Microblog #52, "Living With Complexity, Chapters 3-4"

This post includes the full blog for Living With Complexity


3
Summary
This chapter describes how even simple systems can be difficult to operate. Also getting considerable attention is signage.

Discussion
The examples of all the signs were interesting. I am not surprised at all about security experts duplicating passwords.

4
Summary
This chapter discusses signifiers, which are different from affordances - or at least, so says Norman. These are social or environmental cues to the correct actions to take - with "forcing" it as in affordances. The given example is correctly labeling the salt and pepper shakers.

Discussion
The concept is, as noted, awfully similar to affordances. I think once you understand the first, the second follows naturally.

Full Blog
Summary
This book deals with the extent, role, & scope of complexity in everyday life. Themes include that the world itself is complex, resummarizes the mental model, points out that calling for simplification at all costs is itself and oversimplification, describes how simple systems can become complex and how people cope, and explains signifiers.

Discussion
By this time, we have all come to know what to expect from Norman. This book has some good ideas, but they could have been as easily expressed with a description and an example rather than a whole chapter, and there was of course some repetition from his earlier work.

The point he makes that I like most is that we should only be upset about unneeded complexity, rather than all complexity.

Complexity. From http://www.alanemrich.com/CSR_pages/CSR_Images/SquadLeader(RBM)77.jpg vis GIS