1. Robert Gibbs uses a variety of criteria to evaluate a store including stores on the right when commuting to having breakfast type places and those on the right when returning having retail and grocery stores. There should be adequate lighting. However there should be minimal sidewalk distractions such as trees that hide store fronts.
2.I don't think Main Street should resemble a mall. I see it as place for community to gather. It provides an opportunity for those in the community to interact in a small, casual daily venue. I like the small local one of kind stores downtown have to offer. I would hate to see Main Street cluttered with a wide array of national chains and expansive parking lots. If someone wants a mall experience they will go to the mall. It is clear by the declining mall attendance; many people do not want a mall experience. It doesn’t make sense to transfer Main Street into something mall-like.
3. -Good Crosswalks
- Nice window displays
-Locally owned stores
- Nearby park
-Outside seating
-Variety of store types
-Trees
-Well maintained exteriors
Monday, October 27, 2008
Retail Analysis
1. I observed Harding’s Marketplace. They market to those looking to shop for most of their food supply needs.
2. a. The outside of the store is mostly white with some blue paneling. The sign for the store is very bright and somewhat difficult to read. There are two canopy like covering at each of the entrances. The entrances have double sliding doors.
b. The store was playing some music from the 1990s with the occasional commercial or announcement every once in a while. Other than the music the store was relatively quiet.
c. The merchandise was displayed in aisles organized by product types. The ends of the aisles usually held an assortment of popular items that were being featured. There were also some islands featuring specialty items such as fall cookies. The name brand items were usually at eye level. Sections for specific areas such as meat were also labeled directly on the wall.
d. The floors were an industrial white tile, with 1 ft by 1 ft tiles. It makes for being easy to clean up.
e. The signs for the differing aisles were easy to read with the aisle number first and then the types of items in that aisle.
f. The cashier area was located in the front. It was very crowded with candy, magazines and beverages. These were placed there in order to entice shoppers to make last minute purchases. There was also a secondary cashier at what seemed to be a quickie mart check out, with liquor and lotto tickets behind the register available for purchase.
3. This business projects an image of being personable and consumer friendly. All the signs clearly label a variety of sections of the store, in a homey style. It is clearly a chain store but gives off a more local feel.
4. There were few customers in the store. The few that were there were older, and milled around individually with minimal interaction. Many shoppers seemed familiar with the store navigating efficiently from areas to area. A few perused seeming to be looking for something specific.
5. I found interesting the location of non food items such as cleaners. They were sandwiched between a variety of food items which I found a little strange. I think it would make more sense to have all non food items sectioned together. The store also had an expansive liquor selection, with a separate check out area specifically for hard liquor.
2. a. The outside of the store is mostly white with some blue paneling. The sign for the store is very bright and somewhat difficult to read. There are two canopy like covering at each of the entrances. The entrances have double sliding doors.
b. The store was playing some music from the 1990s with the occasional commercial or announcement every once in a while. Other than the music the store was relatively quiet.
c. The merchandise was displayed in aisles organized by product types. The ends of the aisles usually held an assortment of popular items that were being featured. There were also some islands featuring specialty items such as fall cookies. The name brand items were usually at eye level. Sections for specific areas such as meat were also labeled directly on the wall.
d. The floors were an industrial white tile, with 1 ft by 1 ft tiles. It makes for being easy to clean up.
e. The signs for the differing aisles were easy to read with the aisle number first and then the types of items in that aisle.
f. The cashier area was located in the front. It was very crowded with candy, magazines and beverages. These were placed there in order to entice shoppers to make last minute purchases. There was also a secondary cashier at what seemed to be a quickie mart check out, with liquor and lotto tickets behind the register available for purchase.
3. This business projects an image of being personable and consumer friendly. All the signs clearly label a variety of sections of the store, in a homey style. It is clearly a chain store but gives off a more local feel.
4. There were few customers in the store. The few that were there were older, and milled around individually with minimal interaction. Many shoppers seemed familiar with the store navigating efficiently from areas to area. A few perused seeming to be looking for something specific.
5. I found interesting the location of non food items such as cleaners. They were sandwiched between a variety of food items which I found a little strange. I think it would make more sense to have all non food items sectioned together. The store also had an expansive liquor selection, with a separate check out area specifically for hard liquor.
Monday, October 20, 2008
10.22 "The Science of Shopping"
1. The points from the article that I think are most important include the idea of a the stores working to please the consumer. It is also important to understand facts about the consumer that they themselves are not aware of. Observation is a powerful tool that can be used to analyze the shopper. Different types of stores are displaying very different messages but they all have the same purpose of making as many sales as possible.
