What's in a Typeface?

Typefaces (or fonts, as they are more commonly known) are an important but often neglected part of visual design.  Each typeface brings something different to the table, since every typeface has its own distinct personality and degrees of readability ("how easily a line of text can be read") and legibility ("letter recognition") (Yoshida 2).

(For the sake of being technically correct, I should clarify that a "typeface" is “a particular style of type design including the full range of characters, in all sizes," while a "font" is "a specific variation of a
typeface in a specific point size" (Yoshida 1).)

In selecting a font to examine in more depth, I decided to go off the beaten path (as I often do) and look at Matisse ITC, a font that comes standard on most systems but is not often seen. 

Matisse is based on a typeface created by designer Gregory Gray, who worked on a special Matisse-focused issue of Madame Figaro, a supplement to Paris's Figaro newspaper.  Using an X-Acto knife, he cut the letters out of paper and scanned them into a computer (source: the "About This Font" tab on this page).

I'm going to outline my analysis of Matisse according to the three traits I mentioned earlier: legibility, readability, and personality, as Kathleen Burke Yoshida did in her article "Avoiding Typeface Terrors."  Since these characteristics, particularly personality, are subjective, I will provide some rationalization for my judgments.

Here is what the typeface looks like (18pt.) in Microsoft Word:

(do you like it?)

Legibility:
Yoshida advocates the use of a simple test to determine legibility: you cover either the top half or the bottom half of a line of text and see if you can still read it.  Try it with the text provided below, which is taken from Yoshida's article.  Click on the picture of the text to expand it to its full size, and use a piece of opaque paper to cover either half of the letters.  Again, the text is written Microsoft Word in Matisse 18pt.

How did you do?
Me, I didn't do so well.  When I covered the bottom half of the letters, the r's, d's, and p's looked alike, and it was difficult to tell the difference between e's and f's.  It was also hard to make out the n's.
I had an even harder time when I covered the top half of the letters.  Since many of the letter bottoms consist of very similar sharp points and angles, the letters are hard to distinguish when their top halves are covered.  For example, o's look like n's, which would probably also look like v's even though there aren't any v's in the text above.
So Matisse gets low scores on legibility. 

Readability:
Matisse is probably not the most readable typeface out there.  While it does have a tall x-height, the letters are narrow, and the default letter-spacing (or tracking) settings on Microsoft Word make the letters appear very close together.  Also, upper- and lower-case letters are not easily distinguishable in this typeface, which may make lines of certain texts difficult to read.
As in any other typeface, increasing the point size of Matisse increases its readability, as the picture below illustrates.

(Matisse in different point sizes.  Source: the Waterfall feature on Fonts.com)

Personality:
The variations in stroke weight, from very narrow to very heavy, give the typeface a very human, organic feel.  The letter elements look as if they could be carved or created by applying different levels of pressure to a brush.  Since most of the letter elements are created with heavier stroke weights, one could say that Matisse is a rather "loud" or "bold" typeface," and whimsical touches, like the dotted capital I and wide angles in the lower-case m and n, give it a "funky" and distinctive flair.  Like most other sans serif typefaces, Matisse is on the casual end of the spectrum, but it takes the casualness to another level with its lack of uniform sizes of ascenders, descenders, and other letter elements across the typeface.

My conclusion?  Matisse is really fun and distinctive typeface, but it would be reserved for headlines or really short blocks of text that you want to stand out.  It can also be used to provide initial caps, as suggested by Gregory Gray, himself (see the "About This Font" tab on this page).

What are your thoughts?  Do you have any experience using Matisee?

Are We Postmodern, or Post-Postmodern?

 
"Postmodern" is a term that most people have probably heard of, but do they truly know what it means?

