I probably wouldn’t have, were it not for the last sentence of the following paragraph (reproduced in its entirety to give context):

Among features that the iPad does share with the iPhone, the ability to undo actions seems more rote than useful. As a gesture to invoke the Undo command, shaking a handheld device the size of an iPhone is clever and workable. Shaking a much larger device like the iPad is awkward at best and violates one infrequently violated but nevertheless important law of good user interface design: don’t force the user to look like a spaz in order to use any given feature.

Now, I’m aware that the US and the UK are divided by a common language, and that the term “spaz” is (or so I’m informed) less offensive in the US than the UK, but it still brought me up short. So I decided to check it out.

The Merriam Webster dictionary includes the following in its definition of “spaz”:

Etymology: by shortening & alteration from spastic
slang : one who is inept : klutz

and from the definition of it’s longer form “spastic”:

1 a : of, relating to, characterized by, or affected with or as if with spasm [a spastic patient] b : characterized by hypertonic muscles [spastic cerebral palsy]

Whereas the Oxford English Dictionary includes the following in its definition of “spastic”:

adjective
1 relating to or affected by muscle spasm
relating to or denoting a form of muscular weakness (spastic paralysis) typical of cerebral palsy, caused by damage to the brain or spinal cord and involving reflex resistance to passive movement of the limbs and difficulty in initiating and controlling muscular movement
(of a person) having cerebral palsy
2 informal , offensive incompetent or uncoordinated

which certainly seems to support the theory, at least partially.

The thing is though, it was written on the (global) internet, by someone with a global profile and readership. Which is only the first part of the issue.

Saying what you mean, and meaning what you say

By choosing that particular word, the intent of the sentence changes from urging those in charge of implementing features to avoid making it awkward or uncomfortable to use said features to not making the user look silly or stupid. By equating spasticism with looking stupid it not only perpetuates the stereotype that those with physical disabilities are automatically lacking in intelligence, but puts a clear separation between those with and without a physical disability of that type, something which the individual has no more control over than the colour of their skin or eyes and seems to indicate that they are less.

Now, I really don’t think that Khoi would be so blunt as to say publicly that he thinks that those with physical disabilities are somehow less than he is (or look stupid) because of their condition (regardless of whether he actually thinks that or not), but that’s how it comes across.

Knowing your audience

In the time it’s taken me to do some work and find a few minutes to write this post, a few comments were left that resulted in Khoi revising his original post.

Mei (no link) had the following to say:

I need to point out to you that your use of the word spaz ( presumably, an abbreviated form of or derived from ‘spastic’) may not go down too well with your readership in the UK where people are terribly PC…or at least some quarter are. Just so you know.

which was closely followed by Netscape (no link either) saying:

Yeah “spaz” is definitely not a cool thing to say in England.

Which, unfortunately, makes it seem like it’s just oversensitivity from a small group of people, and therefore not to be worried about, an impression borne out by the revised sentence (emphasis mine):

don’t force the user to look like a fool [original euphemism deleted in deference to British sensitivities] in order to use any given feature.

I’d been pretty prepared to give Khoi the benefit of the doubt until I saw his response:

Mei: Thanks for pointing that out and my apologies to U.K. readers for inadvertently using an offensive term. I’ve altered it in the text above. Too bad, I was mildly proud of that joke even though it’s probably not that politically correct here in the States either.

It’s not acceptable anywhere, these days, to consider someone to be “less” because of the colour of their skin, so why is it acceptable to use someone’s other physical characteristics as a form of insult?

It’s not political correctness gone mad.

It’s a fundamental issue about how someone in a position to design interfaces views the potential users of those interfaces. If we categorise people with disabilities into a “them” category that’s separate from “us” (either consciously or unconsciously), we do their needs a massive disservice. More than that, if someone of Khoi’s stature in the community gives the impression that it’s ok to do so, it just perpetuates the problem and prevents us from moving on to the place where we really should be.

Leading and following

Rather than being angry, I’m more just disappointed that someone with the reach that he has would use such a term without thinking about how it would be received by the totality of his audience (and then compound that error by responding in the way that he has).

It’s relatively easy to build up a reasonable sized audience and by extension, a reasonable influence, but as influence grows, so does the responsibility of that person to use that influence in a good way. We do ourselves a disservice as an industry if we don’t, as we become more successful and knowledgeable, try to share the best of that knowledge and understanding of the field that we are in with those who are still learning.

Just because we can blog quickly and without great thought doesn’t mean that we should. It may take longer, or sometimes mean we don’t blog at all, but it’s really important that we include taking such care as the part of the cost of doing business.

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I kept telling myself it’d be a really good thing to do, and it’d help me keep fit and all that, but I didn’t really believe it. Which made the realisation that I really really enjoy it all the more surprising.

My first couple of commutes were pretty hairy and the elation I felt on arrival was more relief that I survived, but as time has gone on and I’ve become more familiar with my route (much more pleasant thanks to a top tip from a bikeist mate) I’ve relaxed into it and it’s become something I actually feel disappointed about if I can’t do for whatever reason.

My fitness is improving exponentially too. I’ve managed to cut about 25 minutes off my time and even when I’m not able to beat my route record (usually due to chronic headwinds), I feel less and less wasted when I arrive.

Quite apart from the health benefits, it gives me time to think and room to be inspired. My brain mulls over work problems and wedding plans and things gently slot into place along the way. It’s great. I didn’t even mind the day that it poured rain the second I set off and stopped when I arrived.

