Various enterprises and personal interests, such as Man-Machine Interaction (MMI), gesture studies, signs, language, social robotics, healthcare, innovation, music, publications, etc.

Category: Geen categorie

A return to philosophy

The things YouTube is good for. It has inspired me to return to philosophy. I recently found a wonderful collection of lectures and interviews online on YouTube. One is the channel called Philosophy Overdose. It features interviews by Bryan Magee with leading scholars that are great introductions into various subjects. There are also nice lectures by Thelma Z. Lavine. It is older material, from the seventies and eighties but still great.

It makes me wonder if the generations growing up now will still get familiar with all of these thoughts. Is anyone still reading the great works? I hope that through these films on YouTube more interest will grow.

Here is an example of a discussion about Wittgenstein. I find his ideas about language very convincing, and I base my own thinking about language on them (or at least how I understand it).

Interestingly, this led me to an interview with Noam Chomsky, a great language scientist (although I think I am unconvinced about some of his ideas, or maybe I just don’t understand them) who basically says that Wittgensteins ideas were not that important for his own development and rather points to some contemporaries of Wittgenstein with similar but more precise ideas.

Is that not an amazing aspect of these times? We have access to the thinking of so many great minds. And YouTube is the main channel that offers it to us. I should get a paid account.

Update: I found another gem: an interview by Bryan Magee with Noam Chomsky, see below. In here he makes perfect sense. The 45 years since the interview in 1978 have proven Chomsky right on many things. Still, I wonder if anyone is actually still taking time to go back to the original works of Chomsky. And for those interested in games, there is a wonderful bit on them from around 32 minutes.

Design is a profession

General recommendation: If you want to design something interactive well, hire professional designers and let them run a co-design, participatory design or, even better, a full user centered design process. It is complex stuff that has good value but only if it is done well.

ChatGPT addition:

Can you write a blog post of about 400 words about interaction design as a profession and include thoughts on user centered design? Specifically, I want to stress that well-intentioned amateurs, such as general managers or policy makers should avoid taking on the role of designers themselves.

Certainly! Here’s a blog post about interaction design as a profession, with an emphasis on user-centered design and the risks of well-intentioned amateurs taking on the role of designers.

Interaction Design as a Profession: Putting Users First

Interaction design is a field that focuses on creating digital experiences that are intuitive, efficient, and enjoyable for users. It is an important aspect of modern technology, from websites to mobile apps to smart home devices. In this blog post, we’ll explore what interaction design as a profession entails, the importance of user-centered design, and why well-intentioned amateurs should avoid taking on the role of designers.

Interaction Design as a Profession

Interaction design is a discipline that combines elements of visual design, user experience, and technology to create digital experiences that are easy and enjoyable for users. It is a rapidly growing field, with many businesses recognizing the importance of good design in creating successful products and services.

Interaction designers work to create digital products that are both visually appealing and easy to use. They focus on creating intuitive user interfaces, designing effective interactions, and creating engaging experiences that keep users coming back. Their work involves understanding the needs of users, designing prototypes, and testing and refining their designs.

User-Centered Design

At the heart of interaction design is the concept of user-centered design. This approach to design places the needs of users at the forefront of the design process, ensuring that the end result is something that is useful and enjoyable for those who will be using it.

User-centered design involves a number of steps, including research, prototyping, testing, and refining. It requires designers to have a deep understanding of the needs, preferences, and behaviors of their target users, as well as the ability to translate that understanding into effective design solutions.

Well-Intentioned Amateurs

While many well-intentioned amateurs, such as general managers or policy makers, may have a basic understanding of design principles, they lack the specialized training and expertise that professional designers possess. Design is a highly specialized field that requires a unique combination of skills, including creativity, technical expertise, and an understanding of human behavior and psychology.

When well-intentioned amateurs take on the role of designers, they run the risk of creating products and services that are ineffective or even harmful to users. They may overlook important design principles or fail to fully understand the needs and preferences of their target audience.