Ihab Hassan, in his essay "The Culture of Postmodernism," grapples with this very issue.  He presents several ways of looking at and defining postmodernism, some of which I will quote below:

"But what better name have we to give this curious age?  The Atomic, or Space, or Television, Age?  These technological tags lack theoretical definition.  Or shall we call it the Age of Indetermanence (interdeterminancy & immanence) as I have half-antically proposed?  Or better still, shall we simply live and let others live to call us what they may?" (121)

"Modernism and postmodernism are not separated by an Iron Curtain or Chinese Wall; for history is a palimpsest, and culture is permeable to time past, time present, and time future" (121)

"Postmodernism, by invoking two divinities at once, engages a double view.  Sameness and difference, unity and rupture, filiation and revolt, all must be honored if we are to attend to history, apprehend (perceive, understand) change both as a spatial, mental structure and as a temporal, physical process, both as pattern and unique event" (121)

"Or is it a 'theory of change' itself an oxymoron best suited to ideologies intolerant of the ambiguities of time?  Should postmodernism, then, be left -- at least for the moment -- unconceptualized, a kind of literary-historical 'difference' or 'trace'?" (122)

"Postmodernism can expand into a still larger problem: is it only an artistic tendency or also a social phenomenon, perhaps even a mutation in Western humanism?" (122)

(photo: found here and used in accordance with a Creative Commons license)

I do think that postmodernism is a social as well as literary phenomenon, so much so that the philosophy behind it has permeated into virtually every aspect of our culture, causing us to take many of the tenets of postmodernism for granted.  For example, the Internet blurs the boundaries of traditional media so completely that we are left with no other choice but to consider it an entirely new media onto itself, and we as a society do not challenge this idea or consider it in any way unnatural.  The Internet has also made new ways of collaborating possible.  We've become so accustomed to "news feeds" containing a stream of status updates from the people we follow on social networking sites (like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) that most of us don't stop and ask, "Who's intellectual property is my news feed?"

Can it be, then, that we've entered a post-postmodern era?  Feel free to weigh in on this philosophical debate by leaving a comment.

Works Cited:

Hassan, Ihab. “The Culture of Postmodernism.” Theory, Culture, and Society 2.3 (1985): 119-131.

Sometimes Age is More Than Just a Number

The age range of a product's intended audience is certainly a major consideration for usability professionals.  To illustrate this concept, I chose two web sites offering tutorials on using the Internet: one aimed toward elementary-school children ("Get Your Web License" by PBS Kids) and one geared toward adults ("Internet Basics" by the Goodwill Community Foundation (GCF)).

"Get Your Web License" by PBS Kids

This site offers a hands-on way for kids to learn the basics of Internet use, including Internet safety, Net etiquette, and the syntax of web site addresses (all of which were phrased in more kid-friendly terms, of course!).  Upon entering the site, the visitor is asked to provide his or her name so that it can be printed on their Web License upon completion of the tutorial.

(Note: The first screenshot for this site shows the page as it appears in my browser.  The remaining shots will have much of the empty space surrounding the main images cropped out.  The excessive blank space is offensive to my developing designer sensibilities.)

(home page / starting point for "Get Your Web License)

The visitor is then presented with a map featuring various stops along a circular path, with each stop offering an opportunity to allow him or her to either show what they know on a particular topic or learn more about it.

(map for getting the Web License)

(question about website privacy policies) 

(I got it right!)

 
Upon correctly answering a quiz question at that stop, that area on the path will appear in color to designate it as visited.

(and the hills are alive...)

When the visitor has correctly answered all questions along the path, he or she will be told that their Web License is ready for pick-up and asked to chose the road appropriate to their gender.

(my license is ready!)

A personalized, printable Web License is then provided.

(yay me!  I just wish getting my actual driver's license was this easy, but that's a story for another place and time)

Based on my reading and research, this site effectively addresses the need of child learners.

