Exploring Design Principles

Exploring Design Principles

The iPod shuffle mp3 player is a product that I continue to increasingly enjoy since my acquisition. Apple and namely Steve Jobs are notorious for design thinking and adherence to principles that govern good design with many rumored stories in circulation about product development and Jobs’ reaction to new Apple products. With combination of a great design, sound technology, and the addition of philanthropic support of a cause this product has quickly become a treasure.

Accessibility is the first design principle that the iPod shuffle addresses. The shuffle has no writing on it and only uses iconic representation, symbols and a small light indicator to allow navigation of the device that has no information display. This devise is rendered universal due to the lack of any language use and thus could be marketed internationally with no change in production or design of the product supporting the accessibility of the product by many people. The icons/symbols used in the iPod include a + and – for the volume controls and the arrows for forward and backward in the music library. In terms of functionality the devise mostly appeals to the functions as mp3 player to provide music only and hence most serves the lower more basic needs of the hierarchy of needs and allows the other models with a screen serve to provide more features. The iPod does fulfill functionality, reliability, and usability whereas the shuffle doesn’t explicitly allow for proficiency and creativity. The flexibility-usability tradeoff leans toward being highly usable and hence not very flexible. The shuffle syncs with iTunes and allows transition of pod casts and music to the player with problem. The design incorporates aesthetic-usability effect also due to the simplicity of the design and the extremely simple layout and beautiful presentation. The shuffle is also consistent with the other Apple iPod line with its design and use of white and general controls and shape. Upon measuring the shuffle the golden ratio is also found