Communicating With Our Machines Review

This particular reading discusses several ways to incorporate a communication between the
user and a machine when designing any kind of product. The first note that the author talks about
is the importance of feedback from the machine to the operator. The reading states that the feedback
of any machine is important to allow the user if the machine is working as it should. One example
of the importance of feedback would be the revving of a car engine when you insert and turn
the ignition key. The revving of the engine indicates to the driver that his/her car is in working
condition. However, this example goes against one of the author's beliefs about feedback. The author
believes that feedback is important when operating or interacting with anything, however, the feedback
should be relayed through some ambient medium, as opposed to the loud revving of the car engine
on start up.

The next concept that the reading discusses is the concept of implementing natural and deliberate signals
to the user of any product. Whether the communication is between two or more people, or a person and a
machine, the signals that are used to indicate methods of use must be carried out in a clear, calm, and
naturally feeling manner so as to avoid confusion and any negative outcomes. One example the author uses
to demonstrate this is the use of one person's hands to signal a driver on how to navigate his car into a difficult
parking space. In the example, the hand motions and signals are clear and fluid, therefore the driver can
easily understand what to do in order to make his car fit into the space. To work in conjunction with this concept, the author then mentions the concept of natural mapping of components to a device. The example
used to clarify natural mapping are the locations of the stove top dials. The reading mentions how the four
tops of the stove are arranged as the corners to a square or rectangular shape, however the dials to turn on
each top's gas is arranged in a straight line. Because of this, each dial has to have a label indicating which top
it turns on. However, the author believes that if the dials were arranged in the same shape as the tops, the
labels would become unnecessary.

The final point that the author mentions involves six basic principles to be aware of when designing any kind
of product. The six points are as follows:
1) Provide rich, complex, and natural signals for communication

2) Be predictable

3) Provide a good conceptual model

4) Make the output understandable

5) Provide continual awareness, without annoyance

6) Exploit natural mappings to make interactions understandable and effective
I believe that we can apply most of these six concepts into our designs for our class project.