Picture this. You are sitting on a beige sofa in a roomy cafe on a sunny afternoon. Vines spiral across the panes, and sassy jazz music is tingling in the air. Chic people around you are conversing in a light, happy manner. Suddenly the pager hums softly in your hand. You get up, go to the counter and collect your coffee. The staff member does not holler out: “Mr./Ms. X, your coffee is ready!” And there is also no risk of accidentally snatching someone else’s order.
That little pager, that sometimes makes you jump when it goes off, is an interaction design! (Perhaps, we should improve it, though.)
What is Interaction Design?
In simpler words, when we try to interact with people, things or space in a more fun, original and approachable way, as a means to keep daily life fresh, that’s where interaction design (IxD) steps in!
For example, upon waiting for a meal order, either you stand in line, wait nearby to be called, take a ticket, or hold a pager that vibrates when your order is ready. All these started out as interaction designs. But perhaps there is still room for improvement.
Offering a New Experience!
The most popular mobile device, which is also something we use everyday without thinking twice, is our phone locks. Its evolution starts as:
– Keypad Lock:
– Slide Lock:
We can define this as the next milestone for lock applications! It saves the trouble of pressing a key, and is easy to access, even for children!
– Image Lock:
The human brain memorizes images much better than numbers. Therefore, combining slide lock designs with actual images is much more convenient for users.
– Slider Images in Business Mode:
You can unlock if the slider image does not change its shape! On top of that, the central logo has great market potential!
A Limitless Market for Interaction Technology
We interact on a daily basis with people around us: from taking the bus, paying a parking ticket, buying breakfast, attending meetings, participating in trivial or epic events to just strolling down the sidewalk… You are interacting with the world. Do not try to fit everything in a fixed frame. Try to make things more interesting and be more creative!
– Interaction Vending Machines
Canada introduced its first “Pre-owned Books Vending Machine”, which an unseen teller inside the booth randomly hands you an old book when you slip in the coins.
The joy of interaction designing is that it always surpasses your expectations.
Interaction design is the perfect advocate for advertisements. When people feel they get to participate, the appeal for the brand image grows. Its effect grows within the social network of the consumer, and not just one target alone. From this, a new form of marketing can take place.
– Tempting Your Belly – Friendly Snack Machines
Interaction starts from Observation
The basic factors of combining interaction designs to innovation are as the following:
1. Find a need, and improve it: If you were the user, what would be more convenient for you?
2. Make it fun: How enjoyable may it be for you?
3. Chose a marketing model: What kind of commercial mode can we apply these to?
4. Maintain its freshness, and keep on promoting: Always keep in mind that the spirit of having fun should be the base for all designs.
Let us renovate life through interaction designs!
Reference:
1. IxDA Taiwan”: http://www.facebook.com/ixda.tw
2. jazzliang’s thinking: http://jazzliang.wordpress.com/2008/07/17/74
3. 36 Kr: http://www.36kr.com/p/200210.html
4. MOT/TIMES online: http://www.mottimes.com/cht/article_detail.php?serial=377&type=1
5.Techbang: http://www.techbang.com/posts/10086-humanity-test-vending-machine-to-a-pack-of-free-snacks-what-you-like-to-do-in-downtown
6.GERARDO DIAZ: http://gerardodiaz.me
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About the author
Gamania User-Experience Center / Hitomi Yang
By methods of User-Centered Design, this model is aimed to execute or modify all corporative projects as to improve and promote Gamania in-house user-oriented products.
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