Feature Mania!
Its funny how products are designed!
Longtime ago products were mere tools to ease ones tasks or objects which are pleasing to look at.
After industrial revolution they were expressions of technology. All products have technological features. ( 120cc, 4stroke, 8 valve, 4 chamber, metallic blue etc etc). Ironically they were also the real USP's - The features! So products come with cool technological features, the real feat of an organization and its R&D! The value of the product is proportional to its technological features and capability. Whats interesting though is that, modern products are attractively and efficiently powered with technological features. Technological features are important as they make us feel that well, this might work! as I haven't built it - an assurance!
When these high powered features went into the hands of delicate,fragile,notorious,unpredictable, finicky, crazy, casual, uninterested, young, old, moody, cranky, emotional, conservative, forward etc users, it gave a jolt to the manufacturers. All technological products have to operated by simple people.They said "User centered Design". Human is above all, above product, above technology. These gave rise to something even more cool(ideas don't stop do they?) "User centered features". Well yes. Again products are powered with more features called user centered features!
If I call Microsoft word as a mere tool to write letters, its not so! It is powered with around 3000 features (all technological) for you to write. May be after a Usability test, they didn't reduce the features but added more user centered features! Common people said "I dont need all the features!". Sorry lad, you are powered with features. Use them.
While the poor man was maneuvering controls to accomplish his task, people observing them got an idea! WOW whats that? isn't this maneuvering cool? Lets make it easier for the people. Or why not make maneuvering a real cool experience! This gave birth to interaction design! If you look at any software interface you will see a work space and power features either to operate or create.
Quote from Canon!
First of Its Kind
With the PowerShot TX1, Canon takes a futuristic wish-list and makes it a reality. This is an ELPH-sized camera with a whopping 10x optical zoom that not only captures 7.1 megapixel images, but HD movies, too! The stylish vertical design in stainless steel houses plenty of premium advancements including Optical Image Stabilizer Technology, DIGIC III Image Processor, Face Detection Technology and Red-eye Correction. And because you'll want to take this compact wonder everywhere, it's equipped with a built-in lens cover and tough new scratch-resistant, anti-reflective coating on the LCD screen.
;-)
Longtime ago products were mere tools to ease ones tasks or objects which are pleasing to look at.
After industrial revolution they were expressions of technology. All products have technological features. ( 120cc, 4stroke, 8 valve, 4 chamber, metallic blue etc etc). Ironically they were also the real USP's - The features! So products come with cool technological features, the real feat of an organization and its R&D! The value of the product is proportional to its technological features and capability. Whats interesting though is that, modern products are attractively and efficiently powered with technological features. Technological features are important as they make us feel that well, this might work! as I haven't built it - an assurance!
When these high powered features went into the hands of delicate,fragile,notorious,unpredictable, finicky, crazy, casual, uninterested, young, old, moody, cranky, emotional, conservative, forward etc users, it gave a jolt to the manufacturers. All technological products have to operated by simple people.They said "User centered Design". Human is above all, above product, above technology. These gave rise to something even more cool(ideas don't stop do they?) "User centered features". Well yes. Again products are powered with more features called user centered features!
If I call Microsoft word as a mere tool to write letters, its not so! It is powered with around 3000 features (all technological) for you to write. May be after a Usability test, they didn't reduce the features but added more user centered features! Common people said "I dont need all the features!". Sorry lad, you are powered with features. Use them.
While the poor man was maneuvering controls to accomplish his task, people observing them got an idea! WOW whats that? isn't this maneuvering cool? Lets make it easier for the people. Or why not make maneuvering a real cool experience! This gave birth to interaction design! If you look at any software interface you will see a work space and power features either to operate or create.
Quote from Canon!
First of Its Kind
With the PowerShot TX1, Canon takes a futuristic wish-list and makes it a reality. This is an ELPH-sized camera with a whopping 10x optical zoom that not only captures 7.1 megapixel images, but HD movies, too! The stylish vertical design in stainless steel houses plenty of premium advancements including Optical Image Stabilizer Technology, DIGIC III Image Processor, Face Detection Technology and Red-eye Correction. And because you'll want to take this compact wonder everywhere, it's equipped with a built-in lens cover and tough new scratch-resistant, anti-reflective coating on the LCD screen.
;-)
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