11.12 "The Experience Architect"

1. This reading discussed the importance of coming up with innovative and creative ideas. It was important as an 'experience architect' to be able to look at experience and see how they can be made better. Even small changes can make huge differences. It is important to have a personality when providing an experience as well as to be genuine and real.

2. Consumer products focus much more on the behavioral aspect and the concrete aspect of a product. Consumer products are tangible. The design elements related to best consumer design are much bigger aspects such as usability, appearance and function. The design of experiences focuses more on an abstract concept. This focus on the abstract means design focuses on details that improve upon systems already implemented. Good experience design and consumer design both focus on meeting all the consumers need and wants.

3. A social community building idea based off ideas presented in the article would be to have an official first day of snow, sledding gathering on the quad. Obviously there would need to be adequate snow cover. If Christmas music/ winter music would play and hot beverages were provided, that would further add to the experience. It would be even better if everyone was able to use a tray from the cafeteria to sled, since that is an iconic part of sledding in college. For those that didn't want to sled there could be a snowman making competition.