An artifact is any thing made by humans, usually for some use. Such useful artifacts have the basic purpose of being fit for the intended use.
Artifacts can go beyond this basic purpose. It can be designed to influence how we think and feel. For example, an ordinary drinking cup, if made using ornamental design using shapes and patterns which evoke specific mental images, can do more than hold the drink.
Cognitive science that studies mind and behavior can help us in designing artifacts that create desired mental and behavioral responses. If you know what stimuli create specific responses, you can produce designs that act as such stimuli.
In fact, where the success or failure of an artifact in achieving its intended purpose depends on creating changes in thinking or behavior, it is critical to utilize the principles of cognitive science in designing the artifact. These principles can also help in enhancing the user’s experience in varied ways by being, say exciting, beautiful or easy-to-use.
According to one writer, “We ask our artifacts (anything that is designed) to make us smarter, reflect our values, invoke the respect and admiration of others and involve our friends and family when appropriate. We want all of this on top of whatever it is they are suppose to do.”
Read Cognitive Design Overview for more.