First, the quiz/tutorial can be completed quickly, which satisfies the desire for instant gratification that is common in most young children.  The cognitive skills required to delay gratification and to think "long term", which help to sustain attention for long periods, are acquired and developed in children as they grow (Gleitman 611).  The incentive of gaining a tangible reward, which, in this case, is the printable license, serves as an external motivator to obtain and prove knowledge.  Such a motivation is essential to foster a desire for learning in children.  According to Prof. Clifford Madsen, "Motivation must first be external before it can be internal," and psychologist Kim Dolgin is also quoted as saying that external motivators are effective because "it feels so good to succeed" (Cook 41).  Thus, the printable license offers its earner a physical representation of his or her success in "passing the Internet driving test" and provides a crucial sense of accomplishment.  

The site also addresses the usability analysis dimensions as defined by Jennifer Turns and Tracey S. Wagner in their article "Characterizing Audience for Informational Web Site Design."  In their study, Turns and Wagner delineated six factors to consider when evaluating web site usability:

1.  Role of the user

2.  User's goals

3.  User's knowledge

4.  Human factors

5.  Circumstances of use

6.  User's culture

Most relevant to our analysis of the "Get Your Web License" site are "user's knowledge," "human factors," and "user's culture."

"User's knowledge":  According to Turns and Wagner, "Information about users' knowledge can influence a variety of system design issues, such as the vocabulary used in the text, the range of topics covered, the information provided about a topic, and the technical capabilities made available in the system" (72).  The creators of "Get Your Web License" site evidently had this principle in mind when choosing the topics to be covered, as no topic addressed on the site could be described as "very technical and complex," and the information provided on the site can be readily understood and used by elementary school students.

"Human factors":  Turns and Wagner quote Marlana Coe as saying that "the field of human factors is devoted to the study of human capabilities and limitations (both physical and cognitive) as they affect the user's ability to accomplish his or her goals" (72).  It is fitting, then, that the designers of the site chose to provide simple and straightforward ways for the young user to provide their responses: typing is only required once, and all that the child is required to type is his or her name.  The rest of the interaction with the computer is conducted through "pointing and clicking" and providing answers via radio buttons.  It really doesn't get much simpler than that, making the site easy for children to use.

"User's culture": "Culture refers to shared beliefs, language, practices, traditions, and values of a group of people" (Turner 72).  The site appeals to the "culture" of children, making references that apply to kids' everyday lives, such as asking parents and teachers for help.  Some answers to questions, like the one in the "Be Nice" area of the map, address children's desire for social acceptance ("Saying mean things is never helpful. Nobody likes mean people.").

Other elements of the site's design, such as color and typography, also appeal to the target audience.  The bright colors used throughout the site are eye-catching and help to sustain the child's attention throughout the quiz/tutorial.  It is interesting to note that the license itself appears in black and white (with the exception of the "OFFICIAL" stamp, which is in red), giving it the feel of a "real" and "adult" document.  Also, the typeface in which the questions are presented is large enough for children to see them without strain or effort, thereby facilitating the learning process.  The font used to present the title at the top of each page of the site is unconventional, casual, and "fun," helping to convey the idea that the quiz/tutorial is meant to be enjoyable.

"Internet Basics" by the Goodwill Community Foundation

This educational site is designed to "provide quality, innovative online learning opportunities to anyone who wants to improve the technology... skills necessary for them to be successful in both work and life. GCF believe[s] there's freedom in the ability to learn what you want, when you want, regardless of your circumstances."  Thus, it can be used by adults of all ages, but it is meant to accommodate the needs of people with little Web experience and who may have physical disabilities (according to their Accessibility page: "To enable people, regardless of disability, to access the content on GCFLearnfree.org, we have designed the site to meet the current United States federal guidelines on accessibility as stated in Section 508. Where interactive content is used on the site to convey concepts that are inherently visual or auditory, we provide alternate content in an accessible format.")

(the "Internet Basics" home page)

In a podcast on the topic of audience analysis, Prof. Ken Ronkowitz states that adult learners tend to want practical application, rather than theory, presented to them first.  While GCF's course in Internet Basics does begin by presenting some history and definitions, it provides some real-world examples of the terms presented (e.g., in a discussion of clients and servers: "Your web browser (such as Internet Explorer or Netscape) is client software.").  In this way, the adult learner's desire to apply what they're learning to their current situation is satisfied.

