Comments on: Simple control in products http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk Using design to influence behaviour Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:44:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v= hourly 1 By: Making exercise cooler at fulminate // Architectures of Control http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/simple-control-in-products/comment-page-1/#comment-76644 Making exercise cooler at fulminate // Architectures of Control Thu, 05 Jul 2007 21:05:18 +0000 http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/?page_id=6#comment-76644 [...] We’ve seen this thinking, specifically regarding encouraging exercise, embodied before on the blog in two products, as far as I can remember: Gillian Swan’s Square-Eyes (also from Brunel), and, of course, the Entertrainer. Both of these use television as the ‘reward’ for exercise - in the case of Square-Eyes, 100 steps on the special insole equate to 1 minute of TV time (controlled by a base station); with the Entertrainer, the user’s heart rate is monitored (you can set the level of exercise you want) and the TV’s volume is controlled, which is an interesting concept: you exercise watching the TV, keeping your heart rate within the optimal range: The chest strap heart monitor wirelessly relays your heart rate to the Entertrainer™. The Entertrainer then determines if your heart rate is within, above, or below your target zone. If your heart rate is low, the Entertrainer lowers the volume on your television (or other infrared remotely controlled device). If your heart rate is within the target zone (range), the volume remains at a comfortable level. If your heart rate is too high, the volume increases. [...] [...] We’ve seen this thinking, specifically regarding encouraging exercise, embodied before on the blog in two products, as far as I can remember: Gillian Swan’s Square-Eyes (also from Brunel), and, of course, the Entertrainer. Both of these use television as the ‘reward’ for exercise – in the case of Square-Eyes, 100 steps on the special insole equate to 1 minute of TV time (controlled by a base station); with the Entertrainer, the user’s heart rate is monitored (you can set the level of exercise you want) and the TV’s volume is controlled, which is an interesting concept: you exercise watching the TV, keeping your heart rate within the optimal range: The chest strap heart monitor wirelessly relays your heart rate to the Entertrainer™. The Entertrainer then determines if your heart rate is within, above, or below your target zone. If your heart rate is low, the Entertrainer lowers the volume on your television (or other infrared remotely controlled device). If your heart rate is within the target zone (range), the volume remains at a comfortable level. If your heart rate is too high, the volume increases. [...]

]]> By: Education, forcing functions and understanding at fulminate // Architectures of Control http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/simple-control-in-products/comment-page-1/#comment-31336 Education, forcing functions and understanding at fulminate // Architectures of Control Sun, 21 Jan 2007 08:33:26 +0000 http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/?page_id=6#comment-31336 [...] Mr Person at Text Savvy looks at an example of ‘Guided Practice’ in a maths textbook - the ‘guidance’ actually requiring attention from the teacher before the students can move on to working independently - and asks whether some type of architecture of control (a forcing function perhaps) would improve the situation, by making sure (to some extent) that each student understood what’s going on before being able to continue: Image from Text SavvyIs there room here for an architecture of control, which can make Guided Practice live up to its name? [...] [...] Mr Person at Text Savvy looks at an example of ‘Guided Practice’ in a maths textbook – the ‘guidance’ actually requiring attention from the teacher before the students can move on to working independently – and asks whether some type of architecture of control (a forcing function perhaps) would improve the situation, by making sure (to some extent) that each student understood what’s going on before being able to continue: Image from Text SavvyIs there room here for an architecture of control, which can make Guided Practice live up to its name? [...]

]]> By: Architectures of Control in Design » Round-up of some control examples http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/simple-control-in-products/comment-page-1/#comment-9058 Architectures of Control in Design » Round-up of some control examples Tue, 19 Sep 2006 16:35:22 +0000 http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/?page_id=6#comment-9058 [...] This is a useful insight, and parallels the same kinds of thought process that engineers and designers often go through when designing safety or mistake-proofing forcing functions into products. These are architectures of control intended (at least) to be useful or beneficial to the user, or to the community as a whole (often contentious, e.g. skateboard ‘deterrents’). [...] [...] This is a useful insight, and parallels the same kinds of thought process that engineers and designers often go through when designing safety or mistake-proofing forcing functions into products. These are architectures of control intended (at least) to be useful or beneficial to the user, or to the community as a whole (often contentious, e.g. skateboard ‘deterrents’). [...]

