Comments on: Magic and Mental Models: Using Illusion to Simplify Designs

By: SxSWi: Nirvana for the Creative Soul

SxSWi: Nirvana for the Creative Soul — Tue, 27 May 2008 12:09:26 +0000

[...] 4. Jared Spool doing magic tricks onstage to highlight the idea of using illusion to simplify designs. [...]

By: jqka2.com online newest fun news » Blog Archive » SxSWi: Nirvana for the Creative Soul

Tue, 27 May 2008 01:08:50 +0000

[...] 4. Jared Spool doing magic tricks onstage to highlight the idea of using illusion to simplify designs. [...]

By: Mendy Ouzillou - Art Glass & Glass Jewelry

Mendy Ouzillou - Art Glass & Glass Jewelry — Sun, 11 May 2008 18:54:40 +0000

Michael,

Thank you for the blog commentary on Jared’s presentation. I would have loved to have been there!

Jared,

As an amateur (I work on my own site as a hobby, not professionally for others) I really struggle to make simple changes to help my customers. The concept of “delight the customer” is one I am very aware of as a director of marketing for a high tech firm. What I found interesting was how this simple “common sense” aspect can alter perceptions like time. As others have asked, any chance of posting the original presentation?

Cheers,

Mendy

By: Ben Lavender

Ben Lavender — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 21:39:09 +0000

Great session but please can you post the presentation.
Thanks.

By: raysofrha » Blog Archive » SxSW Day 3 - Magic and Mental Models: Using Illusion to Simplify Designs

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 22:16:33 +0000

[...] Recap – This is Jared’s recap [...]

By: Beaconfire Wire » Blog Archive » SxSWi: Nirvana for the Creative Soul

Beaconfire Wire » Blog Archive » SxSWi: Nirvana for the Creative Soul — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:28:03 +0000

[...] 4. Jared Spool doing magic tricks onstage to highlight the idea of using illusion to simplify designs. [...]

By: What's the New Media Buzz?

What's the New Media Buzz? — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 02:11:13 +0000

SXSW live: Magic and Mental Models: Using Illusion to Simplify Design…

Note: Postgame analysis now posted here. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for. Jared Spool, the man himself is up on the dais of the big ballroom here. Funk jazz greeting everyone who walks in. The last time I…

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 02:09:32 +0000

Can’t say thank you enough for the ridiculously awesome presentation. Spool, you rock. Plain and simple.

Chris – I did my best to blog on the presentation as it was happening here:
http://www.newmediabuzz.com/the_new_media_buzz_brough/2008/03/sxsw-live-magic.html

Every time I reread it, I found a new dimension of the presentation I hadn’t noticed before. It also inspired me to think a ton about how Web usability and narrative structure are becoming more and more like TV and movies:
http://www.newmediabuzz.com/the_new_media_buzz_brough/2008/03/sxsw-postgame-m.html

Thanks again!

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:28:50 +0000

Where can I view or listen to this discussion…? Has it been posted online???

By: Angelo Directo

Angelo Directo — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 04:57:25 +0000

I really enjoyed this presentation at SXSW the week before last. Absolutely delightful! I found the concept of illusion as a separation of the user and designer model as particularly useful in what I do. I keep telling the story of the shrinking head trick. Thank you!

By: Joshua Ledwell

Joshua Ledwell — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 01:41:54 +0000

I also enjoyed the talk Jared. And, I heard you gave another panel a copyright reality check. Rock on!

By: Manuel Aristarán

Manuel Aristarán — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 18:39:32 +0000

Great Talk, Jared; I really enjoyed it. You’re an amazing speaker.
Are you going to post the slides somewhere?

By: Mike Kuniavsky

Mike Kuniavsky — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 06:06:31 +0000

Michael, I haven’t seen Jared’s talk, but I think he and I are saying the same thing. For me, magic is a metaphor for explaining the functionality of ubiquitous computing devices in a way akin to the desktop metaphor’s way of explaining graphic UIs. It’s explicitly not about lying to users and pretending technological objects are magic. We know a file folder onscreen doesn’t act like a paper folder, but it is (or was at one time) a useful way of explaining a hierarchical file system. I’m suggesting we can design device behavior by leveraging a set of expectations based on a widely-shared set of ideas based in mythology. I haven’t seen Jared’s talk, but I agree with his statement that illusion and design have much in common. For an example of it in industrial design, look at how Apple fiddled with the visual grade of the edge bevel of the Air to make it appear thinner than it is and you’ll see that in action. I’m also sad that I missed what sounds like an even-more-than-usually fun, insightful and thought-provoking talk form Jared.

By: Stuart

Stuart — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:40:40 +0000

Interesting that he has enough interest in learning from the techniques of magic that he bases a talk around them but so little respect for the profession of magic that he blabs its secrets. I associate this kind of behavior with young boys when they first get into magic and are more interested in showing off what they know than in learning the art. I also think that a talk of this sort is better is you don’t blab the secrets. Those who want to know how illusions work will find their own way to the secrets and be better for it.

By: Magic « Ben Lavender’s Blog

Magic « Ben Lavender’s Blog — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 06:03:53 +0000

[...] Jared Spool gave an excellent presentation titled: ”Magic and Mental Models: Using Illusion to Simplify [...]

By: Terry Storch

Terry Storch — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 17:14:32 +0000

Jared, great talk! I really enjoyed it..

By: Michael Zuschlag

Michael Zuschlag — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 18:26:20 +0000

Actually, I think Spool will be talking more about using the principles of professional magic to make better designs, such as described by Tognazzini in 1993 (http://www.asktog.com/papers/magic.html); that is, using stage magic to makes things appear different than they technically are. That’s very different from invoking “real” magic as an explanatory metaphor, as Kuniavsky describes; that is presenting technology as enchanted artifacts. The former achieves broad effects by playing on user expectations, habits, and assumptions. The latter contradicts these, and in the process subverts its own purpose. Technology like real magic is a problem. Technology like stage magic can help with that.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:42:42 +0000

This is similar to, and complementary with Mike Kuniavsky's fascinating discussions of magic-as-metaphor for ubiquitous computing. I think this is a great topic to explore, for the reasons you've mentioned above, but also because of the role that "staging" has had in the history of technology. The smoke-and-mirrors demo, even the idea of a roadshow goes back to at least the Mechanical Turk.