GPS should make people feel better of themselves, so as other softwares.
Yesterday at Hugh Dubberly’s class, Chris, Paul, Phil, Kyle and I were studying some UX theories.
For some reason Chris began to complain how much he hated his Garmin GPS: It apparently gives him sort of connivence and freedom of exploring a city, but at the same time it makes him lose the ability of way-finding, as he said he wouldn’t be able to make anywhere without his GPS in Pittsburgh, where he already spent two years in his life. As he begins to be dependent upon a tool, his life choices are restricted to a certain level, and the original good feeling diminishes – Well, I have the same feeling about my iPhone before I abandoned it.
People talked about GPS like this all the time. However, it makes us think, what is the criteria of a good software?
I think a good software needs to “perform” two fundamental functions:
A. Functions as a tool to help people accomplish tasks in its most convenient and considerate way.
B. Empowers people to feel better of themselves. Let people have a better control of their life, meaning, a GPS has the responsibility to make people feel they are a good driver, not some stupid followers that obey a machine.
A good and successful software = A + B
One thing I don’t like User centered design is that users are given too much meaningless burden, either for concept generation or usability testing, however, in real life users adapt to what they already have, and its’ interaction designers’ responsibility to make the software more humane. I appreciate brave designers impose their own bold visions onto a product, which is a more artistic way of designing softwares – make the users your audience to enjoy the performances, at the same time, give their the authority to twist the product better.
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April 18, 2009 at 00:38
Hmm, how about a GPS device that says “OK, you know this part of the route, let me know when you need some pointers”, then sits back and waits, recalculating routes in the background if you drive off course a bit, until you ask it “okay, is it a left or a right up here?”. Not an interactive map, but a helpful assistant navigator.
Chet Gray
April 28, 2009 at 03:06
Haha, that makes so much more sense, GPS will look so much smarter that way.
weizhou
April 28, 2009 at 03:45
I loved this post, I agree when something is designed well you feel the difference — and Chet’s idea sounds like a good one too — of course we don’t know the directions because of the GPS — we mindlessly follow, we have no need to remember landmarks anymore or even pay attention to anything. But what about a GPS memory game? The GPS should be able to record how many times you’ve made a particular trip and play a little game with you — asking you to guess left or right, or landmarks on the trip in a multiple choice question — not ongoing games that would distract you from driving but ones that would cause you to pay more attention to where you are and what turns you are making. I am sure some interesting memorization techniques could come from this conversation and in the end the GPS user could actually know the area better not worse because of the GPS.
Once again, a great post and interesting reminder of what software should really be doing to serve us in both short term and long term goals
Nathan Sudds
June 28, 2009 at 15:52
It’s so true of what you said. I work in a car navigation system development group, but am not too enthusiastic. But, with your opinion, maybe, we can be more creative. You know? People feel so excited to use new technology, and soon after they become slaves because technology starts to control them. We are the ones who need to adjust “100%”, the technology can just sit and wait!!!! Something is wrong in this picture…
Kyoko
July 7, 2009 at 19:04