The Design of Designs
This first week of UX class proved to be clear confirmation that studying UX was the right choice for me. Much of the material we engaged this week was introductory and broad, yet I still could not help but be curious about all of it. It was particularly encouraging for me to find that when we read about different types of UX roles found in "The UX Kit" by Paul Sherman, I was torn between virtually all of the specialities that were listed. I could easily see a version of myself specializing in any of the roles Sherman pointed out. I did, however, end up focusing my attention on Visual/UI Design since most of my natural values were already grounded in the firm belief that many, if not all, good user experiences with technology are owing to how interfaces look and feel.
My favorite material we went over this week was chapter 1 of The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman. His writing style is extremely accessible. His assessments are clearly defined, yet open-minded as he introduces his reader to the nature (or design) of designs, if you will. I absolutely love his keen attention to the illogical, yet objective, nature of the human experience with technology. Since technology was created for the sake of humans, it would only make sense for technology to be human-centered. Machines bear the responsibility of accommodating human thinking, not the other way around (p. 6). There is no doubt that the principles we have engaged this week have only whet my appetite to want to know more about the world of UX.