React on the book in the form of an argumentative essay

• Length of the essay must be kept between 1800 and 2200

words.

• The essay should:

– Describe the content of the book (maximum 300 words)

– Discuss the content in approx. 600 words: why is it valuable?

why is it crap?

– Discuss the relevance of the book for the field of Industrial

Design Engineering (approx. 1000 words)

– Conclusion (100 words) : was it valuable / fun to read the book

The central question you need to answer

Is this a relevant book for the present and/or future

field of Industrial Design Engineering?

Give the arguments on which your opinion is based?

You might need other people’s arguments, so

literature to backbone your opinion (include a

literature list if needed (maybe it is always needed))

Is this a relevant book for the present and/or future field of Industrial Design Engineering?

Yes, during study you need to make a lot of choices, which courses, which direction of field as
engineer, which study projects to choice, choice your end results. Also being a designers requires you
to make daily a lot of choices; from color to steps, to methods to viable end results; I think designer
students are definitely in the top of making daily choices. With so many choices we have to keep
sane; as other whise decision making becomes harder. With group work this can even be more
difficult as you have different opinions and standards. Being aware of your decision making of you
and others is crucial; as well as framing, benchmarking and being time-efficient. Being an
“maximizer” can results in good choices, however will be hard during study and work related
environments were there are definite deadlines and always out of nowhere last minute things.

+ consumer decision making should be taken into account; understanding this psychology is
important for your concept/product to considered.

1) There are a lot of study and work related choice ( could be overwhelming and cause choice
paralysis) which are important and determine your future a lot
2) Being a designer requires a lot of decision making; as a designer you should master this
3) Understanding consumer decision making is crucial

: give arguments for above and use sources.

– Describe the content of the book (maximum 300 words)

Book dat vertlelt over the paradox dat keuze met zich mee brengt; dagelijks maken we meerdere
keuzes van groot tot klein maar de opties hebben over de jaren toegenomen. Het toenemen van
deze keuzes zorgde voor autonomy, self determination en higher quality of the presented options as
well as benefits for companies(source), maar brengt tegelijk verscheidene negatieve psychische
gevolgen voor de individu met zich mee. The book deliberates on how the modern word has changed
and the increasing amount of daily choices that come with it. Secondly it discussed how people make
(good) choices and the different dimensions of decision making. Here it also highlights 2 absolute
types of people during decision making: maximizers, that always opt for the best decision and
satisficers, who are looking for a good enough option. The main difference between these 2 is that
for maximers choice is a problem as it is demanding and creates anxiety and regret, whereas for
satisficers the overall experience is less demanding and in the end even more satisfactory. Thirdly,
the book shows that an increasing amount of opportunities often make us less happy. This is because
of the fact that before and after making decisions we can face regret because of the opportunity
costs that come with the decision making when comparing, but we also feel less satisfied when
comparing to others. Adaption to the choices we make also happens and then the bar must
constantly be raised to be satisfied or we had too high expectations at first. All of these negative
effects can build up and are even linked within this book to the raising numbers of clinical
depression. In the last part several steps, which are connected to the causes presented in the book,
are presented to decrease, or even leave out any of the distress that comes with choosing. With the
main recommendation being to review your decision making so that one can choose (out of) less and
settle with good enough alternatives, all to increase ones satisfaction.

and presents several key Ideas that highlight how decision making in daily life effects our pshycoligal
well being and how.

1. The Paradox of Choice Key Idea #1: The range of choices people face every day has increased
dramatically in recent years.
2. The Paradox of Choice Key Idea #2: The more options we have, the harder it becomes to
make a good decision
3. The Paradox of Choice Key Idea #3: The more options we have, the more likely we are to
make a mistake.
4. The Paradox of Choice Key Idea #4: The more options we have, the less satisfaction we get
from our decisions.
5. The Paradox of Choice Key Idea #5: We get used to things, and as a result our choices rarely
make us feel as good as we expect.
6. The Paradox of Choice Key Idea #6: The overwhelming amount of choice contributes to the
epidemic of unhappiness in modern society.
7. The Paradox of Choice Key Idea #7: Choices are more demanding and less fulfilling if you’re a
maximizer: someone who seeks and accepts only the best
8. The Paradox of Choice Key Idea #8: Choices are less demanding and more fulfilling if you are
a satisficer: someone who’s able to settle for “good enough.”
9. The Paradox of Choice Key Idea #9: Our social relations and psychological well-being improve
if we embrace certain voluntary constraints on our freedom.

