Funky pinhole panoramic camera
Casado Pinhole is a panoramic camera reduced to its simplest elements. [tx CH]
“His paintbrush is his Macintosh”
Profile of Takagi Masakatsu, visual artist and musician. He transforms video footage into “paintings in motion.”
Moleskine popups
Moleskine popups: “Done on the run with pocket tools and available light…uses two spreads, edges glued together.” (more) [via drawn]
Narrative Footwear
Narrative Footwear: “Oxfords influenced by Nikes.”
Fertility chart
Sympto-thermal chart at fertilityuk.org: Could this be more complicated?
Mike
on 07 May 07For the fertility chart, this is actually pretty handy. The center of the chart, the daily temperature, is the most important info. When my wife and I were trying to get pregnant, a doctor told us to chart temperature every day at the same time and track any discharge or discoloring (that is the red, yellow, green chart at bottom).
For people who’ve gone through problems with infertility, this chart makes total sense. Can 37s do better?
Danny Cohen
on 07 May 07man, now I’ll never get pregnant!
That pinhole camera looks like it was made by the Tin Man
Andy
on 07 May 07I had no trouble understanding the meaning of the fertility chart after know what it was and looking at it for a few seconds, and I’ve never seen one of these before. I’m not sure there’d be a better way to present all that information in a way that is both less dense and more efficient. One entry for each day, with different sections for pieces of information, everything for each day of the cycle lines up vertically. I’m sure improvements could be made, but I don’t think that it’s definitely a bad example.
ML
on 07 May 07Sure, it’s possible to decipher that chart. But I wonder how many people get so intimidated by the chart’s complexity that they give up trying to understand it.
Waffles
on 07 May 07Chart is great, but more complicated than it needs to be. This is what you need for fertility computer:
http://www.clearblueeasy.com/FertilityMonitor.cfm
Erin
on 07 May 07I think if you’re using a fertility chart, deciphering a complex chart is the least of your problems. You’re probably already determined to do whatever it takes to conceive. Taking five minutes to figure out a chart doesn’t seem like a big deal for someone who wants to become a parent ASAP. I agree, the information isn’t presented in the most useable format, but it’s not as though its users are typical customers with infinitesimal attention spans.
And all the dudes on this site probably don’t care to think about it, but I think it’s amazing to look at this visual depiction of the complexity of fertility. Sometimes discharge is sticky, sometimes slippery, sometimes non-existent; sometimes the cervix is softened or rising; all of these things in concert indicate fertility. And every woman’s body does all these things naturally and we’re usually not even aware of it—I’d argue that this is one instance in which the complexity of the system is utterly amazing and beautiful.
ML
on 07 May 07I think if you’re using a fertility chart, deciphering a complex chart is the least of your problems.
So the more important a chart is, the more it’s ok to make it exceedingly complicated? Seems like the opposite should be true.
Elliott
on 07 May 07Why is there a problem with the chart being complex? If you need to read and understand this….so what if it takes an extra 5 – 10 Min’s?
I actually think its pretty obvious, everything’s well labeled
paulo
on 07 May 07Simple… good information design (and design in general) allows you to take that extra 5-10 mins so you can enjoy the rest of your lunch or give you some more time to get to making that baby… wanting to strive for perfection should be encouraged. Why settle for mediocrity?
There is always a better way…
Daniel
on 07 May 07@ML
It’s not simply the importance of information that determines whether simplicity is required. It’s the time frame in which the info needs to be understood (among other factors). If a sign indicates instructions for an emergency situation, then it needs to be simple. In this case not only do they have a long time to understand it, but there is probably a doctor explaining it. And once they understand it, then they really save time because the next time they go to use it they have all that info in one place.
This situation actually helps make the argument that sometimes complexity is more appropriate.
Or maybe this is still about simplicity. But instead of simplicity of just one diagram, it’s the simplicity of the whole process. And in this case a small learning curve may make using this chart easier in the long run, for the couple.
Don’t sacrifice simplicity of a complete experience for the simplicity of one interface.
And @ your first comment. No one gives up on getting pregnant because of a chart.
ML
on 07 May 07And @ your first comment. No one gives up on getting pregnant because of a chart.
Speak for yourself. I just gave up because of that chart. ; )
Scott Yates
on 07 May 07Ahh, seeing that chart brings back some memories…
Look, it’s complicated in part because if someone finds it you don’t really want to advertise when you had intercourse. In our class, every couple had come up with some different symbol for that because they feared a child/relative/someone would find the chart.
We did get confused by the chart, and didn’t pay enough attention, and got pregnant when we weren’t planning it. As a friend said to me, “You flunked the final, dude!”
