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Metaphors Deconstruction

HF 770
Arjun Goel [Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of the document.]

ABSTRACT
This paper will discuss one of the most important design principles: Metaphors in interface designs. I will provide some background information regarding the concept of prior knowledge before diving into metaphors and its importance in interaction design. I will take a real-world metaphor and list down its attributes and discuss how it transcends in into different domains. I will also discuss one good and one bad example of a real-world metaphor and provide my take on them. All the three different examples will be divided into three separate sections/parts.

INTRODUCTION
Working mechanism of a human memory has often been viewed as an informational retrieval system, very close to that of a server database. Information stored in this database, in the form of data chunks, enable us to predict the process of interaction using our past experiences (Gentner & Stevens, 1983). Studies show that human perception, amplified by prior knowledge, provides a basic structure to the information that not only helps us recognize objects, but also prevent a significant amount of cognitive chaos in our brains (Taylor & Crocker, 1980). Top-down process or analysis based on prior knowledge, enable to us to make initial guesses (which take place in 150-200ms) by relating to the data chunks stored in the memory system. These memory chunks are also called Mental Models which provide a cognitive trigger in the recognition process. This cognitive trigger can be in the form of a visual cue, a sense of touch, smell or even an audio piece that activates the connections in the semantic networks and facilitates the memory search process. This is the reason why we relate || as pause button on a media device but recognize as a capacitor symbol when viewed on an electronic circuit.

METAPHORS
Metaphors are a characterization of interaction concepts that help us map the conceptual entities from one domain to a different one. Metaphors help the user to apply prior knowledge thereby reducing the cognitive load on our minds. Using metaphors, you give instantaneous knowledge to the user about how to interact with a system or an interface. For e.g. online shopping cart at amazon.com is real life metaphor for an actual shopping cart you find in a super market. Since most of the users do understand the concept of a real life shopping cart, they naturally understand, while on the website, that they add items to their virtual cart and checkout later. Though a simple concept but has proven to be really powerful.

PART 1: Nikes Fuelband


This section of the paper will discuss about a recently launched product by Nike called Fuelband. Nike Fuelband is wristband that monitors your day-to-day activities, steps, calorie burnt and provide you the information in a Nikes patented metric NikeFuel. Using the accelerometer in the wristband, the fuelband collects data by measuring the oxygen intake and monitors other aspects of fitness. The concept is really similar to what fitbit and Jawbones UP already offer. One thing that stands out in Nikes Fuelband is simplicity. The device has one button for all the four modes: time, step counter, calorie counter and the earlier discussed NikeFuel, all toggled using that single button.

Metaphor Deconstruction: Efficiency Work rate Personal trainer Activity monitor Fashion accessory Goals Convenience Competition Connectivity Sports Progress Counting steps Calorie counter Durable Band Wrist Multifunctional Brand Color code Informational Health Fitness Metric Motion Simplicity Time Social

Part 2: Kindle
Kindle has revolutionized the way people use books. Not only it saves costs of the hard copies of the books, but also gives the user the accessibility to take a handy 7-inch tablet anywhere without dragging any huge trunks or book cases. Its e-ink technology has emulated the real-book feel and allows the user to read for prolonged hours without causing any strain and under any lighting conditions.

Metaphor Deconstruction Efficiency Portability Books Reading Cutting costs Connectivity Light weight Long Battery Life Paperless Environmental Friendly Travel Companion

WHY I CHOSE THIS Kindle serves as a good example that emulates a real book reading experience. The e-ink technology gives a very matte finished background that provides a book effect to the user. Even the 7-inch screen is an optimum screen size to replicate a book size which makes it easy to handle and travel with.

PART 3: VLC ICON VLC or VideoLAN Client, though one of the most used media content player across Mac as well PC platform, surprisingly VLCs icon has been one of long standing mysteries. VLCs icon is a cone, which you generally find on the roadsides caution signs or on construction sites.

Metaphor Deconstruction Cone Caution Sign Traffic Stop Go Slow Men Working Care Construction Plastic Bright Visible in Dim Light conditions

WHY IT IS A BAD METAPHOR The cone does not even closely relate to any kind of media content. Initially when VLC was not a well-established media player, it was difficult for people to understand a cone shaped icon for a media player application. It was unusual, bright and offbeat. But since the application itself has become popular, the icon representation is already there in users semantic networks and easily comprehendable. It is not the case for somebody who has not used the application before. For instance, it was difficult to make my mother understand how to play videos on her Mac. Her first reaction was that it looks like a traffic related application rather than a video player. Although, we have molded our ideology to comprehend the VLC icon learned overtime, VLCs icon does not do a good job representing the task the application does.

The story behind the icon is that the when the students (who developed this) were drunk, they collected these cones from roadsides and eventually had a huge collection. And finally they decided to use the cone as their logo and went ahead with it.

DESIGN RECOMMENDATION
Attributes for a Media Content Player: Playing videos Play all formats Play songs Create playlists Stream videos on private networks Use less computer memory Considering some of the above-mentioned attributes, my design recommendation would be to have something like a play sign hovering over a pile of multiple papers tagged with different video formats. Something like in the rough photoshoped picture shown on the right. (Designed by me)

CONCLUSION
Metaphors play a vital role in giving a structure to the incoming information to our brain. Dealing with the complex systems has become an integral part of lives and it is important for us, as interaction designers, to design and mediate the communication in a way that is easily acceptable and understandable by most demographics of people.

REFERENCES
Gentner, D. (2001). Mental models, psychology of. International encyclopedia of the social behavioral sciences (pp. 9683-9687). Elsevier. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B7MRM-4MT09VJ-

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