NYTimes articles on technology, usability, and design
Heads up on a couple of great articles in the New York Times today:
The first article, “At a Certain Age, Simplicity Sells in High-Tech Gadgets“, closely relates to a previous post about how one of technology’s outgroups - the baby boomers and older - sometimes convinces itself that it cannot understand new technology. The column emphasizes the importance of “simplicity”, although it sounds like the author (Alina Tugend) has been convinced that dumbing down technology is the answer to making it appealing to her age group and older. I still take issue with this perspective, but it’s a good read nonetheless (except for the 1-sentence-per-paragraph style!). Hopefully as new approaches to developing technologies for this group appear (e.g. retaining complexity, but making function more intuitive and valuable), this particular group will feel much more catered to by the cutting edge.
The second article explores exactly this kind of alternative approach to design, as it profiles the work of Jan Chipchase, author of one my favorite design blogs, Future Perfect: “Can the Cellphone Help End Global Poverty?“. It offers some excellent insight into how telecommunication is may provide millions/billions of people in developing countries a way to more effectively enter and compete effectively in the marketplace at many different levels. Look out for observations from Mumbai (Bombay), where I have marveled at digital satellite dishes poking above the densely packed corrugated iron roofs of the slums since I first arrived in India. Also consider the human-centered design issues raised, and how they differ from popular/Western conceptions of what effective/good/appropriate design entails. Good stuff.
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