Types of Affordances Flashcards
(14 cards)
What are real affordances?
Properties of an object that reveal what it is for and how it can be used. Actual properties of objects, rather than the properties perceived as belonging to objects by an actor/agent/user.
When simple things need pictures, labels, or instructions, the design has what?
failed
Natural signals
Visible elements of things that are instantly and unconsciously interpreted.
Perceptible properties of objects that we interpret instantly and unconsciously.
instantly determine which elements of a product are usable, and how they must interact with them.
Symbolic Communication
The use of meaningful elements, which are based on learned, semantic associations, to help users determine what they can do with an object or thing and how they are meant to interact with it to carry out these intended activities.
Symbols, icons, and language used to convey the affordances and intended methods of interaction to achieve these functions.
What kind of affordances do graphical user interfaces have?
Perceived affordances. Users’ perceive their actions will have meaningful results within the system/software/website, on the basis of learned associations between perceptible elements and the result(s) of interacting with them.
Perceived affordances are found with objects in the _____ and _____ worlds.
real and graphical worlds
A physical object presents the agent/actor with ______ affordances, thanks to the perceptible, actionable properties.
real
T or F: Everything has at least one affordance.
True
Why should you take the materials used, size, shape, weight and all other perceptible properties into consideration when designing physical objects?
It is important that the properties of the object reflect the intended use.
For example, covering an egg in a rubber ball would afford bouncing, but with the fragile object in the center this obviously sends the wrong message?
What factors affect how we detect affordances?
Convention and cultural constraints
Why do graphical user interface designers face a tougher challenge than product designers?
They cannot rely on the physical characteristics of objects to convey what actions are afforded by these objects and how the user is to interact with them.
How do users identify the potential uses or affordances of a graphical interface?
They apply knowledge from previous human-computer interactions to new, yet similar instances.
What is the essential ingredient in supporting the identification of affordances in hci?
consistency
What must designers follow to assist the identification of affordances in hci?
- Convention
- Use words
- Utilize real-world experiences
- Maintain consistency within and across user interfaces