]]> By: Architectures of Control in Design » The illusion of control http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/simple-control-in-products/comment-page-1/#comment-7343 Architectures of Control in Design » The illusion of control Wed, 30 Aug 2006 14:59:24 +0000 http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/?page_id=6#comment-7343 [...] P.S. On the other hand, it’s worth considering the opinion expressed by the Audi A2 owner, that she didn’t find it a disadvantage having to take her Audi to a ’specialist’ in order to open the bonnet (hood). Is even that basic level of control (being able to see the engine) too much for some people? Is it because, say, a thermostat affects people personally (temperature) whereas a car engine is something dirty, difficult, complex, for someone else to worry about? Please share this!These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...] [...] P.S. On the other hand, it’s worth considering the opinion expressed by the Audi A2 owner, that she didn’t find it a disadvantage having to take her Audi to a ’specialist’ in order to open the bonnet (hood). Is even that basic level of control (being able to see the engine) too much for some people? Is it because, say, a thermostat affects people personally (temperature) whereas a car engine is something dirty, difficult, complex, for someone else to worry about? Please share this!These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...]

]]> By: Architectures of Control in Design » ‘Breathalyser phone stops drinkers making embarrassing calls’ - LG LP4100 http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/simple-control-in-products/comment-page-1/#comment-4732 Architectures of Control in Design » ‘Breathalyser phone stops drinkers making embarrassing calls’ - LG LP4100 Tue, 15 Aug 2006 09:55:04 +0000 http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/?page_id=6#comment-4732 [...] Breathalyser interlocks for car ignition systems could become irritating to drivers if they have to be used every time the car is used, daytime as well as night time (and a false positive could be extremely inconvenient), but proposals for total compulsion have been put forward. [...] [...] Breathalyser interlocks for car ignition systems could become irritating to drivers if they have to be used every time the car is used, daytime as well as night time (and a false positive could be extremely inconvenient), but proposals for total compulsion have been put forward. [...]

]]> By: Architectures of Control in Design » Freedom to Tinker - The Freedom to Tinker with Freedom? http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/simple-control-in-products/comment-page-1/#comment-3164 Architectures of Control in Design » Freedom to Tinker - The Freedom to Tinker with Freedom? Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:11:47 +0000 http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/?page_id=6#comment-3164 [...] Even if the law went the other way, and there were a legally guaranteed right to tinker, all that would happen is that manufacturers will make it more difficult to do so by the design of products. Hoods (bonnets) would start to be welded shut, in Cory Doctorow’s phrase, (the Audi A2 already has this, sort of), backed up by stringent warranty provisions. You might have a right to tinker with your device, but no law is going to compel the manufacturers to honour the warranty if you do so. [...] [...] Even if the law went the other way, and there were a legally guaranteed right to tinker, all that would happen is that manufacturers will make it more difficult to do so by the design of products. Hoods (bonnets) would start to be welded shut, in Cory Doctorow’s phrase, (the Audi A2 already has this, sort of), backed up by stringent warranty provisions. You might have a right to tinker with your device, but no law is going to compel the manufacturers to honour the warranty if you do so. [...]

]]> By: Architectures of Control in Design » Forcing functions designed to increase product consumption http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/simple-control-in-products/comment-page-1/#comment-1774 Architectures of Control in Design » Forcing functions designed to increase product consumption Sun, 09 Jul 2006 19:18:09 +0000 http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/?page_id=6#comment-1774 [...] A few days ago, Tim Quinn of Dangerous Curve posted an interesting observation on the Simple Control in Products page: “This may not be what you had in mind, but I immediately thought of such things as toothpaste pumps that ‘meter’ use to insure the product will be used up quickly at a rate higher than needed. That made me think of the older method of training consumers to over-use. Typified, once again, by toothpaste, with ads which show a brush topped by a generous glop of paste that is far more than necessary to do the job. This strays a bit more from your topic but it could fall under the design for control heading.” [...] [...] A few days ago, Tim Quinn of Dangerous Curve posted an interesting observation on the Simple Control in Products page: “This may not be what you had in mind, but I immediately thought of such things as toothpaste pumps that ‘meter’ use to insure the product will be used up quickly at a rate higher than needed. That made me think of the older method of training consumers to over-use. Typified, once again, by toothpaste, with ads which show a brush topped by a generous glop of paste that is far more than necessary to do the job. This strays a bit more from your topic but it could fall under the design for control heading.” [...]

