vanderwal.net Off the Top

• I Wrote What?
• Two New Categories that May Have not been Noticed
• A Rainy Virtual Walk Sparks Reading
• Barbican Station Podcast is Back
• Large Observable Update
• Tony Seale’s Knowledge Graph and Complexity Posts
• Affinity for the Canva Affinity
• Behind the Art Sale, What’s The Big Deal
• Farmer's Market Nice Surprise
• The Category Page has Been Updated
• A Quick Category Page Lab Update
• Category Page Filtering Testing
• A Vision Pro Perspective
• Can I See What You Are Writing
• A New Chapter for Apple
• A Wrap to Blaugust
• August as a Reading Measurement
• Markdown Apps Loosely Joined
• Tech Learning and Reference Resources
• Zeef Returning

Two New Categories that May Have not been Noticed

In yesterday’s post (A Rainy Virtual Walk Sparks Reading) I had a couple friends reach out today and comment that there was a new category, Calm :: Category :: vanderwal.net, that appeared. This is correct, I added “Calm” as a new category (today I went back and added it to past posts were it applied as well, a few more may be added as I discover the need).

But, I also made another addition in categories and used it on yesterday’s post as well, Ambience :: Category :: vanderwal.net.

The Two New Categories Have Long Been Central as Perspectives

The idea and ideal of calm has been something central that I realized I seek and have noticed for more than a couple of decades (and in reality, much longer). In 2000 I had a moment where this really struck me as I was leading a skunkworks / innovation project, but also writing code and coordinating the design to code, data interactions, and interoperability to other services. There was a lot going on and it needed focus. I hadn’t noticed that my desk phone had been quite for months. The assistant to the Executive Director came into our office to find me and apologize that somehow my phone number had been routed to the bureau’s fax number. I no longer had a working phone at my desk and hadn’t had one for months.

The apology came with a promise to get a phone working for me again. I realized the focus and lack of extra disruption this provided me with a calm environment to get things done. I asked for a promise to not turn the phone back on. My preferred method of communication was instant message, which I would read and reply to when I cleared my head of what I was concentrating on or email as an alternative. The phone ringing meant I should drop what I’m doing and respond.

But, I had long been aware of the need for calm environments. I like the loud, chaotic, and erratic, but in limited doses that have a known end. I learned early that severe silence also is a trigger alert for the brain for trouble. There needs to be a little something, but often something minimal so one can focus where they need to focus.

Calm and Atmospheric Ambience as a Criteria

I’ve long had a preference for calm interfaces and interaction models in design. I tend to push things out that scream for attention. But, with user testing I’ve found most people get distracted for heavy motion interfaces that are there to wow, but the motion isn’t the focus, it is the content that goes with it, which utterly fails at designing for use. This is often from people who don’t understand good design, nor what a product should actually do as the product’s purpose.These are basics, not good to haves.

For years I’ve had my devices with the sound off, or a light ambient sound that is just noticeable in the background. I may have something in the background playing as music or atmospherics (like the background sound of a damp Paris walk for a few hours or a calm cafe). That ambience is akin to calm, but also provides something that is in the background and not screaming for attention. It is an atmospheric layer that can mute or numb the jarring cacophony.

When I’m writing to capture things as notes or writing to understand things a little light ambient sound helps. But, when getting to the honing of that output I need the focus on that task at hand. One of my workflow passes for things I write often goes through iA Writer app, which I bring up a fair amount, a it is focussed on your words you are writing. It is an interface with a calm interface, but can fade to your words you are writing and little more, or further fade further to the line you are writing in context of a few lines around it. The calmness and ambient focus pull everything else away.

There is a kindred relationship between calmness and ambience / ambient environments that pull one into focus and regard the task at hand with the care and attention it needs.

Calm and Ambience are Attributes Worth Noting

In my notes on environment, gatherings, but also apps and services the term “calm” shows up a lot. These are often things I deeply enjoy and appreciate. I equate ambience with atmospheric essence and ambient qualities that don’t overwhelm, but are just noticeably there to augment, but not take the focus.

As I think about adding definitions to the category pages, these two terms, calm and ambience, are ones that are a little squishy. I also realize but I’m realizing I need to call out more as the are often central to getting things with the focus in the right places.