The Reality of Design

Would you rather spend your Friday evening entertaining guests during a party or cozy in your bed watching Netflix? Some studies say that up to half of the world population is comprised of introverts, so the distribution of personalities is nearly half and half (Granneman, 2015). Personality is a complex topic, but for this post I will focus on the differences in introverts and extroverts and resulting design choices. You may have taken the Myers-Briggs test in school and have a good idea of whether you are more introverted or extroverted, but do you know if your home is a reflection of that result? Different personalities have different needs when it home to defining what "home" is. Source Your answer to the opening question likely affects how your home is designed. Extroverts thrive with the interaction of people and wish to encourage community, whereas introverts appreciate the privacy and isolation of their home. If hosting parties are your thing, then a large ope

Have you ever sat in a meeting or class and struggled to pay attention because you just could not get comfortable? This is likely due to the designer not factoring ergonomics into their design. Ergonomics works hand in hand with anthropometrics (discussed in my previous post ) in creating a place to "maximize the efficiency and quality of employees' work" (Brinkerhoff, 2009). Without considering this factor, people can get MSD's (musculoskeletal disorders), such as carpal tunnel and severe back pain (Lawrence, 2016). Many workplaces recognize the importance reducing strain on employees because it affects the success of their work. It is unfortunate that some spaces tend to ignore ergonomics and focus on spending as little money as possible instead. Source Some schools go with the same components that have always been used. You may have seen stories about how other schools, such as Torrey Hill Intermediate School, have adopted the use of an exercise ball as a

Whenever we look at other people, it's clear that some of us have longer legs, shorter torsos, wider hands, and so on. Believe it or not, the average of our various body measurements is applied in nearly every design choice. Without this data, known as anthropometrics, we would be uncomfortable and unhappy. Imagine having to prepare a meal on a counter top that was made in mind for someone who was 4' 9" tall. Unless you are around this height, it would require a lot of bending over and be difficult to do even simple tasks. Use of anthropometric measurements ensure that we are able to function normally. Our differences come from from factors such as race and age, but by taking the average of measurements, spaces are designed so that the majority of the population will not have issues with a space.  Source As a freshman in college, I worked part time at a daycare. While this did not exactly line up with my career plans, I did get to see how certain aspects of the

One of the fundamental things to consider when designing a space is "prospect and refuge." Prospect and refuge go hand in hand with giving someone a sense of security within a space. As expressed by Maslow in his hierarchy of needs, providing a feeling of security is one of the most crucial elements of human psychology. Dosen and Ostwald state that "environments that meet such needs will often provide people with the capacity to observe without being seen." The theory of prospect and refuge is applied in nearly every designed space in order to give us what we require. The goal of this theory is to gain a better understanding of "why certain environments feel secure." No one would willingly enter a space where they feel susceptible or at risk. The two primary ways to prevent this is by ensuring one is able to see the surrounding environment while also being protected from it. Source If you've ever been hiking and reached a clearing where you fee