The key message in this book:

Everyday decisions have become increasingly complex due to the

overwhelming range of choices that modern society presents us with. As
the number of choices increases, so do the negative effects choice can have
on our psychological well-being. The more options we have, the more
difficult it becomes to make a wise decision, and the less satisfaction we
will derive from what we actually choose. Therefore, it seems like some
degree of voluntary constraint would make everyone better off. By simply
choosing less, chances are that we would be more happy.

Actionable advice from the book:

Review your decision making

A simple exercise can help you restrict your options so you are able to
choose less and feel better: First, review some recent decisions you’ve
made, both big and small. Then, itemize the steps, time, research and anxiety
that went into making those decision. This will give you an overview of the
costs associated with the different kinds of decisions you make and help you
establish future rules governing how many options to consider, or how much
time and energy to invest in choosing.

Become a satisficer

Appreciating and embracing “good enough” will simplify decision making and
increase satisfaction. Therefore, think about occasions in life when you’ve
settled comfortably for “good enough,” and closely examine how you chose
in those areas. Then, start cultivating this “satisficing” strategy in more and
more aspects of life.

– Discuss the content in approx. 600 words: why is it valuable?

why is it crap?

– Discuss the relevance of the book for the field of Industrial

Design Engineering (approx. 1000 words)

– Conclusion (100 words) : was it valuable / fun to read the book

Value of the book (good and bad) = link back to content presented in the summary.

Good; provide insights in decision making and creates awareness about the amount of choices and
the effect it can have on yourself. Makes you reflect on your decision making and helps you to be less
fixed on making the best decision in cases where you do not need to maximize the outcome. Helps
you make better choices, and feel more comfortable around making choices + reflect on your
decision making. Can also be used to gain ishgts and deliberate on how cpnsumers can perceive the
options that you offer; how hard are they and how many alternatives are there? What distinquieshed
you and how can you offer this satisfiying feeling more and not overwhelm with alternative or
options you offer?

Bad; does not reflect on the goods that come with having a lot of options and how to deal with
bigger choices that are hard to make; or discuss the skills that you can acquire to decrease your
option sets. If having a lot of options is that bad? Then why do companies still offer that much
options. Expended choices are also beneficial is certain cases. We will also feel unhappy when we
have little to choice from.

Example in the book is also on menu; having too much to choose from; while when you know what
you want or something else is just great.

+ there is an optimum number to choose from; so not always more is less or the more the better. (for
example adding a more expensive item results in more sales)
Niet alle keuze die je maakt worden tegelijk gepresenteerd; je gaat opzoek naar alternatieven; en je
laat dit zelf toe. + je wordt beter in keuzes maken over tijd vooral als het om herhalende keuzes gaat
wat veel dagelijkse keuzes kunnen zijn. We choose what works best for us. Trail and error.

Mensen zijn ook goed in het justifying van hun keuzes;

Het zijn niet de keuzes die mensen slecht laten voelen maar de specifieke situaties waar mensen de
expertise voor het maken van de keuze niet bezitten.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/246551635_Is_More_Choice_Always_Better
Relevance for field of industrial design engineering.

Experience based design (previous choices, for example learned in college, from others and yourself)
+

Reference based design ( looking, imitating using it as inspiration, why do you like it?)

+ gut feeling design ( feels good and right)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PdvXZ6xsUw&ab_channel=JesseShowalter

Product design process: is solving problems and making decisions.

(for making good decisions as a team)

We have a lot of choice as desigenrs to make during the process; we must be able to handle this and
make it easier. For us the process of decision making is more important.

Je makat het decision making proces makkelijker; door in fases te zetten; design methodes gedachte
gang dat je gaatverkomen dat iemand blijft maximezen procastiniten. Berg info draagelijk maken; en
visual makkelijk te begrijpen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_erGhPaxMc&ab_channel=Delve

decisions involve thinking; ways to think to solve problems. engineering thinking; solve pain
problems with clear repeatable solutions. (hard problems; once I build this bridge I can buily it again.)
Next optimization thinking; there is no right answer but you optimize. Researchers analytic thinking;
nedxt wicked problems where the criteria for success are unclear; human and messy problems
unclear future and will change; you cannot analyze it; we build are way forward by doing it again to
solve the problem; design thinking prototyping. Human centered design. Design thinking curiosity;
think and try out; try a lot that gives feedback.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7LRxKHdao8&ab_channel=BigThink
https://www.cca.edu/newsroom/design-strategy-problem-
solving/#:~:text=Empathy%2C%20co%2Dcreation%2C%20and,co%2Dcreation%2C%20and%20iteratio
n.

