The New York Times has an article suggesting that the old adage “Form Follows Function” is becoming irrelevant with the wave of smaller digital devices with more storage and multiple capabilities like the iPod shuffle. Is it true? An architect said it first, and it makes sense. Physical objects that have real-world effects like furniture, living spaces, or single-purpose tools should reflect and afford their intended usage.
It’s one thing to say that the rule doesn’t matter for non-interactive components. In fact, I think that in our future interactions with technology we’ll more frequently experience 100% interface; the storage and processing components will be invisible to us. In that sense, the Form of the storage and computation pieces is indeed irrelevant. But the interface is the whole point.
Take the author’s example of the Shuffle. She argues that the device’s Form is growing independent of its Function, and yet the Function to listen privately is provided with the Form of tiny speakers close to the eardrum. The Function of listening while busy or burdened makes clipping it to clothing a good Form. The need for easy control on-the-go makes the cord-embedded controls a reasonable idea. It’s true – and interesting – that the industrial design of the memory module is neutral to its purpose. Point taken. Most people don’t interact with their PC towers nearly as much as their mice either. But the Function at stake isn’t in there anyway – it’s in the tasks users want to perform with the little cord buttons and the affordances of the interface.
The newest iPod Shuffle controls with an overworked center button.
We can still use the rule to make improvements, too. The center button has single, double, and triple clicks, press and hold, and press and hold with timed release. That kind of overloading means knowledge about how to use it is forced to be more in the head than in the world. If Form Followed Function more closely, couldn’t it provide value to improve this interface?
What do you think?
Time to leave ‘form follows function’ behind for our shiny digital future?
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