Furthermore, research in the field of andragogy shows that adults learn best when they can relate new knowledge to what they already know or have learned previously.  Although users are free to click on lessons in any order, GCF's site is structured in such a way that lessons build on what was presented in prior lessons, thus addressing the general preferences of adult learners.

We can apply the six factors of website usability outlined by Turns and Wagner to this site, as well.  "User's goals," "User's knowledge," and "Human factors," are particularly relevant to our analysis of GCF's Internet Basics tutorial.

"User's goals": "Information about user goals can guide decisions about the scope, character, and organization of a site's content" (Turns 69).  While the main goal of likely visitors is obvious (i.e., learning about the Internet and how to use it), each user might be looking for different types of content (information on Internet security, a tutorial on how to use a web browser, etc.).  Dividing the overall content of the site into separate lessons and clearly listing the topics of the lessons helps users who are looking for specific information as well as those who want to track their progress as they progress through the entire tutorial.  Furthermore, links to articles are provided for those users who want to go beyond the tutorials and learn about a topic in more depth.

"User's knowledge":  The site successfully caters to both novice Internet users and users who have some experience but want to enhance their understanding of certain topics.  Thus, the only knowledge the user is assumed to have upon entering the site is how to "point and click," and a broad spectrum of skill levels can be served by the site's content and layout.

"Human factors":  To address the needs of colorblind users, the color scheme of the site consists largely of gray, black, and white, with some accents in blue and orange.  Thus, the information provided on the site can be easily read by people with this handicap.  Also, a lesson on adjusting the Accessibility options in web browsers is offered in the tutorial.  Since minimal physical movement is required to navigate through and interact with the site and its lessons, the site caters to the usability requirements of those users who have limited mobility in their hands and wrists.

      

Works Cited

Cook, Janice. "Motivating through Extrinsic and Intrinsic Rewards." The American Music Teacher 53.2 (2003): 41-2.

Gleitman, Henry, Alan J. Fridlund, and Daniel Reisberg.  Psychology.  6th ed.  New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2004.

Ronkowitz, Ken.  "Audience Analysis."  PTC 605: Elements of Visual Design.  New Jersey Institute of Technology.  15 Sept. 2009.  Web.  20 Sept. 2009.

Turns, Jennifer and Tracy S. Wagner.  "Characterizing Audience for Informational Web Site Design."  Technical Communication 51.1 (2004): 68-85.  Print.

It's All Connected (As Are We): Communication Theory and the Internet

 
Lately, I've been doing some reading on communication theory and how the various traditions within the field help to explain the nature of human interaction.  Also striking is that some of the theories, at times, seem to contradict each other, at least at at first glance.

One such theory, sometimes referred to as the cybernetic tradition, postulates that communication is really a form of information processing.  Specifically, it explains "how all kinds of complex systems, whether living or nonliving, macro or micro, are able to function and why they often malfunction" (Craig 141).

Does this description remind you of computer systems in any way?  I know it does for me.  There's a good reason for this: the scholars in the cybernetic tradition draw a direct parallel between the way humans communicate and how computers transmit messages:

"For cybernetics, the distinction between mind and matter is only a functional distinction like that between software and hardware...Cybernetics...is also interesting and sometimes implausible for a commonsense view because it points out surprising analogies between living and nonliving systems, challenges commonplace beliefs about the significance of consciousness and emotion, and questions our usual distinctions between mind and matter, form and content, the real and the artificial" (Craig 141).

It would seem, then, that there are uncanny similarities between humans and computers.  Are these commonalities due to humans being the "Creator" of computers, thus making them in their own image, or are they due to there being no other efficient ways to transmit messages?  I'm not sure there's any definitive answer here.

