Since distracted driving resulted in over 3,200 deaths, and 391,000 injuries a year (National Center for Statistics and Analysis, 2017), is creating devices making hands-free cell use easier while driving ethically defensible from an interactive designer’s viewpoint?
At first blush, hands-free cell usage appears to solve problems of distraction. However, there are three types of distracted driving: visual, manipulative, and cognitive. When it comes to cell phone usage, hands-free may mitigate visual and manipulative distractions, yet it does not address cognitive distractions which can be far more difficult for a driver to identify and reduce. (National Safety Council, 2012) As a usability study, how could an interactive designer address …show more content…
(Laubheimer, 2015)
Offering suggestions have been helpful in communicating other types of safety features. In the 1980s, reminder systems blasted annoying noises when automobiles were started without engaging seat belts. Perhaps a similar device would automatically pair with a cell phone prompting the driver use the do-not-disturb feature or to discontinue current conversations.
A combination of offering suggestions and utilizing constraints is provided by Waze, a popular GPS app. When the vehicle is moving at a rate of more than six mph, the app prompts users to identify as passenger or driver. Drivers are restricted from interactive features. Some in car GPS systems appear to use constraints prohibiting any input while the car is in motion.
The American public loves to multitask and engage in conversation while driving. When posturing to take advantage of this lucrative market, designers should consider how their design choices affect their users. As Dan Safer paraphrases the theorist Richard Buchanan, “determine the right thing to do considering the given constraints. To designing is to make ethical choices.” (Saffer, …show more content…
J., & D., W. C. (2006). Examining the Impact of Cell Phone Conversations on Driving Using Meta-Analytic Techniques. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 48(196), 196-205. doi: DOI: 10.1518/001872006776412135
Laubheimer, P. (2015, August 23). Preventing User Errors: Avoiding Unconscious Slips. Retrieved from Neilson Norman Group: https://www.nngroup.com/articles/slips/
Moggridge, B. (2007, Feb 2). Designing Interactions. Video Lecture Stanford Center for Professional Development Human Computer Interaction Seminar. Retrieved September 1, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVkQYvN4_HA>
National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2017, March). Distracted Driving 2015. Traffic Safety Research Notes. DOT HS 812 381.
National Safety Council. (2012). Understanding the distracted brain: why driving while using hands-free cell phones is risky behavior. Washington, D.C.: National Safety Council. Retrieved 9 3, 2017, from http://www.nsc.org/distracteddrivingdocuments/cognitive-distraction-white-paper.pdf
Nielsen, J. (1995, Jan 1). 10 Usability Heuristics for Interface Design. Retrieved from Nielson Norman Group:
At first blush, hands-free cell usage appears to solve problems of distraction. However, there are three types of distracted driving: visual, manipulative, and cognitive. When it comes to cell phone usage, hands-free may mitigate visual and manipulative distractions, yet it does not address cognitive distractions which can be far more difficult for a driver to identify and reduce. (National Safety Council, 2012) As a usability study, how could an interactive designer address …show more content…
(Laubheimer, 2015)
Offering suggestions have been helpful in communicating other types of safety features. In the 1980s, reminder systems blasted annoying noises when automobiles were started without engaging seat belts. Perhaps a similar device would automatically pair with a cell phone prompting the driver use the do-not-disturb feature or to discontinue current conversations.
A combination of offering suggestions and utilizing constraints is provided by Waze, a popular GPS app. When the vehicle is moving at a rate of more than six mph, the app prompts users to identify as passenger or driver. Drivers are restricted from interactive features. Some in car GPS systems appear to use constraints prohibiting any input while the car is in motion.
The American public loves to multitask and engage in conversation while driving. When posturing to take advantage of this lucrative market, designers should consider how their design choices affect their users. As Dan Safer paraphrases the theorist Richard Buchanan, “determine the right thing to do considering the given constraints. To designing is to make ethical choices.” (Saffer, …show more content…
J., & D., W. C. (2006). Examining the Impact of Cell Phone Conversations on Driving Using Meta-Analytic Techniques. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 48(196), 196-205. doi: DOI: 10.1518/001872006776412135
Laubheimer, P. (2015, August 23). Preventing User Errors: Avoiding Unconscious Slips. Retrieved from Neilson Norman Group: https://www.nngroup.com/articles/slips/
Moggridge, B. (2007, Feb 2). Designing Interactions. Video Lecture Stanford Center for Professional Development Human Computer Interaction Seminar. Retrieved September 1, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVkQYvN4_HA>
National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2017, March). Distracted Driving 2015. Traffic Safety Research Notes. DOT HS 812 381.
National Safety Council. (2012). Understanding the distracted brain: why driving while using hands-free cell phones is risky behavior. Washington, D.C.: National Safety Council. Retrieved 9 3, 2017, from http://www.nsc.org/distracteddrivingdocuments/cognitive-distraction-white-paper.pdf
Nielsen, J. (1995, Jan 1). 10 Usability Heuristics for Interface Design. Retrieved from Nielson Norman Group: