Unit 6 Design and Usability | How can I enhance the usability of a design?

1. Constraint
A method of limiting the actions that can be performed on a design.
2 types of constraint
     a. Physical Constraints
-The physical properties of objects constrain possible operations, each object has physical feature.
Some examples of physical constraints like which part can be together or can't be together, objects that we can pick up or moved.

For example as the lego above, there are some parts can match to be together, and there are some part doesn't match. Moreover, it provides a limit where two lego can match together. The limit also known as constraint.

     b. Psychological constraints
-In this society, there are often limitation in social behaviour of different cultures. behavior is determined by the combination of internal knowledge and external information and constraints

From the picture above, when we saw this do not litter signboard, we automatically will avoid to do this action and find the bin provided in this place.

2. Cost Benefit
-When a design is designed, the cost benefit of the product is always calculated to determine whether  the benefit value is higher than the cost value or vice-versa and also how does the cost benefit of the product affects user.

For example this product, it has a very high cost, but there are people who will buy it for the sake of its cost benefit. The user will feel satisfy when they go out with this handbag because it is branded. It makes the user feel superior with it. 

.

3. Visibility
The usability of a system is improved when its status and methods of use are clearly visible. The actions that a user can perform on a device should be obvious by just looking at the device itself.

Example: The function of the remote control and the keyboard can be determine easily because it has all the labels of the function on the button. Therefore, the usability of the design is improve due to its visibility

4. Progressive Disclosure
A strategy for managing information complexity in which only display the necessary or requested information instead of display all information and thus make the user confused or frustrated. This strategy is to prevent the information overload.

The system will hide the unnecessary information and the extra information will only display when you click it.

5. Iconic Representation
The use of pictorial images to make actions, objects, and concepts in a display easier to find, recognize and remember. The image is use to improve the recognition and recall of signs and control.
4 types of iconic representation:
     a. Similar icons - Images that visually analogous to an action, object or concept.

     b. Example icons - Images that commonly associated with action, object or concept.

     c. Symbolic icons - Images that represent an action, object or concept at higher level of abstraction.

Danger                WIFI

     d. Arbitrary icons - Image that we already learned and the image has no relationship to the action, object or concept. Arbitrary image has become standard as it already used for a long period of time.

6. Wayfinding
The process of using spatial and environmental information to navigate to a destination which involved 4 stages:
     a. Orientation - determine one's location relative to nearby objects and the destination
     b. Route Decision - make decision to choose the route in order to get to the destination
     c. Route Monitoring - monitor the route that had been chosen to confirm it is leading to the correct destination
     d. Destination Recognition - recognize the destination

For example, on the picture above, it shows the floor map of FSKPM, it has the orientation where it shows us where we are, provided with description for each label to enable user to make their route decision. User are also easily monitor their route with this map.