Conclusion

Interaction design is an important profession that plays a key role in creating digital experiences that are intuitive, efficient, and enjoyable for users. User-centered design is an essential aspect of the design process, placing the needs of users at the forefront of the design process. While well-intentioned amateurs may have a basic understanding of design principles, they lack the specialized training and expertise that professional designers possess. It is important to leave the role of designer to those who have the specialized skills and knowledge required to create effective and user-centered design solutions.

Winter is coming

It’s supposed to snow tomorrow. That would be welcome. A layer of snow to cover and temporarily beautify everything. I don’t have to make snowmen or ride a sled. Just watch. I don’t want to think about the gunk that might follow. Maybe the layer of snow will do away nicely after a day. That would be nice. And then next week once more.

2021

U kunt dit bericht beter overslaan. Het is namelijk niet leuk. Tenzij u wat vreugde kunt putten uit andermans geklaag. Gedeelde smart is halve smart.

Schoorvoetend en somber gestemd strompel ik het nieuwe jaar in. Wat zal ons dit jaar voor ellende staan te wachten? De gifbeker moet eerst nog leeg. In januari staan al enkele tragedies op het programma. Ik kijk er naar uit.

Zwelgen in misère is ook een kunst. Je moet er al je zegeningen voor in de ijskast zetten. Familie, vrienden, gezondheid, geld, werk, zingeving. Het past er eigenlijk niet in. Het valt van de schappen en kijkt me lachend aan.

Nou, laten we het maar eens gaan proberen met 2021.

Badwater op Ultimate Guitar

In mijn jeugd schreef ik geregeld liedjes. Eentje kreeg zelfs wat bekendheid: Badwater, zo heet het liedje. Het is een smartlap waar we ooit een festival mee wonnen. Meer daarover, hierzo: http://nl.wikisage.org/wiki/SV_KoKo#.22Badwater.22

Ik heb de tekst en de muziek nu ook op de website van Ultimate Guitar gezet, wat ik zelf ook veel gebruik tijdens het spelen en oefenen. Hier staat het: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/jeroen-arendsen/badwater-chords-2920976

https://www.facebook.com/achtstelustrumsvkoko/videos/1600097260306196/?v=1600097260306196

Het filmpje is van een lustrumfeest van Studentenvereniging Koko, te Maastricht, waar het nummer altijd aan het einde van de avond gedraaid werd.

10 Ways to Point Politely

Most of you will have heard your mothers tell you: “stop that! it’s rude to point“. Could it be one of those human universals? I have it confirmed from the Netherlands, France, England, United States, Turkey … (please let me know in the comments if it applies in your country)

That doesn’t mean it never happens, of course. But there are many ways in which people, who need to point out a person, will try to avoid being rude. They can:

  1. Use an open hand instead of just the index finger
  2. Supinate (turn upwards) the palm of the hand, though not in extrema
  3. Point beneath a person, not at him. In some games, for example basketball, the referee will point to the feet of the perpetrator of a foul (personal experience)
  4. Keep the hand close to your own body
  5. Point with a nod of your head (and flick your eyebrows)
  6. Point by directing your gaze and then protruding your lips which is in a ‘lower register’ (Laos, Wilkins)
  7. Point with your tongue in your cheek
  8. Shield the pointing finger with your other hand (Bra)
  9. Say ‘the guy at eleven o’clock’ instead
  10. If all else fails, smile and raise your eyebrows and try in every way to appear friendly, not accusing. Perhaps the person being pointed out will be glad of the attention


These two ladies made me suddenly very self-aware. 

Other stuff
Some things to avoid: Pointing with your feet (TUR, FR..) and pointing with objects (TUR..)
Ghana: taboo pointing by the left hand.
Review by D. Leavens of ‘Pointing: Where Language, Culture and Cognition Meet’
S. Kita ed. Blog by Jacob Eisenstein on culture & pointing.

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