Week 01

The object of good interaction design





Is it a tiny spoon for tiny people?


No. It's an Asian Q-Tip. I was having difficulty finding a proper English name for the tool. In Korean, people call it, "ear wax digger." It's a tool widely used in East Asia to take out any loose ear wax.




The 3 reasons why I chose this object as a good interactively designed tool.



1. The precedent Vs. The object = better results, in any condition





The cotton swabs and Asian Q-Tips are used to remove visible dirt and wax around the outer surface of the ear.
But the cotton swab is only effective when the area is moist. The ball shaped cotton swabs aren't the best shape
to sccoop out the dirt inside a narrow hole. The Asian Q-tip is designed in two parts; a scooping end and a fluffy end.
The scooping end conveniently dig out the chunks, and the fluffy end picks up the rest.









2. Cost Efficient


If it's used with care, you can use it forever.
You don't need to buy any more of disposable Q-Tips. It'll save you money.



3. Encourages human interaction


The tool can be used by one person, but the nature of tool encourages two people to dig ear wax off of each other.
It may sound disgusting, but in some part of Asia, it is a sign of affection / care / intimacy / kindness, and creates a special bond between the two people.





A quote from an Asian Q-Tip user: "Although occasionally painful (and quite dangerous if not done very delicately and carefully),
the ticklish feeling coupled with the overall sensation all over your body causes a relaxing and sleep-inducing sensation.
It's a similar experience to getting a massage done. Weird eh?"