Music-centred design extends user-centred design to privilege the needs of performers, audiences, and musical flow — not just usability metrics

Brown (ch23) proposes ‘music-centred design’ as a domain-specific design philosophy for algorithmic music software. Standard HCI usability (learnability, efficiency, memorability, error rate, satisfaction) is necessary but insufficient because it foregrounds the user-as-task-executor. Music-centred design adds: provisioning for artistic flow (the creative state where self-consciousness disappears and activity feels effortless), progressive disclosure and layered abstraction, and attention to the experience of non-user personas — particularly live music audiences who are affected by the interface’s affordances without interacting with it directly. The ‘virtuosity-enabled’ design principle is key: good design enables novices to become expert over time.

Examples

A synthesizer with default presets that sound immediately musical (progressive disclosure) but expose all parameters to experts (layered abstraction) — and whose visual layout is legible to audiences watching over a performer’s shoulder.

Assessment

Explain what ‘music-centred design’ adds to standard user-centred design. Give one concrete design recommendation for a live coding tool interface derived from each: (a) standard usability and (b) music-centred design.