2. I would say I am quite influenced by the store design. I think I am personally influence by the type of image the stores try to give off. Depending on the image the store is trying to give off probably influences whether or not I enter the store. I like stores that limit the amount of pushy salespeople. I find stores with quieter and less distracting music are better. I also like stores that are adequately lit and aren’t dark and cave like. I am also drawn to stores with less clutter and more streamlined design. I think like any element of design there is more that affects us than we are aware of. I mean I have no recognition of why I enter a store I have never been in before for the first time.
3. Checklist
-Space between clothes racks
- Easy access entrance
-Appropriate music
-Adequate lighting
-Well placed accessories
-Alluring use of window display
- Lighter colors
- Cash register in back
2. I would say I am quite influenced by the store design. I think I am personally influence by the type of image the stores try to give off. Depending on the image the store is trying to give off probably influences whether or not I enter the store. I like stores that limit the amount of pushy salespeople. I find stores with quieter and less distracting music are better. I also like stores that are adequately lit and aren’t dark and cave like. I am also drawn to stores with less clutter and more streamlined design. I think like any element of design there is more that affects us than we are aware of. I mean I have no recognition of why I enter a store I have never been in before for the first time.
3. Checklist
-Space between clothes racks
- Easy access entrance
-Appropriate music
-Adequate lighting
-Well placed accessories
-Alluring use of window display
- Lighter colors
- Cash register in back
Friday, October 17, 2008
10.20 "Isn't It Iconic?"
1. I think packaging is very important when it comes to marketing a product. It is the last chance to advertise for a product. That is what packaging allows for, another form of marketing, another way to advertise. A product that packaging worked for are Pringles. They are the only company I can think of that puts their chips into a tube. It works very well because the tube easily fits into your hand and the chips don’t get crushed either. Also the bold red color adds to the packaging.
2. Products with iconic packaging include Absolut Vodka, Camel cigarettes, Clorox Bleach, honey in a bear shaped container, Altoid Mints, Barbie, Smuckers chap stick, Tigi Hair Products, Vitamin Water, Carmex and Cheez-Its .
3. Usability issues include difficult to remove plastic packaging. Many electronics such as headphones are contained in plastic so the product is visible. However it makes it incredible difficult to remove the packaging. Also some packaging designs make it more difficult for the consumer to use, such as strangely designed bottles that are difficult to hold. Very good packaging usually stays with the product until it is no longer needed, such as Vitamin Water.
2. Products with iconic packaging include Absolut Vodka, Camel cigarettes, Clorox Bleach, honey in a bear shaped container, Altoid Mints, Barbie, Smuckers chap stick, Tigi Hair Products, Vitamin Water, Carmex and Cheez-Its .
3. Usability issues include difficult to remove plastic packaging. Many electronics such as headphones are contained in plastic so the product is visible. However it makes it incredible difficult to remove the packaging. Also some packaging designs make it more difficult for the consumer to use, such as strangely designed bottles that are difficult to hold. Very good packaging usually stays with the product until it is no longer needed, such as Vitamin Water.
Monday, October 13, 2008
10.15 "Biggest Mistakes in Web Design..."
1. The first point addressed is designing the web site to meet the users’ needs. Anyone on a website is strictly there for their own purposes and needs. Almost all the mistakes were aspects that made it more difficult for a user to maneuver on and around the website.
2. I thought that having easy to access navigational tools and having the website content be identifiable quickly were the most important points. These are both elements of poor design that I find irritating. Also not being able to easily navigate makes me much less patient with websites and I usually do not explore all the options. Also having “heroin appeal” is important. Some websites just have that addictive ‘it’ factor. This is what differentiates decent websites from great, lasting websites.
3. Design factors that I believe to be important for a webpage:
-Simplicity
-Easy to use
-Graphics that aren’t too flashy
-Good contrast between words and background
- Some sort of mapping
2. I thought that having easy to access navigational tools and having the website content be identifiable quickly were the most important points. These are both elements of poor design that I find irritating. Also not being able to easily navigate makes me much less patient with websites and I usually do not explore all the options. Also having “heroin appeal” is important. Some websites just have that addictive ‘it’ factor. This is what differentiates decent websites from great, lasting websites.
3. Design factors that I believe to be important for a webpage:
-Simplicity
-Easy to use
-Graphics that aren’t too flashy
-Good contrast between words and background
- Some sort of mapping
Friday, October 10, 2008
10.13 "Know It All"
1. The author’s main points include the purpose of the encyclopedia and an overall evaluation of Wikipedia. The births of both the encyclopedia as well as the much later birth of Wikipedia are discussed. Both the positive points and the negative points of Wikipedia are discussed. The positive include vastness of material covered, decent accuracy, quick to access, and simple wording. The negative includes inaccuracies, multiple entry changes and lacking creditability.
