Ah, user interface and design: how they go hand in hand. Give Brandon Walkin’s article a read and digest. How will these ideas factor into this class?

And what’s that extra “f” for in the title? :)

I heard from a guy that works at the docks that has a contact in the copy department that knows a man that saw on some lady’s iPod that you’ll see a quiz tonight that deals with any of the following:

• What is our working definition of the word design?
• What is vector? Raster? What might the advantages/disadvantages of either be? Where do I use each?
• What are the four natural design constraints we discussed in class?
• What did you take away from Veerle’s last post and why might it be pertinent to us?
• What is the usefulness of RSS?
• What is the average airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?

But if you ask me, that dock worker is crazy.

We spoke last week about natural design limitations (can you name all four?) that are part of any project we will work on. Ted over at North Temple sums up some great design truths after dealing with the Tooth Fairy and a four year old. Specifically, he talks about the subtleties of working within the client specifications.

She had been wiggling her first loose tooth for a few days, and it finally came out last night. When telling my wife what she expected under her pillow in return for her tooth, she said in fine alliterative fashion, “I want dollars and diamonds. Cause I’m a girl.” The interaction design lesson? Know your audience and what they want and expect.

Please read the whole article and be familiar with Ted’s conclusions about client specs. Be prepared to discuss his point and your opinion thereon at the beginning of class.