Design as Communication
Although the idea that design is a potent form of communication will be familiar to those working in rhetoric and technical communication, it's good to see that idea getting wider currency. Don Norman's post, "
Design as Communication" includes some useful insights.
Once we start to view design as a form of communication between designer and the user, we see that perceived affordances become an important medium for that communication. Designed affordances play a very special role. Now we see that the designer deliberately places signs and signals on the artifact to communicate with the user. The metal tray made of wires clearly both affords support for solid objects but not for liquids. Hence, the very visibility of both the positive affordance (support) and the negative one (porosity, or perhaps leakiness) tell the user "put something here that fits this space, that requires support, and that you do not wish to be in a puddle of water." Given the limited number of items one usually takes to the bath or shower, given the size constraint of the basket, and given the strong negative affordance of leakiness, what else could be meant except for soap: so the wire support shouts out to the shower-taker, "put your soap here!"
Norman also includes some thoughts on design as narrative, and narratives as stories in context.
[via
Tomalak's Realm]
Posted by johndan at November 17, 2004 01:03 PM
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