2.“At first, Wales handled the fistfights himself, but he was reluctant to ban anyone from the site. As the number of users increased, so did the editing wars and the incidence of vandalism. In October, 2001, Wales appointed a small cadre of administrators, called admins, to police the site for abuse. Admins can delete articles or protect them from further changes, block users from editing, and revert text more efficiently than can ordinary users. (There are now nearly a thousand admins on the site.) In 2004, Wales formalized the 3R rule—initially it had been merely a guideline—according to which any user who reverts the same text more than three times in a twenty-four-hour period is blocked from editing for a day.” This shows specifically how the website is regulated. Many people are unaware of the regulation policies of Wikipedia and automatically disregarded it as not credible. However this specific process shows that those in charge are trying to keep Wikipedia credible. This provides very clear, concise and specific supporting evidence into how the website is monitored.
3. Encyclopedia Britannica is more difficult to use because it requires more time to search and find a specific entry. Wikipedia is much more efficient. You simply type in what you would like to search and it comes up. Some people may find Britannica more reflectively appealing due to the scholarly image it gives off. Wikipedia provides more options as to what you can search, so it is less specific. Britannica however is more reliable. Both are pretty easy to use as long as you have access to them.
2.“At first, Wales handled the fistfights himself, but he was reluctant to ban anyone from the site. As the number of users increased, so did the editing wars and the incidence of vandalism. In October, 2001, Wales appointed a small cadre of administrators, called admins, to police the site for abuse. Admins can delete articles or protect them from further changes, block users from editing, and revert text more efficiently than can ordinary users. (There are now nearly a thousand admins on the site.) In 2004, Wales formalized the 3R rule—initially it had been merely a guideline—according to which any user who reverts the same text more than three times in a twenty-four-hour period is blocked from editing for a day.” This shows specifically how the website is regulated. Many people are unaware of the regulation policies of Wikipedia and automatically disregarded it as not credible. However this specific process shows that those in charge are trying to keep Wikipedia credible. This provides very clear, concise and specific supporting evidence into how the website is monitored.
3. Encyclopedia Britannica is more difficult to use because it requires more time to search and find a specific entry. Wikipedia is much more efficient. You simply type in what you would like to search and it comes up. Some people may find Britannica more reflectively appealing due to the scholarly image it gives off. Wikipedia provides more options as to what you can search, so it is less specific. Britannica however is more reliable. Both are pretty easy to use as long as you have access to them.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Topic Change
I am changing my topic to the Kalamazoo River Superfund Site. :)
What Wiki has: Deinking practices no longer in use led to PCB contamination of the river. Sewage effluent, other industrial discharges, and trash also contributed to the pollution of the river. For many years in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, the river was an "eyesore" and most people did their best to avoid it. Beginning in the 1970s with the federal Clean Water Act, serious efforts were made to clean up the river. Although today the river is cleaner, the persistent PCB contamination has led to Superfund designation of a 35-mile section from Kalamazoo to Allegan Dam. Many species of fish inhabit the river including smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, catfish, and many types of panfish. Though populations have increased in recent years due to the cleanup of the river, it is still advised for people to not eat large amounts of fish from the Kalamazoo River, and pregnant women are also advised not to eat any fish from the river due to lingering effects of the pollution in the diets of many fish (particularly bottom feeding fish like catfish which can accumulate high levels of mercury).
What Wiki has: Deinking practices no longer in use led to PCB contamination of the river. Sewage effluent, other industrial discharges, and trash also contributed to the pollution of the river. For many years in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, the river was an "eyesore" and most people did their best to avoid it. Beginning in the 1970s with the federal Clean Water Act, serious efforts were made to clean up the river. Although today the river is cleaner, the persistent PCB contamination has led to Superfund designation of a 35-mile section from Kalamazoo to Allegan Dam. Many species of fish inhabit the river including smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, catfish, and many types of panfish. Though populations have increased in recent years due to the cleanup of the river, it is still advised for people to not eat large amounts of fish from the Kalamazoo River, and pregnant women are also advised not to eat any fish from the river due to lingering effects of the pollution in the diets of many fish (particularly bottom feeding fish like catfish which can accumulate high levels of mercury).
1. Visceral design is usually more simple. Due to the immediate response to an objects design a simple, bright colorful object is more viscerally appealing, than a complex design. Visceral design plays into our innate response, and innately we will be drawn to more simple shapes and designs. Both simple and complex designs can appeal to behavioral design, depending on the use of the object. Some objects such as electronics need to be more complex due to their multi-use nature. However some everyday objects, such as washers are more behaviorally appealing when simple. Reflective design is almost exclusively relegated to complexity. Many people believe the more complex something is the better it is, even if many functions will go unused. in a few cases a purposefully simple thing may appeal to reflective design, by purposefully attracting someone who wants a streamlined, minimalist look.
