reference：

Interaction Design Foundation. 2015. Affordances [Online]. http://bit.ly/1Mhi6W5 

Affordances & Perceived Affordance

What is affordances？Simply put, it refers to the possibility that the environment provides for human/animal behavior.（James Jerome Gibson，1977）Our perception and interpretation of the environment itself contributes to the possibility of our actions. But sometimes this process is so short that we are not aware of it ourselves. Or sometimes, it will be based on experience (or vary from person to person).

For example, a roll of paper towel on a table has a reasonable area, flatness, level, and rigid physical properties that provide the capability for the action of “putting a cup”, even if it is not built to put a bottle.

Any actions and innovations in our lives are actually discovering this possibility in the environment.

From the article shared by the teacher, we can know: Compared with Gibson, Norman emphasizes the meaning of perceived affordance that can be perceived under certain circumstances. In the design, it is not only related to the actual ability of the individual, but will also be affected by psychological factors, culture or experience.The possible interactions between humans and the environment are sometimes perceivable and sometimes not. It can be understood as “unconscious”.Norman’s definition emphasizes the perceived affordances of an object and implies how we should use it. In short, a design that allows people to make the same behavior unconsciously/ naturally/ conditionally in a specific situation. This is the best design.

Some of the affordances of an iPad：

• ipad can watch videos and play music.
• The ipad can draw after downloading the drawing software, just like on paper.
• The ipad can play some video games.
• ipad can go online.
• ipad can watch time and calendar.
• ipad can be used to read books.