But now we have a beautiful son and love him so much that the chart is ancient history. I did think at the time that some software would be better, or at least a “chart” that is actually plastic pieces on top of a grid, sort of like a tablet-sized slide-rule would be much better.
I knew this one of all these examples would get the most comments, anyone who’s used that chart has some real emotions attached.
Nismoto
on 07 May 07Just have sex every day: solved.
Erin
on 09 May 07Ah Nismoto, you obviously read the chart wrong: Have all your sex on Friday the 16th.
Sandy
on 10 May 07The chart is fine. Can you really be finding it hard?
j at breakset
on 11 May 07I have to weigh in on this one. The chart is complex because female fertility is complex.
My wife and I have used the Natural Family Planning charts (NFP) via the Couple to Couple League for a number of years to avoid pregnancy. The CCL charts are quite a bit cleaner and they are legal paper size so they are wider but the information presented is basically the same. The book that goes with the charts is 529 pages and took months to work through in part because you have to go through several cycles while learning.
How much do most people, men or women, know about the fertility cycle in detail? Anything that foreign would be confusing in as much as you don’t really know what you’re looking at or for. I challenge anyone with an understanding of how much information needs to be captured and presented to design a clearer chart. ML? Paulo?
@ML
If someone started with just the chart they would be screwed. You have to learn what to do with it. Once you do understand what you are looking at the chart is not all that complex. It is a lot of information but other than the poor quality of the image and the minor layout cleanup that could be done to smooth it out I’m at a loss on how to improve it substantially and that’s after working with them for years.
The chart isn’t complicated, much less exceedingly so, because it is important. It is complicated because fertility is complicated, perhaps exceedingly so. I think this is a good example of the difference of a tool designed for people who have studied something and know what they are doing with it in contrast to something that stands by itself and needs to be clear at first glance. Context and audience.
@ Scott Yates (Probably the most off topic bit…)
I have to say it is sad to hear you think the chart is complicated because “you don’t really want to advertise when you had intercourse.” Did you keep your chart on the coffee table? We kept ours next to the bed with our other personals, if you have people going through your private items I’d think you’ve got more to worry about than them knowing when the last time you had sex was. Just honestly a bit confused by that one. On the other hand great to hear parenting is working out for you!
@Waffles
As far as software goes, and hardware for that matter, I’d consider a large part of the good design of these charts is the reality of being able to be in bed with a paper chart making notes. I checked out a bunch of software and hardware, most of the software tracked all the same things as the charts yet with much lower resolution and less flexibility. When the bulk of the time interfacing with something is in bed for a short period of time first thing in the morning what are you going to do, wander out of bed to the PC to take notes? Even a laptop is 10 times more work to open up, launch a program, type in a few things and put back down. Not likely to beat the usability paper in any way other than saving you from some basic math.
On the hardware side there is a lot to be said for actual first hand knowledge of things and personal experience that a go/no go light is not going to give you. Forget the batteries? Hardware failure? What have you learned? Nothing. If you are just trying to hit those fertile days and get pregnant it might not matter so much, I’d like to have a bit better understanding of what is gong on and be able to apply it.
And as far as reliablility of hardware versus technique? Pretty much all of the options are effective enough that the application by the people involved is by far the biggest factor in success or failure.
@Erin
This dude was fascinated by learning more about this aspect of my wife’s body. We both learned a lot and it certainly brought us closer in that shared understanding. I have gotten a much better clue about what is going on at certain times of the month. I think a lot of men just stay heads down don’t want to know about any of it and it’s a shame because it certainly makes marital relations better when you know, for instance, what days of the month “I’m getting kind of hungry” really means “Feed me now before I kill!”
@paulo
If someone can’t afford to spend 5-10 minutes looking at a chart before running off to try to either have, or not have, babies then they need to go get fixed because we don’t need any more parents that don’t have time to be attentive.
- j
Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with the CCL, I’m simply very impressed with their work. After searching out and reviewing every natural birth control method I could find, and there are quite a few, my wife and I settled on NFP. Their materials were simply the best out of all the offerings. I also have a lot of respect for them in that they are a Christian organization that is very up front about their bias. It made reading the bits about the religious politics of birth control interesting instead of feeling like someone trying to force their point of view. Ultimately they are concerned with the teaching of the material and not pushing an agenda. Very refreshing!
Lids
on 12 May 07First I need to find myself a man wearing those sexy narrative boots and then i will have a need for the fertility chart…those boots are HOT! the old saying is true: tell a man by the shoes he wears! And since i like to write, the boot’s branding is just the icing on the cake..or is it the branding that interests me more than the boot?
This discussion is closed.