]]> By: Dan http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/simple-control-in-products/comment-page-1/#comment-1423 Dan Thu, 29 Jun 2006 19:01:20 +0000 http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/?page_id=6#comment-1423 Thanks Tim - those are good examples of a category of simple control that I hadn't really considered too much, but which really is pretty prevalent. An example I can think of off the top of my head - packets of biscuits (cookies) in the UK often have an 'easy-tear' strip on the packet so you don't have to unpick the glued folds at the end. But the tear strip is deliberately (I presume) positioned at least two biscuits in, so that you pretty much have to eat those two biscuits, plus the next one down, to have enough wrapper left to fold over the end to keep the remaining biscuits fresh. You can't open the pack and just eat one - to avoid the remainder going stale you have to take out three of them. I think this category is definitely worth a new post - I'll get together some photos and do it in the next few days. Thanks again! Thanks Tim – those are good examples of a category of simple control that I hadn’t really considered too much, but which really is pretty prevalent.

An example I can think of off the top of my head – packets of biscuits (cookies) in the UK often have an ‘easy-tear’ strip on the packet so you don’t have to unpick the glued folds at the end. But the tear strip is deliberately (I presume) positioned at least two biscuits in, so that you pretty much have to eat those two biscuits, plus the next one down, to have enough wrapper left to fold over the end to keep the remaining biscuits fresh. You can’t open the pack and just eat one – to avoid the remainder going stale you have to take out three of them.

I think this category is definitely worth a new post – I’ll get together some photos and do it in the next few days. Thanks again!

]]> By: Tim Quinn http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/simple-control-in-products/comment-page-1/#comment-1422 Tim Quinn Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:37:49 +0000 http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/?page_id=6#comment-1422 This may not be what you had in mind, but I immediately thought of such things as toothpaste pumps that 'meter' use to insure the product will be used up quickly at a rate higher than needed. That made me think of the older method of training consumers to over-use. Typified, once again, by toothpaste, with ads which show a brush topped by a generous glop of paste that is far more than necessary to do the job. This strays a bit more from your topic but it could fall under the design for control heading. This may not be what you had in mind, but I immediately thought of such things as toothpaste pumps that ‘meter’ use to insure the product will be used up quickly at a rate higher than needed. That made me think of the older method of training consumers to over-use. Typified, once again, by toothpaste, with ads which show a brush topped by a generous glop of paste that is far more than necessary to do the job. This strays a bit more from your topic but it could fall under the design for control heading.

]]> By: Architectures of Control in Design » An interlock example http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/simple-control-in-products/comment-page-1/#comment-1256 Architectures of Control in Design » An interlock example Fri, 16 Jun 2006 10:56:57 +0000 http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/?page_id=6#comment-1256 [...] It’s been a while since I posted about an architecture of control designed to assist/protect the user rather than to frustrate or intimidate, but just reading a great article about the MG SV-R supercar formerly produced by MG Sports & Racing*, a very simple interlock example (more discussion of interlocks and forcing functions here and here) was mentioned: “So, behind the wheel… pressing the clutch all the way down (a US requirement to avoid starting in gear) the starter button brings the V8 to life….” [...] [...] It’s been a while since I posted about an architecture of control designed to assist/protect the user rather than to frustrate or intimidate, but just reading a great article about the MG SV-R supercar formerly produced by MG Sports & Racing*, a very simple interlock example (more discussion of interlocks and forcing functions here and here) was mentioned: “So, behind the wheel… pressing the clutch all the way down (a US requirement to avoid starting in gear) the starter button brings the V8 to life….” [...]

]]> By: Architectures of Control in Design » Architectures of control that actually endanger life http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/simple-control-in-products/comment-page-1/#comment-153 Architectures of Control in Design » Architectures of control that actually endanger life Sat, 18 Mar 2006 17:04:12 +0000 http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/?page_id=6#comment-153 [...] What other examples are there? I guess the Mosquito might cause hearing damage but it’s probably not life-threatening. Child-proof lids on medicine bottles, child-proof door locks on cars and other simple control can certainly cause unintended problems for adults too - for example, if someone has arthritis it may be difficult to open a child-proof pill bottle. A car throttle preventing excessive revving could also prevent a motorist accelerating to avoid danger. Skateboarding deterrents can cause injury: in fact, if they are not specifically signed as being there but are introduced without warning, I don’t think it’s going too far that they are specifically intended to cause injury and damage, and in most cases their installation is funded with public money. [...] [...] What other examples are there? I guess the Mosquito might cause hearing damage but it’s probably not life-threatening. Child-proof lids on medicine bottles, child-proof door locks on cars and other simple control can certainly cause unintended problems for adults too – for example, if someone has arthritis it may be difficult to open a child-proof pill bottle. A car throttle preventing excessive revving could also prevent a motorist accelerating to avoid danger. Skateboarding deterrents can cause injury: in fact, if they are not specifically signed as being there but are introduced without warning, I don’t think it’s going too far that they are specifically intended to cause injury and damage, and in most cases their installation is funded with public money. [...]

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