February 2009

Gianluca Brugnoli frogdesign

Connecting the dots of user experience The design of interactive systems

DECONSTRUCTING THE MACHINE: THE SYSTEM PARADIGM

2 

Traditionally interaction design is centered on the relation of a man with a machine or a service, where (usually) goals and sphere of action are well defined.

What happen if the “machine” is broken down into a network made of services and distributed applications?

What happen if interaction is no longer based on functional and clear goals, but becomes an open and borderless experience where the main goal is living the experience itself?

Experience is a conversation

3 

Many locations Many situations Many channels

One conversation

Experience is

4 Source: Stephen P. Anderson

what we can remember

what we learn

Experience is meaning

CONTENT IS GETTING INDEPENDENT FROM THE MEDIA

5 

According to the annual CENSIS* report about media consumption in Italy in 2005, teenage users don’t mind about the media used to enjoy contents (music and information). Contents are streams they freely catch where possible with any media available.

Media are getting undi!erentiated for the user experience.

Context and user intentions makes the di!erence.

*CENSIS, from the 1964, is the main Italian social study and research public foundation. http://www.censis.it/

6 

Media are getting unspecialized

7 

Media are getting unspecialized

local mobile local online

10 

Content is in the air

Content is in the air

Experience: Music

12 

Many sources Many players

Many services One experience

Example: the photo experience

14 

Camera phone

Digital camera

Desktop application

Web application Photo sharing on the web

Digital frame

Print

Media center

Mobile media player

Mobile phone

Photography eco-system map

Photography eco-system map

15

Camera phone

Digital camera

Desktop application

Web application Photo sharing on the web

Digital frame

Print

Media center

Mobile media player

Mobile phone

capture manage publish / view

share

16

Camera phone

Digital camera

Desktop application

Web application Photo sharing on the web

Digital frame

Print

Media center

Mobile media player

Mobile phone

private distribution

public distribution

Photography eco-system map

17

Camera phone

Digital camera

Desktop application

Web application Photo sharing on the web

Digital frame

Print

Media center

Mobile media player

Mobile phone

living room

indoor

Photography eco-system map

outdoor

outdoor

User scenarios

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++a: Tom exports his photo on is laptop

he retouches it and saves a new version…

…and transfers the new photo on a digital frame at home.

++b: Tom exports his photo on is laptop He uploads it on

Flickr adding few tags He show o! the photo to a friend in a pub using mobile web

User scenarios

19

++a: Tom exports his photo on is laptop

he retouches it and saves a new version…

…and transfers the new photo on a digital frame at home.

++b: Tom exports his photo on is laptop He uploads it on

Flickr adding few tags He show o! the photo to a friend in a pub using mobile web

Di!erent configurations Di!erent interfaces Di!erent contexts

Di!erent interactions Di!erent results

capture manage share publish / view

Digital camera

Main user actions / intentions

Touchpoints

Mobile phone

PC application

Web site / application

Print media

Portable mediaplayer

Home mediacenter / TV

Photography Customer Journey

capture manage share publish / view

Digital camera

Main user actions / intentions

Touchpoints

Mobile phone

PC application

Web site / application

Print media

Portable mediaplayer

Home mediacenter / TV

1

2

3 4

21

Connecting the dots - 1

persona

capture manage share publish / view

Digital camera

Main user actions / intentions

Touchpoints

Mobile phone

PC application

Web site / application

Print media

Portable mediaplayer

Home mediacenter / TV

1

2

3

22

Connecting the dots - 2

persona

capture manage share publish / view

Digital camera

Main user actions / intentions

Touchpoints

Mobile phone

PC application

Web site / application

Print media

Portable mediaplayer

Home mediacenter / TV

1

2

3

5

4

23 

Connecting the dots - 3

o"ce

living room

home

on the move

persona

Design considerations

24

Many entry points are possible In the system there are many entry points where the user can initiate the interaction, following context, situation and other needs and goals.

There is no one best way Interaction and task flow doesn’t always follow one single optimal process, but is the combination of various partial and occasional actions accomplished by the user with di!erent tools in di!erent context.

Design for connections In the system scenario, design is mainly focused on finding the connections with the whole network, than in creating closed and self-su"cient systems, tools and services. Connections are social and cultural assets, other than technical.

Connecting the dots

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1.  For a positive and fulfilling user experience, the whole is more important than the parts.

Moreover, the intelligence of the platform is more important than the intelligence of the single device, which could be replaced or completed.

Connecting the dots

26

1.  For a positive and fulfilling user experience, the whole is more important than the parts. Moreover, the intelligence of the platform is more important than that of the single device, which could be replaced or completed.

2.  Results are not delivered by a single device. They are the arrival point of a fragmented and random interaction flow which goes through many devices and di!erent situations.

Connecting the dots

27 

1.  For a positive and fulfilling user experience, the whole is more important than the parts. Moreover, the intelligence of the platform is more important than that of the single device, which could be replaced or completed.

2.  Results are not delivered by a single device. They are the arrival point of a fragmented and random interaction flow which goes through many devices and di!erent situations.

3.  The architecture of the system becomes a key design challenge. Before focusing on the capabilities and on the features of a single device, the design should start from the organization of the system, and from the possible relationships and connections between the parts which can be activated by the user action.

Connecting the dots

28 

1.  For a positive and fulfilling user experience, the whole is more important than the parts. Moreover, the intelligence of the platform is more important than that of the single device, which could be replaced or completed.

2.  Results are not delivered by a single device. They are the arrival point of a fragmented and random interaction flow which goes through many devices and di!erent situations.

3.  The architecture of the system becomes a key design challenge. Before focusing on the capabilities and on the features of a single device, the design should start from the organization of the system, and from the possible relationships and connections between the parts which can be activated by the user action.

4.  Device’s features and use follow its role within the system, which changes continuously in a opportunistic and situated way following the di!erent contexts and user situations.

Connecting the dots

29

1.  For a positive and fulfilling user experience, the whole is more important than the parts. Moreover, the intelligence of the platform is more important than that of the single device, which could be replaced or completed.

2.  Results are not delivered by a single device. They are the arrival point of a fragmented and random interaction flow which goes through many devices and di!erent situations.

3.  The architecture of the system becomes a key design challenge. Before focusing on the capabilities and on the features of a single device, the design should start from the organization of the system, and from the possible relationships and connections between the parts which can be activated by the user action.

4.  Device’s features and use follow its role within the system, which changes continuously in a opportunistic and situated way following the di!erent contexts and user situations.

5.  Tasks and processes depend on the connections and on the parts combined by the user within the system. Primary and secondary features switch continuously following user interaction, also in a occasional and opportunistic way.

Connecting the dots

30 

1.  For a positive and fulfilling user experience, the whole is more important than the parts. Moreover, the intelligence of the platform is more important than that of the single device, which could be replaced or completed.

2.  Results are not delivered by a single device. They are the arrival point of a fragmented and random interaction flow which goes through many devices and di!erent situations.

3.  The architecture of the system becomes a key design challenge. Before focusing on the capabilities and on the features of a single device, the design should start from the organization of the system, and from the possible relationships and connections between the parts which can be activated by the user action.

4.  Device’s features and use follow its role within the system, which changes continuously in a opportunistic and situated way following the di!erent contexts and user situations.

5.  Tasks and processes depend on the connections and on the parts combined by the user within the system. Primary and secondary features switch continuously following user interaction, also in a occasional and opportunistic way.

6.  Users are always in the center: they are the protagonist which freely and actively connect the dots, selecting and putting together the di!erent pieces of the system.

Grazie Thank you

Danke Merci