March 24, 2006
Notifications
Notification of bike parking violations. Tokyo above, Chengdu, below. Which is more practical? efficient? noticed by the violator? noticed by the other membes of society? noticed by the peson who enforces violations?
Posted by Jan at 10:06 PM | Comments (3)
March 16, 2006
Learning From Extreme Products
These photos, taken last year on a private trip to Chengdu, are from a shop selling equipment for the emergency services. As with the PLA store it was open to the public - so uniforms, accessories, ID badges and flashing lights to stick on the roof of your car were all for sale to whomever was able to stump up the cash.
Two police officers (or possibly private security guards, I'm not especially china-uniform-literate) were standing next to me checking out various electric shock devices and in the spirit of try-before-you-buy they decided to, well, try-before-they-bought. Since this was a small shop the electric current crackled a couple of feet from my face for each of the 3 models they tried. The guards appeared to be discussing the merits of each device before picking one out then moving on to negotiate the price with the owner.
The unique selling points appeared to be their size and whether the case was metal or plastic. The packaging advertised that they could shock to 35,000 Watts of power, a fact which I was not interested in validating. They had already succumbed to feature creep - the most feature rich included a torch, siren and electric shock button with the design making it possible to multi-task... see who you're electrocuting as they hold their hands up to cover their ears. I picked out a large plastic model which from the perspective of someone trying to subdue an assailant has the potential additional benefit of being usable as a cosh, it costs 100 RMB (8 Euro).
The three buttons on the device were identical so the only way to know which button belonged to which feature was trial and error. The design was not particularly smart given that people are prone to forget the details of infrequently carried out tasks. The electric shock feature did not work unless a plug, otherwise dangling from a short strap, was inserted in a socket on the base of the device. At least that's the theory - what is the quality assurance of a device that costs 100 RMB?
This shop happened to be in China, but I'm pretty sure I would have similar legal or grey-market consumer choices from Colombia to Canada, the UK to the US.
Designers often talk about learning from lead users or extreme users. What merits are there for looking at and learning from extreme products both in terms of their design, and in the moral/ethical/commercial/legal reaction of society to those products?
Posted by Jan at 10:44 PM | Comments (1)
March 12, 2006
Localised Design
An example of a localised seat design for an airline in China (Sichuan Air or Air China if I recall correctly). The cup holder can support the almost ubitquitously carried green tea/hot water containers (above) without having to lower the main tray (below).
Posted by Jan at 07:39 AM | Comments (0)
March 09, 2006
Consumer Options
Four batteries for sale in China.
Covering a gamut of real consumer options: official Nokia; fake Nokia; premium non-Nokia - costs just below the official Nokia price but doesn't pretend to be official; and generic no-brand. Getting what you pay for? Getting what you perceive you pay for? Quality assurance? Risks?
Posted by Jan at 09:38 AM | Comments (3)
January 22, 2006
Barriers to Market Entry
You buy and sell second hand phones. What steps do you need to take before deciding whether to purchase a second hand device? How easy is it to check that the device works? And given that, what is the minimum infrastructure you need be able to operate? What are the barriers to entering the market?
A sign, a display case, somewhere to sit and something to sell. Photo from the extensive mobile phone market around Chengdu's Tai Shen Lan Lu.
Posted by Jan at 11:02 AM | Comments (0)
January 13, 2006
Notification
It turns out the markings left on a bike saddle by parking attendents in Chengdu are largely water resistant. And if you manage to leave your bike parked overnight for whatever reason, then the saddle will be marked with the fine needed to pay to get your bike back. Somewhat surprised to find it in one piece.
Posted by Jan at 04:59 PM | Comments (0)
December 23, 2005
Used Sales
Traders haggle over the price of a barely used, boxed mobile phone. One trader's stall in the foreground - buying and selling used phones, and a list of phone numbers for sale.
Photo taken last week in Chengdu.
Posted by Jan at 12:34 AM | Comments (0)
Cleanliness (Not Godliness)
Not come across this kind of infrastructure outside Asia Pacific: public phone charging station in Chengdu airport includes a small sterilisation pad (just above the red cables, inside the machine). On my travels Seoul appears to be the world capital of cleanliness paranoia - mobile phones shops such as Phone & Fun and member's clubs such as TTL have cleaning stations where you can wipe down, air-blast and sterlise your mobile phone.
What cultural differences are there in attitudes to cleanliness? Practical differences like dealing with dirt, access to clean water, the affects of extreme humidity, dust, animals living on-site or diseases? How does the perception of cleanliness of an environment affect use of infrastructure or personal objects and devices?
And lastly, just because the infrastructure is there does not mean it is being used, is used effectively, is understood, or is on a practical level, necessary.
Posted by Jan at 12:11 AM | Comments (0)
December 22, 2005
Unexpected Behaviours
Cycling in Chinese cities I was frequently surprised by electric bicyles - the driver seated often with feet resting on pedals, but not pedalling, nor the sound of a motor, yet faster, silently and effortlessly drifting by.
What makes a bicycle a bicycle? Or a motorbike a motorbike? At what point do objects outgrow their original names? To what extent are new features, or the way we use an object constrained by its legacy features, expectations of how it should be used?
Posted by Jan at 11:49 PM | Comments (0)
Scale of Repair Cultures
Formal and highly organised mobile phone repair culture in Chengdu, above and more disorganised and smaller scale TV and other electronics repair in Lhasa below. What are the pre-requisites for informal repair cultures? What are the repair volumes for TVs vs mobile phones? Diversity of stocks? Size of components?