Of course, when it rains, the views aren’t quite as impressive as these, more’s the pity…

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I am the best, healthiest, most beautiful me that my genetics and my effort allow. If you don’t like it, take a walk!

Many thanks to Maureen from Mount Kisco, NY for her words of wisdom.

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Similarly, as a UX professional, I can sketch with whatever stylus and surface happens to be available at the time because communicating the idea is often more important than the aesthetic quality or fidelity of the resulting sketch.

Lately though, I’ve been thinking a bit about how I can improve my sketching ability and make life a bit easier for myself while improving my sketch-based communication.

Now, it’s no secret to anyone who’s ever worked with me (even for a very short time) that I have something of a stationery fetish, so it’s not like I ever need an excuse to buy more/different/better supplies, but I’ve been experimenting with different pens, to see which ones work best, and in which situation.

Making a Point

For a while, I’ve been using a set of Stabilo 88 Pens that I got from Sainsbury’s and they’re fine up to a point, partly because of their fine point.

They’re great for taking notes, sketching in Moleskines and for adding fine detail to larger sketches, but they’re not so good when you’ve got a whopping great expanse of Goldline Marker pad and you’re trying to quickly get an idea across.

Enter the Sharpie

If getting engaged was the most exciting bit of my trip to San Francisco last summer, browsing the stationery section of WalMart is definitely up there in the top five.

I was persuaded that 24 colours of Sharpie were more than enough and returned to the UK with more colours than are available on this side of the pond, and I’m really glad that I did, because they’ve got me through a couple of fairly sketch intensive projects.

The downside to this is that I’ve discovered that I like to sketch in grey/pastels rather than black/brights and I’ve completely knackered the two grey pens and now can’t get hold of replacements.

Fiddlesticks.

The Sharpies also start off nicely sharp and then get blunt, meaning if you’re doing a set of sketch based paper prototypes, the last sketches are often less detailed and neat than the first ones.

So, they’re not perfect either.

Double the Fun

Most recently, I was in a craft shop and wandered across Copic Ciao Markers, which are double pointed and bought a few, in the colours I thought would be most appropriate for the work I’ve been doing recently: black, two greys, two blues, a green, a red and a yellow.

Unfortunately, I didn’t realise the tip I thought was Sharpie-like was actually more of a brush. It’s not a huge deal-breaker, but it’s just not quite what I was hoping for. They’re still nice pens though.

Three’s a crowd?

After a bit of a conversation with m’colleague Fred I was reminded of Letraset Tria markets, which have three nibs.

I’d seen them before but always written them off as too expensive, but that was before I found Cowling & Wilcox and their better than half price sale.

Needless to say, I fell in love at first sight.

After a bit of dithering, I bought the Product Design set, because I felt like it would give me the best range of colours for sketching in greyscale as well as a decent range of colours for adding meaning, where appropriate.

I haven’t had much of a change to use these in anger yet, but I’m hoping with the double whammy of being able to a) refill them and b) get new nibs for them, they’ll last me for years and be worth the investment.

I’ve shown you mine, now show me yours

Of course, tools are a very personal thing, and while I think this might be the thing that works for me, I’m always interested in how other people work.

What’s your “Go To” sketching kit?

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- Raymond Loewy

via Design Quotes Display

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Le Corbusier thought sofas and armchairs were a terrible thing — the softer and cuddlier, the worse.

“What [modern man] wants is a monk’s cell, well lit and heated, with a corner from which he can look at the stars,” he wrote.

He designed what he called “machines for living,” buildings that served all of the functions that a human putatively required.

They were a beautifully austere, scientific vision.

They were hated, and abandoned.

People don’t want to live in scientific certainties.

Sofas are what people want.

And “machines for living” don’t honor the messiness that a human life represents.

Don’t listen to Le Corbusier—or Jakob Nielsen

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So you need a typeface?

Fabulous. Worth viewing full-size. Via Inspiration Lab

Abstract Comic and Appreciation

I’ve been in love with sketchnotes for ages, but I think the concept of creating abstract art based on talks is really interesting (though potentially less obviously useful).

The bare essentials for the graphic designer

Saw it, loved it, bought it.

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When you’re forced to be simple, you’re forced to face the real problem. When you can’t deliver ornament, you have to deliver substance.

Paul Graham, Taste for Makers

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When I first saw the pictures of this on engadget I wasn’t sure whether or not it was a hoax. I’m now pretty sure it’s real, but not entirely sure it was an accidental loss. I’m also slightly regretting upgrading my iPhone 3G to a 3GS in February. Ah well.

Six Revisions: Will This Be The New Google Web Design?

via @iA

Step by step walk through of screenshots of what seems to be Google’s new home page design, apparently being A/B tested at the moment.

Managing UX Teams: me, make, meet: how to manage a ux manager’s calendar

A methodology for making sure you’re still able to do rather than just manage when you’re a UX manager.

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Dad,

This year, more than ever, you’re closer to my mind.

I’m getting married, Dad. To a man I wish you’d been able to meet. I love him so much, and I know that he loves me to, and it’s wonderful, and for all that I’m looking forward to being his wife, it’s really hard for me to plan the wedding, because every time I think about it, I can’t help but feel that there’s something—someone—missing.

You’re still the first one I want to talk to when anything happens, good or bad, and so much has happened lately that I wish I could have talked to you about.

I can’t believe it’s been eight years.

I miss you so much.

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