Enjoy yourself with the find five errors game... (I do know they are there!) ...or use it for inspiration to search information on theories on function, affordances, and use. For a full list of references or more specific suggestions on what to read, contact me on twitter @cphcharli.

1. Function,
Affordance,
and the “How to”

2. Disclaimer!

3. Agenda

4. Agenda
• Who am I

5. Agenda
• Who am I
• The unambiguous function

6. Agenda
• Who am I
• The unambiguous function
• Does it have to be useful?

7. Agenda
• Who am I
• The unambiguous function
• Does it have to be useful?
• The context of use

8. Agenda
• Who am I
• The unambiguous function
• Does it have to be useful?
• The context of use
• Not 1:1

9. Agenda
• Who am I
• The unambiguous function
• Does it have to be useful?
• The context of use
• Not 1:1
• Ascribing functions

10. Agenda
• Who am I
• The unambiguous function
• Does it have to be useful?
• The context of use
• Not 1:1
• Ascribing functions
• Affordances and other clues

11. Agenda
• Who am I
• The unambiguous function
• Does it have to be useful?
• The context of use
• Not 1:1
• Ascribing functions
• Affordances and other clues
• The “How to”

12. Who am I
Charlotte Branth Claussen
• Wannabe Techwriter
• Technical Writer at Oticon
• BA in Art History
• MA in Cognitive Semiotics

13. The unambiguous function

14. The unambiguous function

15. The unambiguous function

16. The unambiguous function

17. The unambiguous function

18. The unambiguous function

19. The unambiguous function

20. The unambiguous function
“…a piece of furniture with many family
members gathered in one piece. Here is the
sofa, the coffee table, the floor lamp and the
bookcase in one, coherent form.”
(Stelzner 2005)

21. The unambiguous function
“Hence, the function becomes less clear, but in
return Hammerstrøm’s piece of furniture
activates a reflection of furniture design’s
traditional anchor point, the function.”
(Stelzner 2005)

22. The unambiguous function
“In this way, it is no longer the primary function,
Hammerstrøm designs, but on the contrary a
modernistic, one-sided function, she
challenges.”
(Stelzner 2005)

23. The unambiguous function
“…discusses design as an autonomous unity, but
still keeps a certain functionality – just another
type than the functionalistic function.”
(Stelzner 2005)

24. The unambiguous function
“While the modernist design has a clear, explicit
functionality, the radical contemporary design
challenges and discusses the modernistic
naturalized functionality.”
(Stelzner 2005)

25. The unambiguous function

26. The unambiguous function
“It is a chair that radiates the epitome of
function. The form itself becomes the chair’s
decoration so that its symbolic values will
absolutely not overshadow its primary
function…”
(Stelzner 2005)

27. The unambiguous function
“I wanted to show the kinship of different pieces
of furniture. For instance, you don’t need to be
told that when you buy a floor lamp, it has to
stand next to the armchair. You also know where
to put the coffee table. It is not something you
need to learn. Habits and tradition tell us how is
should be”.
(Hammerstrøm 2005)

28. The unambiguous function
“I wanted to show the kinship of different pieces
of furniture. For instance, you don’t need to be
told that when you buy a floor lamp, it has to
stand next to the armchair. You also know where
to put the coffee table. It is not something you
need to learn. Habits and tradition tell us how is
should be”.
(Hammerstrøm 2005)

29. The unambiguous function
“I wanted to show the kinship of different pieces
of furniture. For instance, you don’t need to be
told that when you buy a floor lamp, it has to
stand next to the armchair. You also know where
to put the coffee table. It is not something you
need to learn. Habits and tradition tell us how is
should be”.
(Hammerstrøm 2005)

30. The unambiguous function
“I wanted to show the kinship of different pieces
of furniture. For instance, you don’t need to be
told that when you buy a floor lamp, it has to
stand next to the armchair. You also know where
to put the coffee table. It is not something you
need to learn. Habits and tradition tell us how is
should be”.
(Hammerstrøm 2005)

31. The unambiguous function
primary functions
vs
secondary functions

32. The unambiguous function
primary functions inner dimensions
vs vs
secondary functions outer dimensions

33. The unambiguous function
primary functions inner dimensions
vs vs
secondary functions outer dimensions

34. The unambiguous function
Primary function:

35. The unambiguous function
Primary function:
• Purpose

36. The unambiguous function
Primary function:
• Purpose
• Mode of operation

37. The unambiguous function
Primary function:
• Purpose
• Mode of operation
• Possibility

38. The unambiguous function

39. The context of use

40. Not 1:1
Layered semantics:

41. Not 1:1
Layered semantics:
• Normal use

42. Not 1:1
Layered semantics:
• Normal use
• Problem solving

43. Not 1:1
Layered semantics:
• Normal use
• Problem solving
• Repairs

44. Not 1:1
Layered semantics:
• Normal use
• Problem solving
• Repairs
• Deeper knowledge

45. Not 1:1
Standard function
vs
Ad hoc function

46. Does it have to be useful?

47. Does it have to be useful?

48. Does it have to be useful?

49. Ascribing functions
The HIPE theory of function:

50. Ascribing functions
The HIPE theory of function:
• History

51. Ascribing functions
The HIPE theory of function:
• History
• Intentional perspective

52. Ascribing functions
The HIPE theory of function:
• History
• Intentional perspective
• Physical environment

53. Ascribing functions
The HIPE theory of function:
• History
• Intentional perspective
• Physical environment
• Event Sequences

