Category: Usability Metaphor and Affordance

User Interface Metaphor Discussion Presentation

User Interface Metaphor Discussion Presentation
Teresa Haun, Yang Tan, Meghana Battini

[Please note you can see the presentation attached as images of each slide. The below are some written out explanations, similar to what we talked about during our presentation. Due to the image # limitations per post, there will be an additional addendum post to cover remaining slides]

What is an affordance?

“An affordance is a property of an object, or a feature of the immediate environment, that indicates how to interface with that object or feature.”
Metaphors help us understand affordances. We associate characteristics or emotions from one thing and apply them to another.

Affordance example 1: Computer mouse (Teresa Haun)

A computer mouse allows you to click and select different items on a computer. A metaphor for this is driving a car that gets you around the world quickly, since a mouse is like a little transport vehicle to get you around your computer quickly. This is a universally understood example that works across cultures as people all over the world use the computer mouse and drive automobiles. This metaphor is understood through teaching, since it is not very intuitive to figure out what to do with a computer mouse or how to drive a car. You are taught both usually by a parent or mentor and there is even driving school to make sure everyone understands the process similarly.

Affordance example 2: Apple Home Button (Yang Tan)

The apple home button is the sole tactile button. Metaphors for this are:
– “big red button”, with associations of power;
– rube goldberg machines, with associations of one touch that triggers a delightful cascade of events which you do not have to do yourself, whimsy, fun;
– a nest, which is perhaps a more personal metaphor, with associations of warmth, familiarity, comfort. The home button’s round design evokes this, as well as its function of bringing you “home”.

The metaphor of the big red button for example is more universally understood in post-industrial societies. This metaphor is learned through experience (cause and effect is pretty directly observable without being taught).

Affordance example 3: Mug Handle (Meghana Battini)

Whenever we hold a mug using its handle, we build a connection towards it and feel like it’s ‘ ours!’ just like holding onto something or someone really close to you. Keeping this in mind, the metaphors used for this object are – Affection or holding onto something / someone really close to you.

HOW and WHY do we associate that action and feeling towards it?

We can see that the shape of the object implying the purpose and function of the affordance. In a way, the shape itself can be used as an interface to use the object. We have been trained to do that action whenever we see that shape and we associate that in many other situations like holding a scissors/ a ring/ a person etc. We can see how these metaphors are being used in actually designing an object

It is Universally understood and works across cultures. We have been trained to do that action right from our childhood and now we do it by instinct. No matter how you hold it, the basic initial actions of your hand is the same and that is how you connect with it.

Bad Design example 1: Door that is too close to toilet (Teresa Haun)

An example of bad design is a bathroom that is far too small and the door is so close that your legs hit it while sitting on the toilet or you just can’t get out easily. A metaphor for this is public transportation systems where there are far too many people jammed together and so you don’t have the space you need. Even with more experience using a tiny bathroom or commuting on a packed train, this would not improve the bad design since it is a functional problem driven by too little space accounted for. This is a universally understood example but it is appreciated more by certain cultures that value more space and have the opportunity to give each person more space. This metaphor can really only be understood and appreciated by experiencing the inconvenience of small spaces for the sake of efficiency.

Bad Design example 2: Rally Race Computer (Yang Tan)

The Rally Race Computer has a lot of knobs, buttons and requires a lengthy key combination to execute a simple task. Metaphors for this race computer include: traditional programming thermostat, airplane cockpit, a robotics technician (evokes technology and “expertise required”). Some of these metaphors contain some positive associations (airplane cockpit could connote excitement, speed, technological expertise) but a lot of them have negative associations and emotions such as frustration, overly-complex, confusing.

Experience could improve this, such as by learning key combinations, but only up to limit. After that a functional matter because the core function is impeded: you could forget how to access certain core functionality because of the complexity and diminish your experience.

These metaphors are perhaps more personal. Metaphors for this object are somewhat individual – e.g. generational, expertise-based.

These metaphors are taught, based on your exposure to electronics, tech experience, and/or media concerning race car cockpits, airplane cockpits etc.

Bad Design example 3: An Umbrella (Meghana Battini)

I personally had bad experiences with this object and because of this I would split the metaphoric interpretations into 2 parts –
1. When using it for the first time: Protection/ Blessing.
· An umbrella can be associated with a roof, which protects us from rain and other environmental factors.
· It can also be associated with an Indian way of blessing, which usually implies support.
2. After bad experiences with the object: Weapon/ Pushing people away from you.
Due to some aspects of the object, which makes it a bad design, unintentionally we tend to use it to push people away from you or used as a weapon to protect yourself.
· It is too big for one, too small for two, has sharp ends at its circumference.
· Because of its size and material, it is really hard to use this object in the crowded areas – We usually tend to lift our umbrella due to lack of space.

It is universally understood and works across cultures. The metaphoric associations wouldn’t improve the experience of it as it’s purely function based and is personally linked with every individual using it.