognizable and many have memories of what sensory inputs the artefact consists of. The Universal Principals of Design defends this idea by defining constancy as “a process of continuously reconciling sensory inputs with memories about the properties of things in the world.” The green emblem surrounded by white space, illuminates the cup as a familiar object. This allows people to perceive its size, brightness, and shape as constant.

Design Journal 2: Part 2 iTune Library

Consistency

Apple excels in aesthetic and functional consistency. Apple was cleaver when designing their products. From the iPod to the Apple commercials a consistent design is used; the same font, grey and white colours, along with the decipherable Apple logo. This leads users to easily identify Apple products, websites, and programs.

In order for iPod users to active their device they have to download iTunes. For many users Windows Media Player (WMP) was the traditional media program. Upon downloading iTunes former WMP users could easily identify the program functions. iTunes followed the design of WMP by keeping menu options on the left tool bar and leaving the control panel at the bottom of the screen. The authors of the Universal Principals of Design support this type of functional consistency, “The consistent use of these symbols on devices enables people to leverage existing knowledge about how the controls function, which makes the new devices easier to use and learn.”

Cost-Benefit

In regards to iTunes the cost-benefit principal is heavily used The cost of running iTunes is taking the time to download the program. The benefit of downloading the program is the ability to access iTunes for the purpose of downloading and sharing music as well as watching TV shows and movies. An additional cost is transferring music from an alternate program to iTunes. This is a frequent complain amongst iTune users. However, the benefit is the ability to upload music to an iPod. As mentioned in The Universal Principals of Design a cost-benefit analysis can be used in “all aspects of design”. The cost-benefits mentioned latter are only a selection of comparisons that can be made.

Constraint

iTunes limits its functions by hiding the difficult options. The majority of advanced functions are located in the preference window. In order to access the window the user must click on edit in the upper toolbar then proceed to open the preference window. Once in preferences there are a number of options available to users. By limiting the advanced actions the chance of error is reduced.
There are number of psychological constraints within iTunes. For example, iTunes chose a music note as their primary icon. By choosing a universal symbol, such as a music note, iTunes users automatically associate the program with music. For instance, the iTunes symbol, as seen below, influence users to choose iTunes before other musical systems. The symbol is now universally understood as an icon for buying and sharing music, thus, changing how people think of music.

Control
iTunes is an intuitive program. The ideal design reduces control for beginners and leaves room for experienced users continually gain more control. The left bar directs users to music, movies, podcast, and radio tabs. When a user clicks on one of the tabs in the left bar, they are directly connected to the music, movie, or radio tool they wish to operate. This is all that beginners typically need to acquire. iTunes has many additional features. As users get more familiarized with iTunes they have the option to continually gain more control of the features. For instance, a medium-level user can build a playlist by clicking on the arrow at the bottom of the screen and drag songs onto the playlist. An advanced user may share her iTunes publically by accessing their iTunes preferences.

Form Follows Function
The image of Apple results in the belief that the products are of superior quality. The iTunes library is a follower of the form follows function principal. Many designers believe that increased white space results in an aesthetically pleasing design. The iTunes library, following the lead of Apple devices and website, use white space and clean colours to their advantage. When rating the iTunes library in terms of aesthetics it ranks higher then any other media library such as Windows Media Player. Advocates of the descriptive interpretation agree, stating that, “aesthetic considerations in design results from purity of function.” However, the contrasting view would beg to differ, and assess the functional ability of the iTunes library rather then the aesthetic design.

Reasons Why Everyone Owns a Blackberry

80/20 Rule

The 80/20 rule, as it applies to the design of the Blackberry Pearl, would seem to dictate that twenty percent of the device’s features will account for eighty percent of the device’s use.

There is a button conveniently located on the left side of the device that activates voice dialling. Several letters are assigned to each key of the Pearl as opposed to the traditional Blackberry with a full keyboard. The keyboard accommodation, the compact shape, along with the voice dialling button leads people to use the device primarily as a phone.

RIM also provides their customers the unique opportunity to choose their primary on-screen icons while hiding away unwanted icons. This presents speed and efficiency in communications, giving users the chance to choose the features they wish to focus on.
The Blackberry provides a further less cumbersome system by leading users directly to their inboxes from the middle scroll button.