(photo: found here and used in accordance with a Creative Commons license)

Just as the Internet creates a network of computers and, by association, humans, we're also connected in our communications can be broken down into the same basic elements.  However, scholars in the field of communication theory disagree on exactly what those fundamental parts are.

Competing with the cybernetic tradition is the phenomenological tradition, which describes communication as "the experience of otherness" (Craig 138).

Specifically, "Communication theorized in this way explains the interplay of identity and difference in authentic human relationships and cultivates communication practices that enable and sustain authentic relationships...In thus experiencing the other's expression toward me, I directly experience our commonality and also our difference, not only the other as other to me but myself as other to the other...It problematizes such commonsense distinctions as those between mind and body, facts and values, words and things...Only dialogue satisfies the basic human needs for 'companionship, friendship, and love,' but mass communication expresses an 'equally noble impulse' toward normative universality that often conflicts with the demands of intimacy" (Craig 138-140).

So, what are we to believe: that we're like computers or that humans are wholly separate from machines in their functioning?

I tend to believe that the answer lies somewhere in the middle.  In other words, these two traditions, in my view, should not necessarily be seen as competing views but, instead, complementary schools of thought that help to explain the complexities of human interactions.  The rise of the Internet and our relationship with it causes us to question whether we are, or are becoming, posthuman, forcing us to re-evaluate how we relate to ourselves, each other, and the world.  I'm certain that new communication theories will be postulated and tested as a result, which may consist of hybrids of previously presented traditions.

Feel free to communicate any thoughts you may have on this subject by leaving a comment below. 

Works Cited:

Craig, Robert T. “Communication Theory as a Field.” Communication Theory 9.2 (1999): 119-161.

Whose "Fault" Is It, Anyway?: Analyzing the Design of "It's Not My Fault"

Since the disciplines of usability and user-experience engineering have their foundations in the principles of design, I thought it would be appropriate for me to learn more about design in general, since my familiarity with the fundamental concepts of design is rather limited. To start with, I decided to examine how the various aspects of a YouTube video (since I seem to be on that site every day, anyway) work together to communicate to the viewer.

Check out the video I chose, "It's Not My Fault" by Claire Mason, below.



(Let me preface my analysis by saying that what follows is only my own interpretation.  I look forward to hearing if others agree or disagree with me.)

One of the most prominent aspects of this piece is the way in which it employs repetition.  While the repetition is not used to create an actual pattern on the screen, it does help to create unity and establish the theme of the video.  Similarly, the lack of variety in the images -- particularly in terms of relative size, color, and shape -- emphasizes the monotony of the "narrator's" voice, which may have been meant to convey the inherently expressionless and emotionless nature of technology.  Computers are devoid of emotion because they are mechanical, and it is their mechanical nature that makes them vulnerable to malfunctions, or "faults."  Any corruption of the data, or disruption of a stream of data, used to communicate a message results in a distortion of that message and a change in its meaning, as illustrated in this video.  This idea, I think, serves as the theme of the piece.

Also helping to convey the mechanical "flavor" of the video are the geometric (read: inorganic) shapes that appear throughout.  Indeed, only rectangular shapes are seen, which is fitting since all computer windows are rectangles.  The way in which these windows overlap, with no space in between the top and bottom windows, is also reminiscent of how computer windows overlap on a screen and help to create a "flat" texture.  Furthermore, the black text on the white background is identical the default color scheme used in word processors, thus adding to the "generic" feel of the visuals. 

There are, however, some features of the video that temper its computerized nature.  The artist could have chosen a much more technical- or mechanical-looking font, such as OCR A Standard, but, instead, elected to use a font that's more similar to Arial or Calibri.  Such fonts are frequently used in print and other media that are not related to computers.  The haphazard way in which the windows pile on top of each other also creates a sense of tension and, particularly as time passes, a feeling that things are spiraling out of control.  This impression is reinforced by the red background that pulsates as the "narrator" says "It's my fault," which can be seen as an alarm of sorts that's alerting the user that something's gone wrong.  The various shades of red, green, and gray that appear in the absence of any text suggest (at approximately 1:16) that the computer may be trying to reset itself in order to rectify the "fault."  

