My OperaConvergence and Activity Centered Design
By Eddie LopezEddie_Lopez. Wednesday, January 10, 2007 9:51:06 PM
In your "Ask Don" feature, you ended your thoughts on convergence with:
"Today simplicity, tomorrow convenience. Tomorrow convenience, the next day simplicity." Do you feel there is hope that technology will close this gap? In other words, it would be nice if our cell phone would physically "change" into a MP3 player at our whims, but until reality catches up with Sci-Fi, is there a middle ground that technology can reach that will make make simple and convenient devices? (like a touchscreen interface that offers the tactile feedback of physical buttons)
DN: We are always caught in the bind of wanting our devices to be straightforward and simple, while simultaneously wanting them to do more and more things.
This is not a technological problem.
Technology can help only if it can adopt a simple structure so that controls for different devices are as similar to one another as possible, making the learning much easier. Multiple purpose controls are an abomination. It is possible to have a single device transform itself into independent devices for controlling different tasks. But here the key is to make the switch from the support of individual technologies and individual devices to the support of cohesive, organized activities.
When I watch television, I don't really want to watch TV: I want to watch a movie, or a TV show. Therefore, the "watching a TV show" control should automatically set up the TV, the cable box or DVR, the audio set, and let me control volume and selection of shows -- activities that require numerous separate devices, but should e smoothly controlled by one. Indeed, the "watching a TV show" controller might also control room lights and draperies. That's what happens in my home.
But, that's it. The "watching a TV show" controller should not select music channels, or control the bedroom lights, or the room temperature -- it should be configured for all and only the components that make up the TV viewing experience.
Similar strategies are required for all of our activities. Activity-centered design is the key to simplicity.
Henrik HelmersHelmers # Thursday, January 11, 2007 10:32:05 AM
I guess a PC is entirely on the other side of the scale - one giant device that does everything...
Eddie LopezEddie_Lopez # Monday, January 15, 2007 4:21:49 PM
I think that the point I was getting at with my question to DN was about how the "computer" is tiny, the limiting factor is how we interface with it. What does the future hold for "adapatable interfaces"
I think DNs idea of just having connectivity between devices that we carry (ie- my iPod communicates with my cellphone in my pocket- they sync what they want to sync, and when I get home, they all sync with my desktop) instead of a single convergent device is an interesting one.. but I think that UIs might be able to "bridge the gap" between simplicity and convenience.... at least bring it to acceptable levels. Who knows, the iPhone may have already done that and it doesn't even have the tactile feedback. Imagine if we *could* solve the problem of a touchscreen ui that let you "feel" what you're pressing...similar to how the Wii solved it with Opera by vibrating the controller when over a button.