**9. Conclusion**

Although multimedia instructions are not always more efficient than traditional ones, the authors believe that they are quicker to use for many types of tasks. They allow more flexibility in action and more importantly can help to reduce human errors significantly in the working process. They are effortless to access, can be transferred between different digital platforms and easy to update or replace. It is also proved that they can be used easily by people who have grown up with or without ubiquitous of digital media.

**Part 2** 

**Culturally Inspired Design** 

During the time for the development of this project, technology has changed and improved as fast as usual. Smart phones have become more popular and more portable digital devices like the iPad have come into the market and our daily lives. We are more comfortable with and dependent on with portable digital devices. The authors believe that multimedia instructions could be and soon will be better solutions for many of our daily products, to help us use products easily and safely.

However, this will not cause the complete death of the traditional instructions. Although they are not as good to ensure accuracy of performance, they can still be used in many cases. For example, they are a better choice for performing simple skill-based tasks on products in terms of efficiency, especially for Digital Natives, less patient or busy people. Therefore, in the future, instruction designers may want to analyse tasks for using a particular product, then decide either they need to design traditional instructions or multimedia ones to satisfy users' requirements for efficiency and accuracy of operation.

The authors accept that, as with any research project, there are certain limitations associated with the study. Every effort was made to ensure that the participants chosen had similar levels of human performance characteristics. In other words, they all had the same degree of normal flexibility, intelligence, adaptability and dexterity. However, even with the test applied (dealing cards) and observations made on the participants, it was still impossible to completely eliminate the human factor.

#### **10. Contribution**

Overall, for this study, a problem-driven design strategy was adopted. Inspiration was taken from fields like information design, product design, graphic design, and instructional design in education plus cognitive and ergonomic science.

As related studies and standards are not sufficient to solve problems with product instructions especially in this digital age, this research should make an original contribution in this field. It will benefit both users and manufacturers since it aims at finding solutions to improve the quality of product instructions. Furthermore, this study should have economic value as the costs of product instructions can be reduced.

#### **11. References**


**Part 2** 

**Culturally Inspired Design** 

52 Industrial Design – New Frontiers

During the time for the development of this project, technology has changed and improved as fast as usual. Smart phones have become more popular and more portable digital devices like the iPad have come into the market and our daily lives. We are more comfortable with and dependent on with portable digital devices. The authors believe that multimedia instructions could be and soon will be better solutions for many of our daily products, to

However, this will not cause the complete death of the traditional instructions. Although they are not as good to ensure accuracy of performance, they can still be used in many cases. For example, they are a better choice for performing simple skill-based tasks on products in terms of efficiency, especially for Digital Natives, less patient or busy people. Therefore, in the future, instruction designers may want to analyse tasks for using a particular product, then decide either they need to design traditional instructions or multimedia ones to satisfy

The authors accept that, as with any research project, there are certain limitations associated with the study. Every effort was made to ensure that the participants chosen had similar levels of human performance characteristics. In other words, they all had the same degree of normal flexibility, intelligence, adaptability and dexterity. However, even with the test applied (dealing cards) and observations made on the participants, it was still impossible to

Overall, for this study, a problem-driven design strategy was adopted. Inspiration was taken from fields like information design, product design, graphic design, and instructional

As related studies and standards are not sufficient to solve problems with product instructions especially in this digital age, this research should make an original contribution in this field. It will benefit both users and manufacturers since it aims at finding solutions to improve the quality of product instructions. Furthermore, this study should have economic

Entner, R. (2010). *Smartphones to Overtake Feature Phones in U.S. by 2011*. October 27, 2010,

Hollnagel, E. (1993) *Handbook of cognitive task design*, Mahwah, N.J. ; London : Lawrence Erlbaum. ISO (1995). ISO/IEC GUIDE 37: 1995(E) Instruction *for use of products of consumer interest*. Miniwatts Marketing Group. (2010). *Internet usage statistics - The Internet Big Picture*. October 25 2010, Available from: <http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm> Norman, A.D. (1983). Design Rules Based on Analyses of Human Error. *Communication of the* 

OED. (2006). *Oxford English online dictionary* , January 14 2006, Available from: <www.oed.com> Pettersson, R. (2002.) *Information design: an introduction,* Amsterdam, Philadelphia : John

Tapscott, D. (2009) Grown up digital: how the net generation is changing your world, New

Reason, J. T. (1990). *Human error* , New York: Cambridge University Press

Available from: <http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/consumer/smartphones-

help us use products easily and safely.

completely eliminate the human factor.

*ACM,* Vol 26 254-258

Benjamins Pub. Co., c.

York ; London : McGraw-Hill.

**10. Contribution** 

**11. References** 

users' requirements for efficiency and accuracy of operation.

design in education plus cognitive and ergonomic science.

value as the costs of product instructions can be reduced.

to-overtake-feature-phones-in-u-s-by-2011>

Redhead, D. (2000) *Products of our time,* London, Birlhauser.

**4** 

*Portugal* 

**Culturally Inspired Design: Product** 

Denis A. Coelho, Ana S. C. Silva and Carla S. M. Simão

*Universidade da Beira Interior* 

**Personalities to Capture Cultural Aspects** 

This chapter, focusing on culturally inspired design, with emphasis on Portuguese and Lusophone cultures, is developed in a two stage process (Fig. 1). In the first part, an effort to identify the Portuguese identity reflected in the design of existing products is pursued. In the second part of this work, product design specifications are created based on the assignment of product personalities to capture Portuguese and Lusophone cultural aspects. Both stages of this contribution give rise to new product concepts, which are aimed at exemplifying the profile in existing Lusophone design production (in comparison with other design origins) and at demonstrating the transfer of selected cultural values to designed

Fig. 1. Depiction of the two streams of analysis departing form an empirical and an abstract

In both stages of the research, an array of product features was drawn up, in the first case from observation, in the second case from matching of cultural traits with product features,

Culture may inform design by a process of context-informed practice. Hence, collectivelyheld norms of practice shared within contexts may well introduce culture into the design process, even if indirectly. Geographical context may influence the practice and results of design in two ways. One the one hand, everyday specific features of a location (availability of technology and materials, climate, local modes of exchange and even cultural factors affecting business activities) produce particularized actions, which may however be

**1. Introduction** 

objects.

level, reaching at new product concepts.

through the use of the product personality assignment approach.