The rhythm in which the windows are presented on the screen matches the rhythm of the "narrator's" voice, so this feature of the video, along with the mechanical or seemingly automated nature of many of its other elements, make the voice an enhancement to the piece but not an essential part of it.  The emphasis, or focal point, of the video changes according to what word has just been narrated, as the words appear on the screen at the exact moments they are spoken.  In a similar fashion, the auditory "focal point" of any narration is the word that is currently being articulated.  Thus, the voice only serves to highlight the other features of the video.

If any of you are more experienced in the field of design and find "fault" in my analysis, do enlighten me.

Blogs, Inc.: A Look at Two Corporate Blogs

Because I'm new to blogging, I thought it would be useful to check out the blogs of some other inhabitants of the blogosphere, and since corporate blogs are the most authoritative (at least in theory) and offer some context for me to place their content in, I decided to start by looking at a few of those.

As I've stated previously, one of my main areas of professional and academic focus is usability, a field that is becoming increasingly rich and compelling as technology becomes more integral to our everyday tasks. With some electronics, usability standards can become a matter of life and death, in the truest sense of the phrase, as is the case with GPS units. As a starting point in my survey of corporate blogs, I thought it would be interesting to see if the blogs of companies that produce GPS units reflect their commitment to design and ease of use, as well as what sort of impression the blogs give about the companies. What follows is a brief analysis of the blogs of TomTom and Garmin, two manufacturers of GPS units with which I am familiar.

Upon comparing these companies' blogs with their main websites, one can see that the Garmin blog is, visually, an extension of the company's homepage, with the same header being used on both.

 

(the Garmin homepage)

 

(the Garmin blog)

While the TomTom blog's appearance isn't radically different from that of TomTom.com, it does vary enough to easily distinguish it from the company's homepage.

 

(the TomTom homepage)

 

(the TomTom blog)

Also of note is that Garmin's blog contains no non-Garmin links, but TomTom's blog features a collection of external links, called "Points of Interest," that visitors might find fun or useful. Furthermore, TomTom's blog has polls and a list of most popular posts, while nothing of the sort appears on the Garmin blog. Just by scanning the layouts of the blogs, one gets the impression that the Garmin blog is very corporate focused, whereas the TomTom blog is more oriented to the visitor and what might be of most interest to him or her.

The initial posts of these blogs also give some idea as to the intended tone, or "flavor" of the sites. Such posts on the TomTom and Garmin blogs indicate that the intended audience is the customer base of the respective companies. Both blogs were also created with the intent to deliver company/product news and to elicit feedback from customers in a fun way. However, both the initial post on TomTom's blog and a later post called "About Club TomTom" (perhaps posted after a redesigning of the site?) emphasize the "fun" aspect of its blog more than the first post on the Garmin blog. The name of the TomTom blog, itself, suggests the leisurely nature of the intended user experience, as well as the company's wish to provide a way for its customers to form a community of sorts. No explicit references to a "community" are made in the first post on the Garmin blog.

Also of note in the "PR aspect" of the blogs is the way in which comments are received. When a visitor tries to comment on a post on the Garmin blog, he or she will see a note saying that "Comments are moderated, and will not appear on this weblog until a moderator has approved them," as well as the following warning: "READ BEFORE POSTING: If you have a question about product support, investor relations, or media relations, click on those links. This blog isn’t designed to handle those requests, and your comment will unfortunately go unanswered." At the bottom of the comment box, the visitor sees a reminder: "By submitting a comment for possible posting to the Garmin blog, you specifically grant permission to Garmin to publish your name, story, and/or testimonial, along with any associated photographs or digital images, on the Garmin blog and in Garmin's internal quarterly newsletter, in Garmin's marketing materials, and on the www.garmin.com website." No such warnings appear when a visitor attempts to comment on a post on TomTom's blog, reinforcing the notion that the Garmin and TomTom blogs fall at opposite ends of the corporate-oriented/customer-focused spectrum.  Also revealing is the number and frequency of comments left by visitors: of the 149 posts on the Garmin blog published in the past three months, only 5 (3.36%) were commented on, with an average of three comments for each of those posts.  While the writers of the TomTom blog post much less often (only 5 posts in the last three months), a greater percentage of the posts were commented on (1 post, or 20% of the posts, which had 2 comments).  In other words, for every post published on the Garmin blog in the past three months, there are .1 comments.  For every post published on the TomTom blog in the past three months, there are .4 comments.

