"For easier use, Yamaha has completely redesigned the assembly manual for the VMAX, the commemorative first edition authentic paper sculpture. Anyone, including those who have completed the previous version, or who have given up on it, or who haven't tried it yet, can take this special opportunity to make their own authentic paper sculpture of the VMAX."
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If you like that, check out Make Your Own Working Paper Clock a book I got as a kid and almost immediately destroyed. I've wanted to try it again ever since.
Posted by andrew @ 04/26/2001 07:03 AM pst
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Oh, I'm a HUGE origami geek. I went mad for it long ago, when I broke up with an ex of four years, and folding origami was the only thing that kept me sane. Love Joseph Wu's page.
Posted by christina @ 04/26/2001 08:59 AM pst
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This reminded me of why I love LEGO so much. I'm not an IA person, but I'm sure LEGO instructions are cited often as case studies in usability and information design. The instructions for most sets are completely visual, save for a few numbers here and there. This makes it easy for LEGO to localize and publish its sets in the many languages it does. As a child, I thought it felt almost zen-like to follow a spare, completely visual set of 2-D instructions and emerge with a 3-D model in my hands.
On another note about paper: Martha Stewart (gasp!) had a neat segment on crepe paper flowers last week that was actually kind of cool. (Project: Crepe Paper Boquet with Jodi) No templates on the website, though -- you have to actually shell out some bucks for her magazine.
Posted by Marc @ 04/28/2001 10:32 AM pst
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Funny! I can fold from japanese origami books; I'm sure it's the same thing. once you learn the language of folding, the instruction langauge doesn't much matter.
It makes me wonder about a bunch of things: two are
1. How important is instant comprehenstion? Soemtimes it seems in usability there is too much importance on knowing how to use something right away.. obviously there can be a power in a learned interface that is more complex. Of course, when to choose fast and when to choose complex is another story.
2. once IA diagramming is standardized (as if it were a fait accompli!)will anyoen be able to build a website even if they don't speak the language of the original creator? this seems like a very silly but kind of fun requirement.
Posted by christina @ 04/28/2001 05:56 PM pst
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I was chatting with a friend who has become a little obsessed by a UC Santa Cruz professor who recently passed away. Dr. Huffman started the Computer Science department in the 70s, but was also known to do some weird paper folding. Check it out at http://www.sgi.com/grafica/huffman/
Posted by Scott @ 05/02/2001 09:52 AM pst
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