As the 80/20 rule applies to the Blackberry Pearl it dictates that 80 percent of the user’s time will be dedicated to only 20 percent of the features. The design of the Blackberry Pearl encourages users to use the device as a phone, seemingly making 20 percent of the salient features based around the phone.

Archetypes

Besides Blackberry advertisements funded by telecommunications companies, appears that Blackberry has not defined itself through any particular RIM focused advertising campaign. The look and feel of the Blackberry Pearl is a clear indication its success. The dense and sleek design makes the phone small enough for a student to carry. Meanwhile the device still carries all the features essential for a young professional. The Pearl design broad enough that no archetype defines the product.

Accessibility

The design of the Blackberry Pearl does not accommodate everyone with sensory disabilities. For instance, there is not brail on the keys to direct people lacking vision. Nonetheless the design is very intuitive and has achieved simplicity. The design of the Blackberry Pearl follows the basic guidelines of phones. This is achieved by setting the far left button to making calls, the button on the right to end calls, while the middle scroll button gives the user access to the internet. By following this typical template, the Blackberry Pearl gives consumers a simple and perceptible user experience.

Affordance

The Blackberry Pearl differs from the original Blackberry design by primarily acting as a cell phone rather than an e-mail device. The affordance of the Blackberry Pearl corresponds with its role as a cell phone by:
Focusing on the number keys rather then the letter keys by assigning several letters to each key
The addition of a voice dialling key to the left side of the phone
Designing the phone to be compact.

Alignment

The Blackberry Pearl adequately follows the rules of alignment. Accurate alignment leads users through the design. For instance, upon turning on the device the on-screen icons are lined up on the left side from top-to-bottom. When the user goes to the full icon menu their top six icons are lined up from left-to-right. The design of the Blackberry Pearl leads the eyes accordingly to through the device, achieving substantial alignment.

Cognitive Dissonance

The popularity of the Blackberry has eliminated the need for intense viral marketing. This is because consumers constantly see their peers with the device and feel a state of cognitive dissonance. For example, they may feel that in order to feel apart of their peer group they must prove themselves by purchasing a Blackberry Pearl. In order to alleviate the dissonance the consumer can buy the product or reduce and change the importance of the dissonance by disregarding the need.

Colour

The Blackberry Pearl is available in a wide-array of colours. The design of the device only allows for the colour of the user’s choice and a silver accent. This limited colour palette saves the eyes from being overwhelmed by contrasting colours. The large selection of colours available gives users the opportunity to personalize the device. For example, young professionals may choose desaturated colours to appear friendly and professional while the more serious professional may choose saturated colours.

Classical Conditioning

It seems unusual to correlate classical conditioning with technology. However in North America possessions can act as a sign of elitism or status, evoking either a positive or negative reaction in people. For example, the Blackberry Pearl is seen as a status symbol for a tech savvy and successful person. As the product becomes increasingly popular people continually associate it with images of youthful success and prominence related to the young executive, stimulating the reward centers in the brain. This stimulation causes people to correlate the Blackberry Pearl with these specific thoughts and feelings. By affecting the human brain, emotions are tied to the product and stimulate the reward portion of the brain upon purchasing of the device.

Chunking

Similar to all Blackberrys the Pearl is an intuitive design with little need for instruction. However the influx of information within the device can be an overwhelming thought. Blackberry successfully combats information overload by formatting sections of information into small and compact units. Each section is chunked into a small on-screen icon. A frequent user of the Pearl would be able to easily anticipate where an icon is located by memorizing the position. This allows users to set aside problem-solving skills and easily recall and navigate the Blackberry’s inner system.

Aesthetic-Usability Effect

Blackberry was once a device unique to professionals. However with the emergence of the Blackberry Pearl the consumer base was dramatically transformed. The Blackberry Pearl’s new chic and compact design influenced new consumers to hop on the Blackberry bandwagon. This is because the highly aesthetic design includes smooth trackball navigation, a wide variety of opalescent and gem-like colours, and a compact hand-held shape. This aesthetic design fosters positive feelings for the users leading them to believe that the phone is of higher quality. Furthermore the higher price paid by the consumer is validated by the strong aesthetic appeal. Similar to Mac, the elite Blackberry Pearl design fosters feeling of affection and exclusivity amongst users. When fellow Blackberry users come in contact camaraderie is immediately established, giving users a feeling of self-satisfaction and a sense of loyalty to the product. Consequently, this positive relationship makes users believe that the system within the device is more organized and easier to use.