[Sigia-l] Human-Centered Design 99% bad

[Eric Scheid]

On 3/8/05 10:47 AM, "Listera" <listera at rcn.com> wrote:

>> Of course they're part of the design.
> 
> So you are claiming that part of the "design" of the phonebook is being a
> monitor stand?

No, the thing which was designed into the artefact is that it must be robust
to survive a year long deployment in an office environment. No flimsy
microfiche, no delicate plastic ties and clasps. Robustness *is* part of the
design of the phonebook. As is compactness and density -- a phonebook that
didn't take size into consideration would be a bad design. Who wants a
phonebook the size of a filing cabinet, when all the same information can be
packed into a product only a few inches thick?

Similarly, what is printed on the pages of the wad of paper holding up the
monitor is irrelevant (I have several manuals of ancient software which
would equally qualify). What is relevant is that the thing, the artefact, is
robust and compact, and waddayaknow ... a phonebook fits that description
nicely.

e.