DOET-Style Evaluation

During the process of designing an object it is important to do a DOET-Style

evaluation. During this process a specific object, in our case the refrigerator of user 1 is
being evaluated on the following criteria: affordances and cues, constraints, natural
mappings, feedback and visibility, and errors. Using these details one gains a better
knowledge of the object that is being improved upon.

Affordances and Cues

The affordance that assures users that the fridge door is to be pulled rather than
push is the door handle. The reason that a user will pull rather than push is because the
fridge is behind the handle. One cannot push the handle and expect for the door to open
since the fridge stands against the push. Therefore, a user knows that he or she must pull
rather than push. But the designs of the door handle needs improvement, a designer
should not expect for a user to know that he or she must pull and not push for the mere
fact that the fridge stands against the push. An example of when a user could push or pull
a door handle would be a door that allows the user to either enter or exit a building or a
room. Going back to the door handle of a fridge, one should design the door handle in a
way that will give a user the cue that the door handle’s affordance is to pull and not push.
One design of the door handle that would trigger the user to pull would be a handle with
an arch with bumpy edges, resembling the grip on one’s hand, like the following:

This redesign of the doors handle gives the affordance that the handle must be griped, due
to the edges replicating a hand grip, and pulled, due to the arch of the handle since one’s
instinct is to pull anything that is arched towards him. There are many cues that trigger a
user the affordance of an artifact. Some cues are stronger than others, but the stronger the
cue of an artifact the less likely an error will occur between the user and his intent.
 The strongest cue of this fridge, the artifact of one of our users, is the design of
the thermostat. On each side of the knob, there is a picture of a thermometer shaded low
for “colder” and shaded high for “less cold.” This is a strong design since a user can just
look at the knob and its arrow and determine easily whether he or she wants it colder or
not by looking at the arrow and deciding where to point, “colder” or “cold.”

Constraints

There are several kinds of constraints: physical, semantic, cultural and logical.
These constraints are used to limit the user and prevent unwanted use of in this case a
refrigerator. Physical constraints limit the number of actions possible with the physical
use of a given device. The racks of the refrigerator can be pulled out and even taken out,
but in order to do so one must pull them out, lift up slightly and pull some more. This is
due to a small plastic knob that prevents the shelves from being pulled out accidentally.
Another physical constraint is the size of the shelves on the door of the refrigerator.
Because they are smaller they limit the size of objects that can fit on it, preventing a user
to place objects that are large and unwieldy on the door.
The second constraint, semantics, rely on a user’s previous knowledge of the
world. When a user needs to place objects into the fridge he already recognizes which
items go in the freezer and which door leads to the freezer. Also, the fridge comes with
large and small drawers and areas that are covered. It’s up the user to know what to use
with these. The drawers for this particular fridge are not labeled. For example the bottom
drawers of this fridge that would typically be a fresh vegetable drawer, or meat drawer
leave it up to the users of the fridge to know how they are meant to be used. Finally the
refrigerator has magnetic doors which are not apparent unless the user knows that
refrigerator doors tend to afford magnets.
 The third constraint, cultural constraints depend upon cultural conventions that
are not affected by physical size or operation of the device. In terms of the refrigerator for
example, it is known what is suppose to go in the fridge vs. the freezer. For example eggs
go in the fridge and not the freezer. These constraints are what make sense to the people
using the fridge. There is no reason that eggs could not fit in the freezer, but that it is not
something that is a norm.
The last constraint is logical constraints, in which logic dictates how something is
used. One way this constraint is depicted is a process of elimination. For example, if a
user is trying to place a large item in the fridge they might first turn to the door, see that
the object wouldn’t fit, they might then try the drawers, which also would not fit. Finally,
the only place left to fit the item would be on one of the shelves. Logical constraints and
natural mapping are related. Natural mappings work by providing logical constraints.
One example of this is that the door handles have finger slots. This natural mapping
affords opening the door, providing logical constraints to how to open the fridge.

