From this week’s reading, I’d like to respond to Artful Design Principle 4.7, Chapter 4, which proposes:
Aesthetics is not a passive thing — but an active agent of design!
A connection that I made with this reading uses the example of keyboards. Keyboards have a physicality to them that relates to the aesthetics that they invoke. The design of keyboards, including the tactile feedback of keys, the sound of keypresses, and the overall feel during typing, can actively shape your experience.
For example, the softer and quieter keys of some keyboards might be associated with a calmer, less distracting environment. On the other hand, the sharp, crisp clicks of certain mechanical switches can inspire productivity and focus. Another example –think about a quiet keyboard used in a library or office environment, and then consider a mechanical keyboard with audible keypresses designed for gaming. How does the design of a keyboard actively influence your environment and mood? The designers have designed the respective keyboards with the aesthetic intent of its users.
In addition, I have always been a romantic for old-fashioned keyboards, like typewriters with their signature carriage and presses. The tactile and auditory feedback that you get is satisfying, from the sounds and swoops of the keys as well as the impact of pressing a letter firmly into a page.
When you think about the typewriter-like keyboard, it’s more than just nostalgia; it’s about the tactile and sensory experience it offers. What is it about the physicality of these older keyboards that makes them so satisfying? How do these experiences compare to modern keyboard interactions? In a world of sleek and modern tech, why do old-fashioned keyboard designs endure? What unique value or experience do they offer, and who are the users that continue to find them appealing?
Old-fashioned keyboard designs do hold a place in modern technology, albeit often for niche or specialized purposes. They are not only nostalgic relics but also tools that offer a unique writing experience. Modern mechanical keyboards that replicate the tactile and auditory feedback of older keyboards are designed to enhance the user experience. I have always been a romantic for old-fashioned keyboards, like typewriters with their signature carriage and presses. The tactile and auditory feedback that you get is satisfying from the sounds and swoops of the keys as well as the impact of pressing a letter firmly into a page.
Keyboards can be seen as neutral tools, faithfully transmitting our thoughts into digital form. However, the act of typing can also be thought of as a form of cognitive extension. The process of selecting and arranging words, driven by the physicality of the keys, might influence the structure and flow of our ideas. In this sense, keyboards can play an active role in shaping our thoughts, albeit subtly. When we type, we are not just mechanically striking keys; we are imbuing them with meaning and purpose. Each keystroke reflects our intentions, thoughts, and emotions, making the keyboard a canvas for our expression. In this way, the keyboard uses aesthetics to shape its design actively. The humble keyboard, with its tactile and auditory feedback is creatively constrained by the keys it types, but it shapes the way we craft and convey our ideas in the digital realm.
