DesignAday

My name is Jack Moffett. I am an Interaction Designer with over ten years of experience. According to Herb Simon, that makes me an expert, so I must have something worth sharing. I have started this venture as an exercise to spur critical thinking about my chosen profession. I hope that others may find it thought provoking as well.

DesignAday will present a brief thought about Design every weekday.
Apr 28
Permalink

In the Details: Volume Control

Another feature of my new Mazda5 that I really like is the automatic volume adjustment. The volume increases as the car speeds up and decreases as it slows down. The increment at which it increases and decreases can be set.

Like the rain-sensing windshield wipers, this is a case in which automation makes perfect sense. It has made me quite aware of the frequency by which I manually adjust the volume in my PT Cruiser to account for road noise, engine noise, rain hitting the windshield, and the like.

Perhaps it is a trivial matter to reach over and twist a knob. I’d rather keep my hands on the wheel and my eyes on the road.