For UX design: which is also part of IDE.

As a UX designer, you need to account for the paradox of choice factor in your design — suffice to
say that an annoyed user is not a happy user.

Applying good information architecture to your product will force you to consider navigation,
labeling, organization and search systems in your product.

Information architecture is crucial if you want to make sure that users can understand how the
product works, and can enjoy its features. But it is also the first line of duty to make sure that you
feed information to the user slowly, in a way that people can digest easily. It’s the best possible way
for you to make sure that your users don’t experience the paradox of choice first-hand

Be smart about guiding users on decision-making

This can relate to your navigation system or the way you present users with search results. The
paradox of choice clearly illustrates that people just get stuck when they have too much on their
minds, so make it easy for them to find some traction and get started.

+ aestethics; keep it clear

Digital; of semi-digitale producten) interaces bij prudcten.

https://medium.com/@tejasrinivas/the-paradox-of-choice-for-designers-d0e8ff2e2236

➔ So it also has to do with consumer behaviour

 https://productsthatcount.com/design-thinking-solving-the-paradox-of-choice/

Goede bronnen:

show.cgi (uvt.nl)

https://patshih.luddy.indiana.edu/publications/Han-HCML-CHI16.pdf

A Designer’s Guide To Better Decisions — Smashing Magazine

The power of conscious decision making (tudelft.nl)

Develop critical thinking skills and a contextualising mindset to understand and deal with
challenges. Understanding Design (tudelft.nl) semester 1 With a lens of curiosity, learn how to
ve3rfeel and sense the expanse of the designed world around.

Understand humans semester 1:: Participate in discussions that build understanding of the
concepts and develop critical thinking skills. Learn to ask the right questions, how to build an
argument and defend your position. Reflect on your own human experiences to explore the
personal relevance of the theoretical concepts.
Understanding Humans (tudelft.nl)

+ marketing and business it helps

But also helps with telling information. Visually ux design.

Uinderstanding values; (3rd person perspecgtives)

Literature:

https://www.designsociety.org/publication/35199/HOW+INTUITION+AFFECTS+DESIGNERS%E2%80%
99+DECISION+MAKING%3A+AN+INTERVIEW+STUDY

https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED423850

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11528-014-0789-7

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0142694X15000435?casa_token=jDsEx05wvYM
AAAAA:kyiOZdkC1DCUfBKfYPy1qw13TrHsLxKFpCz5ujiPLV3O4_Pqd1UvUA_ssYU3dM3S6vj2Gsfp

https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9780080454979/designers-think-bryan-
lawson

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2752/144871304X13966215067633?journalCode=rfdp20

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00146-014-0546-7

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15427561003590001?casa_token=TkRr7Ti8EQ8AAA
AA%3AX0NPdzWUAt8Rri1fVWh15xH5q8_QbyEpMst_zLQ-UqSBSgMYJpH7hjv9mEJtvqqtJD3nVZ5cTuQ

https://psycnet.apa.org/search

https://www2.psych.ubc.ca/~schaller/Psyc591Readings/KerrTindale2004.pdf

https://books.google.nl/books?hl=nl&lr=&id=tQ51AwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=decision+making
+group&ots=YlLhEWzB7b&sig=WhjGMD05afbJibNzemAgPRhIHJU&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=decisi
on%20making%20group&f=false

https://stanforddaily.com/2019/09/24/the-paradox-of-stanford-student-choice/

https://www.wayup.com/guide/community/the-paradox-of-career-choice/

https://completecollege.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Paradox-of-Choice.pdf

https://www.leidenpsychologyblog.nl/articles/paradox-of-choice

https://thedecisionlab.com/reference-guide/economics/the-paradox-of-choice

https://gostrengths.com/what-is-the-paradox-of-choice/

https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/paradox-of-choice

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Paradox_of_Choice

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-007-0510-4_19

https://brandgenetics.com/pt-br/human-thinking/the-paradox-of-choice-speed-summary/

https://www.paulolyslager.com/book-review-paradox-of-choice/

https://psmag.com/social-justice/paradox-choice-barry-schwartz-psychology-10-years-later-96706

https://lifeclub.org/books/the-paradox-of-choice-barry-schwartz-review-summary (good
summary)