Posted by Jan at 11:38 PM | Comments (0)
Premiums
Phone numbers for sale from one of the many street vendors in Chengdu. The plus numbers e.g. +10, +20 refer to the RMB premiums required to buy those numbers. The phone number 86823666 has a premium of +400 RMB (40 Euro). Prioritisation of user preferences can lead to charging premiums, or alternately giving discounts.
Posted by Jan at 11:19 PM | Comments (0)
December 20, 2005
Perceived Threat, Perceived Security
Street market in Lhasa sells a wide range of underwear with security pocket for men (shown but not tested) and women. We've had blind user study participants in India who used scent amongst other criteria to know the denomination of bank-notes, and I wonder to what extent the inevitable smell of sweat/urine/blood would affect this understanding? In what other contexts will objects pick up a physical or digital scent?
It's easy to underestimate how the perceived risk of theft affects how objects are carried and then positioned when not in use, and how for people living in that environment it becomes second nature.
Spent a couple of hours in coffee shop in Chengdu - observed the same behaviour on two separate tables: person A sits down and (is later proved to be) waiting for person B. Person A takes off coat and hangs it on the inside of the back of the chair and waits 10+ minutes for person B to arrive. Person A has strong tactile feedback with the coat. Person B arrives and takes off coat and hangs it on the outside of the chair - minimal tactile feedback to the coat. Person B is able to rely on the eyes of Person A to notice a theft attempt of the the coat itself, whereas Person A needs to fend for herself for a while at least and hangs the coat in in a manner that makes its removal more noticeable.
Yes, should have taken a photos to explain this, but it simply wasn't the right thing to do in the context. And yes, 80 RMB (8 Euro) for a cafe presse with fresh ground coffee was a little steep.
Posted by Jan at 11:56 PM | Comments (5)
Natural Stack
Posted by Jan at 10:15 PM | Comments (0)
December 18, 2005
The Way It Is Balanced
Posted by Jan at 11:55 PM | Comments (0)
Cultural Reference Points
Global cultural centers of gravity shift.
Today's Mouse will be tomorrow's mouse.
How much does your job rely on creativity?
How much of your creativity is based on your deep insights into local cultural norms?
How long will it take before the global cultural center of gravity shifts to marginalize your culture?
How long before the (global) relevance that you take for granted is gone?
How long before your job is no longer relevant?
What do you need to do to stay relevant?
Photo taken earlier this year wandering around Old Delhi.
Posted by Jan at 10:01 PM | Comments (0)
Odd Choices, Space For Media Consumption
Been trying to figure this out. Both toilet booths don't have their own toilet paper holder - the user needs to reach outside to grab some sheets. First time you need to go you end up with none and have to open the door, reach outside. Second time and you are more likely to over-estimate need and take too much paper.
Many Chinese public toilets don't have doors individual booths - is this an obscure attempt to increase the sociobility of the (mainly western) users of this toilet?
In many cultures the toilet is: a private space; where the user has one or two hands free some of the time; that is socially acceptable to enter a number of times during the day (though there can be a social stigma associated with staying too long if this is tracked) - making it perfect for short bursts of communication or media consumption. Women have the relative advantage in that sitting typically takes longer than standing and provides more opportunity for two handed device interaction.
Posted by Jan at 09:17 PM | Comments (0)
December 13, 2005
Low Tech Solution
Pedestrians are stopped from crossing road by rope, which is dropped when its OK to cross. Lo-tech barrier.
Posted by Jan at 12:40 PM | Comments (0)
Perpetual Lube
Is it possible for an extractor fan to self-lubricate?
Posted by Jan at 12:33 PM | Comments (0)
Context, Trust
Spent the afternoon wandering around Chengdu with an inspiring traveler. We knew the direction of the center of town so we headed in roughly the opposite direction following our noses for the whole afternoon. In a small side alley off the main thoroughfare of a street market we chanced upon the local equivalent of a sex shop - a gentleman with a motorbike, the back of which is folded out to reveal a range of libido enhancers and condoms.
Buy a single Viagra which comes in an authentic looking Viagra container, the seal of which is already broken. Assume it is a fake - have no desire to validate.
Further along the alley there are two other ad-hoc sex shops. Why are they clustered in this alley?
To what degree does the environment convey trust in the product or service for sale?
In a market with a high degree of fakes, and with a product that is easy to fake, what extra steps does a consumer make during the purchasing process? How does it affect use?
Posted by Jan at 12:22 PM | Comments (0)
Sole
Street cleaners bicycle. Plus minus link.
Posted by Jan at 12:02 PM | Comments (0)
Recycling Buildings
Many parts of Chengdu are active building sites. One end of this apartment block is being torn down, whilst the other is still occupied as a temporary home by construction workers. On the top floor a work team is dismantleing the building brick by brick which are then stacked ready for re-use on another building. A fine layer of dust covers everything.
Posted by Jan at 11:45 AM | Comments (0)
December 12, 2005
Fused
Posted by Jan at 12:17 PM | Comments (0)
Payment Status Indicator
If you want to park a bicycle in the center of a Chinese city chances are you need to use a bike-parking lot. Attendant marks the saddle to show that you have paid. Wonder how effective this is in the rain?
Posted by Jan at 11:42 AM | Comments (0)
December 11, 2005
Protection
Unusual to find these arm protectors on white collar workers.
Posted by Jan at 07:43 PM | Comments (0)
Worn, Trusted, Painful
The degree to which his instruments were worn implied trust that they could do their job. Just a little too blunt to be an enjoyable shave. Highly skilled, and gentle hands. His whole ensemble of tools packs away into a little suitcase hanging on the wall.
Posted by Jan at 07:30 PM | Comments (0)