54. Ascribing functions
A function can be ascribed if:

55. Ascribing functions
A function can be ascribed if:
• We believe that the artifact has the physical
capacity to perform the function in order to
complete a use plan

56. Ascribing functions
A function can be ascribed if:
• We believe that the artifact has the physical
capacity to perform the function in order to
complete a use plan
• We can justify our belief

57. Ascribing functions
A function can be ascribed if:
• We believe that the artefact has the physical
capacity to perform the function in order to
complete a use plan
• We can justify our belief
• A designer has developed the use plan and
selected the artifact for its capacity

58. Ascribing functions
A function can be ascribed if:
• We believe that the artifact has the physical
capacity to perform the function in order to
complete a use plan
• We can justify our belief
• A designer has developed the use plan and
selected the artifact for its capacity
• The designer has passed on the use plan

59. Ascribing functions
A function can be ascribed if:
• We believe that the artifact has the physical
capacity to perform the function in order to
complete a use plan
• We can justify our belief
• A designer has developed the use plan and
selected the artifact for its capacity
• The designer has passed on the use plan

60. Ascribing functions
A function can be ascribed if:
• We believe that the artifact has ought to have
the physical capacity to perform the function
in order to complete a use plan
• We can justify our belief
• A designer has developed the use plan and
selected the artifact for its capacity
• The designer has passed on the use plan

61. Affordances and other clues

62. Affordances and other clues
”…the affordances of the environment are what
it offers the animal, what it provides or
furnishes, either for good or ill …"
(Gibson 1977 )

63. Affordances and other clues
”…the affordances of the environment are what
it offers the animal, what it provides or
furnishes, either for good or ill …"
(Gibson 1977 )

64. Affordances and other clues
”…the affordances of the environment are what
it offers the animal, what it provides or
furnishes, either for good or ill …"
(Gibson 1977 )

65. Affordances and other clues
• Real affordances

66. Affordances and other clues
• Real affordances
• Perceived affordances

67. Affordances and other clues
• Real affordances
• Perceived affordances
• Hidden affordances

68. Affordances and other clues
• Real affordances
• Perceived affordances
• Hidden affordances
• Empty (false) affordances

69. Affordances and other clues
• Real affordances
• Perceived affordances
• Hidden affordances
• Empty (false) affordances
• Correct rejections

70. Affordances and other clues
• Real affordances
• Perceived affordances
• Hidden affordances
• Empty (false) affordances
• Correct rejections
• Conventions

71. Affordances and other clues
• Real affordances
• Perceived affordances
• Hidden affordances
• Empty (false) affordances
• Correct rejections
• Conventions
• Canonical affordances

72. Affordances and other clues
• Real affordances
• Perceived affordances
• Hidden affordances
• Empty (false) affordances
• Correct rejections
• Conventions
• Canonical affordances
• Sequential affordances

73. Affordances and other clues

74. Affordances and other clues

75. Affordances and other clues

76. The “How to”
"For designers it most probably is important to
understand artefacts in terms of functions: in
design methodology, for instance, designing is
often defined as a process that starts with
specific required functions and that ends with a
physical description of an artefact that can
perform these functions.”
(Vermaas and Houkes 2006:32-33)

77. The “How to”
"For designers it most probably is important to
understand artefacts in terms of functions: in
design methodology, for instance, designing is
often defined as a process that starts with
specific required functions and that ends with a
physical description of an artefact that can
perform these functions.”
(Vermaas and Houkes 2006:32-33)

78. The “How to”
"For designers it most probably is important to
understand artefacts in terms of functions: in
design methodology, for instance, designing is
often defined as a process that starts with
specific required functions and that ends with a
physical description of an artefact that can
perform these functions.”
(Vermaas and Houkes 2006:32-33)

79. The “How to”
"But for users this understanding may be
unnecessarily full. Users may take artefacts
simply as means for attaining desired ends,
without making the additional step of
expressing this as that artefact have functions."
(Vermaas and Houkes 2006:33)

80. The “How to”
"But for users this understanding may be
unnecessarily full. Users may take artefacts
simply as means for attaining desired ends,
without making the additional step of
expressing this as that artefact have functions."
(Vermaas and Houkes 2006:33)

81. The “How to”
Interaction with an object or an application:

82. The “How to”
Interaction with an object or an application:
• What is our goal in a given situation?

83. The “How to”
Interaction with an object or an application:
• What is our goal in a given situation?
• Are we confident that we get the clues right?

84. Thoughts?