Of course, in determining the character of a company and its blog, it is imperative to analyze the posts themselves.  Here is a breakdown of the word-count statistics for the most recent 10 posts on the blogs:
Garmin:
--Most words: 744
--Least words: 166
--Average word count: 317.3 
TomTom:
--Most words: 191
--Least words: 43
--Average word count: 121.9
These statistics suggest that the Garmin blog caters to customers who are sufficiently invested in the brand to read through some relatively lengthy posts, whereas the TomTom blog is written for customers who are, perhaps, more casual users of the products and don't necessarily want to read through long postings.  Rather, they prefer that the writers "get to the point" quickly so that they can move on to either the next post or to something else entirely.  The posts on both blogs almost always include some visual element, whether it's a picture, a serious of pictures, or a video, with Garmin making more frequent use of video content.  The typeface, which is another revealing visual element, used in the Garmin posts seems to be in the Arial family, often considered standard for professional presentations.  The writers of the TomTom posts use a font that is similar to Arial, but there is not the great difference between the width and height of the characters that is typically seen in the Arial font family.  This choice may have been made in order to convey a more informal tone to the blog. 

The topics featured in the blogs also tells a great deal about the company and its intended audience.  Although the Garmin blog does discuss the company's products, it also devotes much of its attention to the events in which the products are used, such as the Tour de France and various triathlons.  In contrast, the TomTom blog focuses more on products and their features, as well as on company news.  Thus, there are far fewer testimonials and endorsements on the TomTom blog compared to Garmin's, further suggesting that Garmin caters to a high-performance customer base who see using Garmin's products as having an edge over the competition.  While TomTom users may be competitive in their own right, they are most likely not competitive in ways that are relevant to their use of TomTom's products.

As for overall corporate image (as interpreted by me through my reading of the blogs and through the analysis above):
Garmin: Focuses on meeting the navigation needs of its customers through a variety of products.  Strives to maintain its image as a professional, reliable company and an industry leader.  Geared toward high-performance users.   
TomTom: Focuses on ease of use, convenience, fun, and its customers.  Is open to suggestsions and feedback.  Tries to be accessible to its customers and to bring them together.  Geared toward casual users.

What are your thoughts on what I've just written about?  Agree? Disagree?  Discuss.

Why am I here (in the blogosphere)?

The technology we create -- whether it's a website, a computer program, or an electronic device -- is invariably a reflection of ourselves. Some pieces of technology resonate with their users and stand the test of time, and they are refined as the science behind them becomes more advanced. Others, however, fall by the wayside shortly after their release and are ultimately forgotten.

In this blog, I will attempt to go "through the looking-glass," as it were, to analyze what lies behind such technically-based reflections of ourselves. In particular, I am looking to determine what makes the design of technology effective from a usability standpoint and what such characteristics say about human psychology. As I feel that I, psychologically, am "wired" to write (and since I am also "wired" in the digital sense), I have chosen to take to the blogosphere to share my views and findings.

In my postings, I will be drawing from my educational background in English, Computer Science, and Professional and Technical Communication, as well as from my readings and coursework in the field of Psychology. As I am an avid user of technology, I will also undoubtedly be inspired by my own day-to-day experiences. If you leave comments on my postings, perhaps I can use some of your thoughts as springboards for postings, as well.

See you "on the other side."

(Image: public domain)