User Interfaces throughout the years

User interface design  is the design of computers, appliances, machines, mobile communication devices, software applications, and websites with the focus on the user's experience and interaction. The goal of user interface design is to make the user's interaction as simple and efficient as possible, in terms of accomplishing user goals, what is often called user-centered design. Good user interface design facilitates finishing the task at hand without drawing unnecessary attention to itself. Graphic design may be utilized to support its usability. The design process must balance technical functionality and visual elements (e.g., mental model) to create a system that is not only operational but also usable and adaptable to changing user needs.
Not only the nature evolves like Darwin said, but also user interfaces evolves throughout the years. Like the pedals in a car. Nowadays we know to find the accelerator, brake and clutch pedal because in every car is it on the same place. However, in the early years of the development of the car the pedals were not common placed in every car. In some cars the accelerator was placed  in the left, sometimes in the middle or in the right. It was not sure!
The Wright brothers, who developed a first flying plane, had to control 28 functions on their plane. Nowadays in the Airbus’ and Boeings you will find hundreds of functions controlled by systems or by the pilot itself. The cockpits are full of technology to let the pilot be able to control all these systems.

Another great example of interfaces in the past is the Citroen DS. This was a shock in the history of the production of the car. This car had an hydraulic system what helps breaking, steering, used the clutch, ensured the car height and caused high suspension comfort. However, this system was hard to handle when you drove at the first time in the car, so Citroën decided to let the car-salesman drive the car with the customer seated next to the salesman. Nowadays we can’t imagine that something like that will happen. Ergonomics became so important that every car designed nowadays looks quite the same inside, everybody knows where to find the buttons and how to handle the car. This all related to the evolution of user interface designs, evolution in the past, but also in the future.

Livestream NEC- Utrecht

Livestream NEC-Utrecht

http://www.fromsportcom.com/v-0/18/194/v-199527.html

Livestream PSV - Ajax

Live stream PSV- Ajax

http://www.fromsportcom.com/v-0/18/198/v-199930.html

Subjective perception

Perception

Perception is not objective, it is even very subjective. Today I discovered a good example of the subjectivity of perception. On Marktplaats we saw an advertisement about an Citroen DS Break. According the owner it was a good car, even a very good car, so called ‘concoursstaat’. However, the reality and the description on marktplaats shows a big difference. Yes, the paint was nice, no rust, but in the front the car leaked (2 liters water inside), the interior was not that nice, and the engine made a strange noise and run on 3 cylinders. Is that what a very good car should looks like? Is that a car what has been restored totally two years ago? Is that an example of ‘concoursstaat’?  In our opinion it is not, but according the perception of the seller it is! Strange..... but a clear example of the fact that a perception is subjective.

(Now we have to look further to find a good Citroen DS break, because it still is a nice Ghostbusters car;))

Propaganda: A part of history?

While reading documents of the Second World War during the History lessons you could see the power of communication. Nowadays we know the stories from all the possible angles but back in that days the people knew just a small part of the story. And this small part was mostly based on propaganda. The Nazi’s even had a minister of Propaganda to  communicate successful stories to the German population but also to communicate to other nations. In these days Propaganda was a very important and useful tool to get the crowd shared behind you, because there was less communication and so nobody could control the facts and the stories you told them.

However, there had been some developments what makes Propaganda a less easy tool to use. All over the world are journalists, they film everything and the same day this information can be broadcasted on the other end of the world. Nowadays a lot of people are using social network sites, everybody has an camera on his phone so all information can be send throughout the world in just a few minutes. However not everybody seems to understand the difficulty of Propaganda.

A very well-known example of failed Propaganda was a minister of information in Iraq. I think most of the people remember Al Sahaf the minister of Information of Iraq. He was the man who told the whole world that no American has crossed the border yet, there weren’t any Americans in their country and at that moment you could hear bombs falling in the background.

Last week an example of bad propaganda was seen in North-Africa. Khadafy’s television station broadcasted some peaceful pictures while the BBC broadcasted the picture  of thousands people shouting against the regime, cars were on fire, and you saw the army firing on their own population.

Due to the technical developments what means that information can be send into the world by everybody and can be received by everybody means that Propaganda is a part of history?

Companies use Social Media, do not blame it!

Since the day the computer was introduced in the work scene the productivity of the employees increased enormously . Typing text could be done significantly quicker, images and schedules could be made far more easily so it was an enormous evolution in the way of working in the companies.
Also communication became more directly and faster by using email, intranet and other type of communication tools possible due to the computer. Companies got the opportunity to be on the internet, to create an own website, interact with their employees and customers.
However, nowadays some of the managers seems to forget all these advantages and they only see the disadvantages of the use of the computer and the internet. They complain about their employees using the internet, complain about the employees visiting their social websites and private mail. In the contrary, the managers should be happy with all these developments. Think about all the  opportunities  of social network websites  for marketing communication outcomes. Let your employees relax for an moment, it will increase their productivity afterwards! And even almost 90% of  the managers use social network sites to screen potential and recent employees.
Therefore, managers should not see only the disadvantages but have to create advantages out of the newest technologies!

Creativity will be rewarded!

When a company produces a product or provides a service it is very important to let the consumer know that you exist! Every company has several options to communicate their message about  their  product and service to the consumer.
This all is about Marketing communication. Advertisements on the television, on the radio, however nowadays new  media are getting much more important. The use of internet in marketing communication solutions is very useful because it is an interactive type of marketing and also very direct. You have to possibility to increase your knowledge about the  consumer (interaction)  and by using this knowledge you can specify your communication to an individual. So you will invest in more direct and useful marketing (no waste like by the old fashioned  methods on television or radio)
Another very attractive marketing communication tool is Free Publicity. Use news-items related to your company, events, product innovations and several other subjects to communicate for free. Also creative activities like (De Bavaria Dames) generate a lot of Free Publicity.  
So be creative and focus on new marketing technologies (use of internet) and Free Publicity. Your communication budget will be spend much better rewarded.