スピーキングチャレンジあなたのせいじゃない悪いドアはどこにでもある

[Recording Transcript]
There are many things in our daily lives that are badly designed, and sometimes we don’t even realize it. In many instances, we only become aware of these bad designs after they have been fixed or corrected. Here’s one example – the road signs can be very confusing in some cities, especially parking signs. Sometimes a parking sign will have so much information on it which makes it difficult for the drivers to decide what to do. A New York-based designer decided to simplify and redesign these parking signs. She found a way to process all the information so they are displayed in a very simple manner and are easy to understand. There are only two colors, red and green, and the parking hours are specified in a very clear way.

Another example is the MMN (mystery meat navigation). Mystery meat refers to a kind of food that was served in cafeterias in schools around the US. Its final shape and form made it hard to identify what the original source of meat was. The mystery meat navigation is a name for websites that have very bad navigation design. There could be a bunch of photos for example, and no one could tell if you’re supposed to click on them, and where they would lead the user to, etc. Comparatively, it’d be so much easier and useful to display words and titles, the users then can navigate around the website with clarity. Some web designers like to show off their skills by adding exciting fonts, colors, and shapes to their designs. However, sometimes when there’s too much of something, it may start to look confusing. So that’s another example of bad design.
Let’s watch this week's episode, you’d be interested to learn what the Norman door means. How good and bad designs can impact our lives.

[2'45''] Sentence:
Why does it need an instruction manual? That is, why do you have to have a sign that says push or pull? Why not make it obvious?


Pronunciation Tips:
instruction
manual
sign
says
obvious

Linking words :
does it
that is
have to have a
make it

Vocab

1. instruction KK[ɪnˋstrʌkʃən] IPA//ɪnˈstrʌk.ʃən/
n. advice and information about how to do or use something, often written in a book or on the side of a container

Example:
She gave me clear instructions on how to walk to her house from school.


2. manual ​​KK[ˋmænjʊəl] IPA//ˈmæn.ju.əl/
n. a book that gives you practical instructions on how to do something or how to use something, such as a machine
adj. done with the hands

Example:
These robots will soon replace manual labor and these workers will be out of a job.


3. obvious KK[ˋɑbvɪəs] IPA//ˈɑːb.vi.əs/
adj. easy to see, recognize, or understand

Example:
It’s so obvious that he likes you from the way he gazes at you in class.


Outro:
So there are a few lessons that can be learnt from today’s topic. First, a good designer should understand what users need. Sure - cool looking doors and handles are nice, but if people keep getting confused, perhaps it’s time to think of a more simple (easy-to-understand) design, and make it more user friendly. Second, pictures can sometimes be the easiest way to convey a lot of information than describing by text. Third, when it comes to web design, it is always better to label links and not let users guess what they mean. Fourth, remember to test out your designs before actually putting them out there for people to use. If 8 out of 10 people find the design to be flawed, it might be a good sign to go back to the sketch board to rethink some new ideas. There are probably many examples of bad designs that were improved over time. If you think of any, let me know in the comments.

Thanks for listening and don’t forget to record your challenge sentence! Bye bye for now.

it's can't be obvious.