effective vs. ineffective communication

cdf assignment 1

It’s so easy to point out horrible design and it’s so fun. I don’t know if being able to fixate on negativity is a human tendency, but it certainly is enjoyable.

Ineffective design:

I really don’t like the way this Fuku location looks! The signage makes no sense to me; if you just take the green logo, I feel like the light color behind the white text could make it hard to read. Adding onto that, there isn’t any back lighting. Using some lighting would help contrast the white text.

My biggest issue, though, is the way that the brick arch completely conceals the Fuku Tea sign from all directions. To read the sign, one must be standing right in front of it; it’s even more difficult when in a car. This is the only sign up as well, making the process of finding the Fuku difficult if you’ve never seen it. This is another reason having back lighting might help in making the location of the sign more apparent.

Effective design:

I just moved back to Pittsburgh, and that’s meant unboxing and assembling a ton of furniture; a good mix of Amazon and IKEA products. Personally, I think it’s necessary to look at the schematic no matter how simple the piece might be. I’ve read so many manuals over the last two weeks, and what I’ve observed is that the IKEA ones are consistently the best.

I think they put in lots of details that answer questions you didn’t know you had. For example, even though the washers and bolts come together and the purpose is implied, they indicate the order in which you have to use them. The IKEA manuals are also very good about distinguishing pieces and parts, and in this image help indicate how to use the tool.

What makes this the most impressive is that there are no written instructions. Most people are visual learners, and the detail given to the drawings (e.g. order, direction of motion) means anyone could assemble the parts without needing to read. I think this is an example of good nonverbal communication.