For this assignment, I have featured my coffee-maker. The design is pleasant to the eyes, I love its compact design that makes it a perfect size even for college dorms. It is highly efficient and makes really good coffee.
In terms of affordances, it is simple to know where and how to place the mug. But, it obvious how to add water in it. The silver handle that is to be used for adding water looks more like a non-functional decorative part of the machine for most first-time users unless if it is carefully examined.
The two buttons on the machine are clearly labelled with the universal power button and the second has its function clearly labeled. Therefore, in terms of mappings I would say it is a really good design.
Overall, it is a good design and serves its purpose well.
Great choice of product and nice summary of some of the mapping and affordances. Here are some more areas to explore from the assignment:
How does the user know what to do first?
What kind of feedback does the object give to tell the user about its state?
What is the power draw of this object (e.g. laptop draws about 50 Watts of power)? You may be able to tell by looking at the back of the object, if it lets you. You may have to do some googling and do your best to figure it out or estimate it. Cite whatever source you use and/or justify your estimation. Compare this power draw to a laptop or another device of your choosing … given the utility of each device, does this power requirement feel justified to you? (For example, to me, the use of an incandescent lightbulb, at 50 Watts, does not seem worth it, since I can use an LED bulb that draws just 5-10 Watts and get very similar lumens of light).
By annotating the photo you took using an app like Skitch or software like Photoshop, or by hand, drawing a one page sketch of the vending machine, stress the user interface details (what does the user see, what can the user press, what is the mapping, etc). What’s important is (if you sketch by hand is NOT your artistic skill, but) your ability to clearly denote how the device functions.
Also, please remember to put this post in the mapping and affordances category.