Natural Mappings

Natural mappings help one to understand why users make errors when working
with a device, and how the user interacts with the device. The temperature control knob is
an example of how natural mapping is apparent in a refrigerator. There are labels around
the knob. The numbers on the knob number 0 – 6 (see picture above), but the way it is
arranged can be confusing for a user. Unnaturally enough, the zero is located nearest the
six, instead of the one. Zero is for turning off the refrigerator, and one is the warmest
temperature setting, while six is the coldest temperature setting. One would think that as
the numbers decrease, so would the temperature. However, this knob indicates that a
higher number corresponds to a lower temperature. So it is unusual that six is the highest
number as well as the coldest temperature. Another problem is that zero is not near one, it
is near the six. Users may be confused by this because they assume that zero is the
beginning and turn the knob counterclockwise. The labeled helps the user understand that
if they turn the knob, the temperature changes. The mapping influences the user’s intent
and actions and how our actions change the device and the system.

Visibility and Feedback

When studying and redesigning a product, one must take into account the visibility of
the object’s features and the types of feedback. The visibility reflects the need to make
relevant parts of the product visible so the user knows what to expect and where things
end and begin. One example, plastic shelf lips, are commonly a different color or
material than the rest of the shelf, and let the user know where the shelf ends and
therefore how close items can be put to the edge. In many cases this extra lip also acts a
guard against liquid spills spreading. Another visibility characteristic are the little knobs
on the side of the fridge, which indicate to the user where adjustable shelves can be
adjusted. It also lets the user know that the shelves put there will be held in place.
Similarly, the wording next to the temperature control gives the user instructions in case
they do not understand how to use the control properly. This also draws attention to the
temperature control unit, as its location may not be immediately obvious. Lastly, the lips
on the vegetable/crisper drawers let the user know that the shelves are different from one
another (there are commonly two), and that they are different than the rest of the shelves.
Feedback, on the other hand, is supposed to let the user know when something
has changed – whether by them or automatically by the product. In the refrigerator, the
light turns on when the door has been opened, and also turns off when the door is near
closing or closed. This allows the user to see food when the door is open, and allows the
refrigerator to save energy by having the light off when the door is closed. An auditory
feedback many people have noted was a slight sucking sound whenever the seal between
the door and the unit has been broken or when the door reseals. This occurs when the
door is opening or closing. A tactile feedback is the temperature difference between the
freezer and the refrigerator. In a normal fridge, the freezer is very icy and usually emits
visible clouds of condensation when opened, versus the refrigerator, which feels cold to
the touch but does not emit any visual. All of these characteristics allow the user know
when something has changed.

Errors

An error that is common in user interactions with the refrigerator is that they leave
the door ajar when closing it. The user has the intention of closing the door completely,
but the door does not close because the user does not use enough force to close the door.
This is considered a mistake because of the misjudgment of the user. The importance of
this error deals mainly with energy conservation, and preservation of the food. Improper
closure keeps the motor running, and brings the overall temperature higher. Another
error occurs when users tend to leave food in the refrigerator or freezer; the food either
rots or gets freezer burn. This error is caused by the user forgetting how long the food has
been in the fridge, or not being able to see the products. This is an associative error slip,
in that the user actually lacks the cues of the external data that allows the user to know
the current condition of the products. The fridge’s design allows for neglect by the user
of the products in the back. This is important to the user because, and rotten or inedible
product can be harmful to the body if consumed, and it would also be a waste of money
and/or product if it cannot be consumed. Another user error that has been made was the
user making the temperature of the fridge too cold, therefore causing some of the
products to freeze, or at least ruin. This is a user mistake, because the user changes the
temperature consciously, but without knowing what the temperature should be kept at.
Again this is an economic issue, as this error can be seen as a waste of money and
product.

Conclusion

Using the DOET-style evaluation we have gained a greater appreciation of the

object that we are focusing on for redesign. From affordances and cues we learned how
the fridge displays to the user how the user should interact with it. From constraints we
gained an appreciation of what fridges inherently allow users to do. The natural mappings
used by the fridge can provide insights to the user as to how something is used. Studying
visibility shows how the fridge provides information to the use of the fridge to the user
while, feedback lets the user know when a change has occurred, such as the light turning
on and off with the fridge door. Finally studying errors show common mistakes or slips
by the user in which the outcome is not intended. From these details we have gained a
better understanding of this fridge in specific, and a better idea of what to look for in
other fridges. This information will allow for a better overall redesign of the fridge.

Credits:

Steffan McMurrin
Introduction
Conclusion
Constraints
Editor

Jennifer Lee
Visibility and Feedback
Editor

Lisa Duy
Natural Mapping ( Still need)

Albert Anaya
Affordances and Cues

Caz Salamanca
Errors