Slanty design describes solutions that purposely reduce aspects of functionality or usability. It's employed when the system must address wider goals than the user might have, when, say, they wish to do something that in the grander scheme of things is less than desirable. Think of it as an anti-affordance.
http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/2007/10/29/slanty-design/ Examples of "Slanty Design" include: - Google's initial omission of the Delete Button in Gmail - Angled surfaces that prevents people from leaving trash on them - Cone-shaped cups that discourages users from leaving them on the table - Baggage carousel with a sloping floor to keep the area clear This technique resonates through many of the posts on Dan Lockton's Architectures of Control weblog. It's one of many ways to implicitly guide the behavior of users and from that point of view it helps inform the practice of interaction design--often by highlighting cautionary tales. Many of the examples on the site are analog in nature, but there are plenty of digital examples to browse through as well. I've pulled out some of the most interesting below. // jeff ANALOG EXAMPLES Architecture as Crime Control http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/2007/10/18/review-architecture- as-crime-control-by-neal-katyal/ Deliberately Creating Worry http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/2007/06/15/deliberately- creating-worry/ Product Psychology to Discourage Anti-Social Behaviour http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/2006/10/20/product-psychology- to-discourage-anti-social-behaviour/ Traffic Management http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/2006/12/22/some-more- architectures-of-control-for-traffic-management/ Anti-Public Seating Roundup http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/2007/07/24/anti-public-seating- roundup/ Controlling Shoppers http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/2006/05/12/controlling-shoppers/ DIGITAL EXAMPLES Changing Behaviour: Water Meter Taps http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/2007/06/28/changing-behaviour- water-meter-taps/ Digital Control Round-up http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/2006/12/30/digital-control- round-up/ Epson Messes Up My Day http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/2006/10/21/epson-messes-up-my-day/ Do You Really Need to Print That? http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/2007/11/06/do-you-really-need- to-print-that/ Dishonourable Discharge? http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/2007/08/07/dishonourable- discharge/ Making Energy Use Visible http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/2007/07/24/making-energy-use- visible/ ________________________________________________________________ *Come to IxDA Interaction08 | Savannah* February 8-10, 2008 in Savannah, GA, USA Register today: http://interaction08.ixda.org/ ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
