Application of EMI: Gas Stovetop Design  

6.  Learnability Design

The Frustration of 
Unstructured Design 

The stovetop designs  in Fig. 1, Fig. 2, and Fig. 3 are very difficult to use compared to structured designs. It will be difficult for users to develop accurate conceptual models of these designs. Users will typically use trial-and-error techniques to determine which control maps to which burner. The design in Fig. 2 is also difficult to use despite having printed mappings. 

In Fig. 1, the design might be improved by moving the top two controls slightly to the left and the bottom two controls slightly to the right, creating a spatial analogy. In Fig. 2, the design might be improved by separating controls 3 and 4 spatially and then angling from top to bottom controls 1, 2, 3  and 4, 5, 6 from left to right. Spatial analogies are extremely powerful in making design memorable and facilitating the development of accurate conceptual models.

Fig. 1. The mappings between the controls 
and the burners is nearly impossible to determine 
in this five burner stovetop.

Fig. 2. Six Burner Stovetop With Poor Mappings.

Fig. 3. Four Burner Stovetop with Poor Mappings.