Design with Intent | Feature deletion

Placebo buttons, false affordances and habit-forming

By Dan Lockton ⋅ October 1, 2008 ⋅ 12 comments

This is a great graph from GraphJam, by ‘Bloobeard’. It raises the question, of course, whether the ‘door close’ buttons on lifts/elevators really do actually do anything, or are simply there to ‘manage expectations‘ or act as a placebo.
The Straight Dope has quite a detailed answer from 1986:
The grim truth is that a significant [...]

Biting Apple

By Dan Lockton ⋅ September 28, 2007 ⋅ 8 comments

Interesting to see the BBC’s summary of the current iPhone update story: “Apple issues an update which damages iPhones that have been hacked by users”. I’m not sure that’s quite how Apple’s PR people would have put it, but it’s interesting to see that whoever writes those little summaries for the BBC website found it [...]

In default, defiance

By Dan Lockton ⋅ August 8, 2007 ⋅ 9 comments

‘Choice of default’ is a theme which has come up a few times on the blog: in general, many people accept the options/settings presented to them, and do not question or attempt to alter them. The possibilities for controlling or shaping users’ behaviour in this way are, clearly, enormous; two interesting examples have recently been [...]

Another charging opportunity?

By Dan Lockton ⋅ July 23, 2007 ⋅ 13 comments

Last month, an Apple patent application was published describing a method of “Protecting electronic devices from extended unauthorized use” – effectively a ‘charging rights management’ system.
New Scientist and OhGizmo have stories explaining the system; while the stated intention is to make stolen devices less useful/valuable (by preventing a thief charging them with unauthorised chargers), [...]

Digital control round-up

By Dan Lockton ⋅ December 30, 2006 ⋅ One comment

Some developments in – and commentary on – digital architectures of control to end 2006:
Peter Gutmann’s ‘A Cost Analysis of Windows Vista Content Protection’ (via Bruce Schneier) looks very lucidly at the effects that Vista’s DRM and measures to ‘protect’ content will have – on users themselves, and knock-on effects elsewhere. The more one reads, [...]

Disaffordances and engineering obedience

By Dan Lockton ⋅ October 22, 2006 ⋅ 6 comments

Image based on Don Norman’s famous teapot, and the Obey Giant face
Last month I asked, in response to some criticism, whether there was a better term than ‘architectures of control’ for the loose category of stuff discussed on this site. The response was great – thanks to all who got in touch or commented.
James [...]

Epson messes up my day

By Dan Lockton ⋅ October 21, 2006 ⋅ 56 comments

My Epson Stylus Photo R1800’s been running low on ink in a couple of cartridges for a few days now. I’ve been putting off ordering them until this weekend. Now I find that when the printer believes a cartridge has reached 0%, it won’t print anything at all, even if it doesn’t need that colour. [...]

Inconvenience: deliberate or accidental?

By Dan Lockton ⋅ October 17, 2006 ⋅ 5 comments

Seth Godin mentions providing a ‘convenience’ feature for customers and then intentionally making it inconvenient to use:
“Here at the White Plains airport, I’m noticing all these people doing things to me. Enforcing irrational rules. Intentionally putting the seats far from the electrical outlets so people like me won’t steal electricity. Yelling over the [...]

Another phone business model designed to frustrate the customer

By Dan Lockton ⋅ October 2, 2006 ⋅ Post a comment

In a similar vein to a recent mention of a Verizon trick which attempts to force the user to use an expensive data service to check e-mail, rather than the free built-in WiFi, Uninnovate discusses the (Sprint) LG Fusic which not only disables on-phone features such as MP3 playback when no coverage is available, but [...]

Locking users in by making it difficult to leave

By Dan Lockton ⋅ September 11, 2006 ⋅ 11 comments

Privacy International has a report, ‘Dumb Design or Dirty Tricks?‘ on the practice of a number of popular websites – most notably eBay and Amazon – of lacking an easy or obvious way for a user to delete his or her account:
“Amazon provided the most blatant example of companies that refuse to provide account delete [...]

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