The Flaws in Everyday Design by Christopher J Biggs

Christopher J Biggs

https://lca2020.linux.org.au/schedule/presentation/162/

As an evangelist, community leader and consultant in the Internet of Things space, I have strong opinions about how IoT can improve our lives.

Thirty years after its publication, Donald Norman's seminal book "The Design of Everyday Things", which examined how the tiny usability touches in everyday items matter so much, remains relevant and important. In fact, Don just last year wrote that the technology industry badly needs to re-focus on the true meaning of Human Centered Design, observing that despite his decades of advocacy, the same kinds of design flaws continually recur.

We are just a handful of years short of the centenary of the publication of Modern Architecture pioneer Le Corbusier's maxim "A house is a machine to live in", yet our architecture remains stubbornly steam powered.

My position is that we ought step back and critically reexamine the shape and detail of our workplaces and homes. The great labour saving devices of the 20th century freed us from much physical drudgery, but significant cognitive burden remains. I will examine, in the abstract and concrete, how much cognitive load is imposed on us by our environment. It has been written that a modern human makes 30,000 choices every day.

For example, why are our light switches placed for the convenience of builders, not inhabitants. Why do so many of our labour-saving appliances require us to spend so much time monitoring and pampering them. How often do you stumble about in the dark fumbling for a light switch. Wouldn't you prefer to discover the failed refrigerator or flooded storeroom before the contents are ruined?

Join me for an imagination of how Living In The Future could truly be better.

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Mon Jan 13 11:55:00 2020 at Room 8