2. "Water, quite simply, is the covalent bond existing between two hydrogen and a singular oxygen. I would assume that above a certain level of purification, differences among brands is negligible. But purification level or technique is not why people often purchase a specific brand of water. Oftentimes something as trite as water is purchased based on packaging alone as certain package designs tug at our heartstrings, and those especially beautiful ones of niche market brands serve as long-lasting mementos. What emotional beings we are!" -Javin
"An example of visceral design that i have experienced is the Nestle Pure Life water that i drink. The bottle has a sleek and modern design that makes me want to have it compared to the normal shape of water bottles. I am sure that the cheaper water taste the same and probably has the same water quality as the more expensive water but the water bottle sold me on the Nestle." -Andy
The point both Javin and Andy address is the visceral appeal of water bottles. Something that is essentially the same regardless of the brand, but however each brand has their own signature style. Javin also touches on the reflective side of water bottle design, in which the actual bottle is kept although the water, what the object was supposedly bought for is long gone.
2. "Water, quite simply, is the covalent bond existing between two hydrogen and a singular oxygen. I would assume that above a certain level of purification, differences among brands is negligible. But purification level or technique is not why people often purchase a specific brand of water. Oftentimes something as trite as water is purchased based on packaging alone as certain package designs tug at our heartstrings, and those especially beautiful ones of niche market brands serve as long-lasting mementos. What emotional beings we are!" -Javin
"An example of visceral design that i have experienced is the Nestle Pure Life water that i drink. The bottle has a sleek and modern design that makes me want to have it compared to the normal shape of water bottles. I am sure that the cheaper water taste the same and probably has the same water quality as the more expensive water but the water bottle sold me on the Nestle." -Andy
The point both Javin and Andy address is the visceral appeal of water bottles. Something that is essentially the same regardless of the brand, but however each brand has their own signature style. Javin also touches on the reflective side of water bottle design, in which the actual bottle is kept although the water, what the object was supposedly bought for is long gone.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Paper Topic
I will be writing my Wikipedia paper on the Lillian Anderson Arboretum. I have visited it twice since being here at K and I love it. Although it is not particularly well groomed it has a wonderful atmosphere.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
10.3 "Simplicity is HIghly Overrated"
1.I bought a digital camera with much more options than I needed or would ever use. Some of them I don’t even really know what they mean. However it is fairly simple to just take a ‘normal’ picture. I wanted to be able to do all sorts of fancy photography, just in case.
2.I think complexity is justified when products are more advanced, such as combination products with a phone, camera, palm pilot etc. kind of combination. I feel such a product would be very difficult to make simple since it has so many functions. Also the consumer wants a product that “does it all” and are probably expecting it to be somewhat complex. I think items used regularly for only one main function do not need to be complex. A perfect example give by Norman is the toaster. Any device with only one true purpose needs to be3 as simple as possible without all sorts of bells and whistles.
3.“A thing may be amazing, or beautiful, or efficient but it can never be perfect. If given the opportunity to think of new addition for a product or thing there will always be new ideas. This is shown in the industry which is always coming out with new version of the iPod that my look different or have more functions. So I really don’t think that anything in this world is absolutely perfect because being perfect is subject to point of view. Some things that people consider when they think about their own view of perfection maybe elegance, strength, color, size, shape. But every person has their own thing or things that they look for.” -Keenan
I thought Keenan’s point of view on perfection takes a very insightful point of view. Not only does address some aspects that may be considered in good design but also realizing that due to individual preferences no one object could every be perfect to everyone.
2.I think complexity is justified when products are more advanced, such as combination products with a phone, camera, palm pilot etc. kind of combination. I feel such a product would be very difficult to make simple since it has so many functions. Also the consumer wants a product that “does it all” and are probably expecting it to be somewhat complex. I think items used regularly for only one main function do not need to be complex. A perfect example give by Norman is the toaster. Any device with only one true purpose needs to be3 as simple as possible without all sorts of bells and whistles.
3.“A thing may be amazing, or beautiful, or efficient but it can never be perfect. If given the opportunity to think of new addition for a product or thing there will always be new ideas. This is shown in the industry which is always coming out with new version of the iPod that my look different or have more functions. So I really don’t think that anything in this world is absolutely perfect because being perfect is subject to point of view. Some things that people consider when they think about their own view of perfection maybe elegance, strength, color, size, shape. But every person has their own thing or things that they look for.” -Keenan
I thought Keenan’s point of view on perfection takes a very insightful point of view. Not only does address some aspects that may be considered in good design but also realizing that due to individual preferences no one object could every be perfect to everyone.
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