Ignite London: Analogue World Design Patterns

Hi, my name is Nicky. By day I work for BBC Research & Development on future strategy of digital products & services. As my background is in user experience I ﬁnd that this shapes the way that I consider my surroundings, parEcularly as compuEng becomes more ubiquitous and embedded into every day real world objects and environments. This talk will take a playful look at the changes in behavioral norms and design paIerns that exist in the real world. 1

The planning of urban environments is incredibly complex. It requires broad sweeping, big picture, thinking. OKen this 10,000 feet view can be low on detail. This approach can lead to a problem though. 2

Taking such a high level view can prevent you noEcing granular detail. In turn, there is potenEal for unexpected or unintended consequences. (This is taken on Westminster Bridge with the Houses Of Parliament & Big Ben just out of picture.) 3

Looking back at the infrastructure of the city. One of it’s primary purposes lies with flow. The flow of ‐ o edestrians P o raffic T o ata D These systems seek to provide – o fficiency E o odes of conduct C o aintain order. M 4

To sustain this ﬂow, there is a complex eco system, with many layers of dependency ‐ o here are the tangible structures and objects T o hen, the way in which people wish to make use of the environment T o nd increasingly, there is an enhanced experience that can be created through A engagement with digital online content and data 5

Rules of engagement create a framework for people to interact. A sense of expectaEon is created, with an understanding of what the possible outcomes maybe. There is a sense of order and expectaEon of possible outcomes. 6

AnE paIerns exist though. The UK is the only country not to apply it’s highway code to escalator code of conduct. We drive on the leK hand side of the road, but stand on the right hand side of the escalator. This is a legacy from the ﬁrst escalators on London Underground 100 years ago. 7

Whilst the design of systems do work in the majority of situaEons, they tend to take a macro approach. They cater less to the individual. FrustraEon or anger at a system creates negaEve paIerns of behaviour. For example, traﬃc jams or over crowding become a catalyst for ‐ o oad rage R o edestrian rage P Or even ‐ o scalator rage E 8

Our everyday environment is full of behavioural paIerns & codes of conduct. The new Diagonal Crossing in Oxford Circus ‐ o tops traﬃc in all direcEons S o llowing pedestrians to move in any direcEon when crossing the road. A This is a system imported from Japan, but will there be cultural implicaEons in the UK? For example ‐ o ritain is a naEon of jay walkers. B o yclist have a tendency of jumping red lights. C 9

Design paIerns are well established by online user experience communiEes. They allow standards, simplifying interacEon with digital products & services Ubiquitous compuEng requires these paIerns to be reconsidered in the real world. 10

AMEE is doing fantasEc work creaEng transparency, accountability and tracking of carbon consumpEon. This is a big picture view of a global issue. It is staEsEcally driven, focusing on figures and their potenEal efficiency. Their open plaòrm offers a soluEon to a macroscopic problem. But it does not address personal behaviour paIerns. 11

In the pursuit for green, unexpected issues may be created unknowingly. You may buy green energy but it does not mean your use of energy is green. A renewable energy supplier will replenish the grid with the equivalent energy used by it’s customers. If during peak Emes there is too much demand on the grid, coal or oil to be burnt to meet the need regardless of who your supplier is. The ﬂow of energy across the UK grid is subject to peaks in demand. How can this ﬂow be managed through behavioural changes on a personal level? 12

The Dick Cheney energy meter. A prototype from a Frog Design compeEEon. The more energy you use, the more Dick Cheney smiles. Some people may be moEvated to modify their behaviour to stop him smiling. Updated version of think globally act globally. Now think global act local. Other examples: DIY Kyoto which allows tracking of energy use on each appliance in the home. 13

Instead of reducing a certain behaviour, how can it be Eme shiKed? Bakery have two disEnct cycles –  he baking of bread, pastries and cakes etc. T  he peak hours when customers wish to buy: to and from work, meal Emes etc. T Would it be possible to Eme shiK behaviour so that there customers come to the stores more frequently? 14

Baker Tweet allows bakers to send real Eme updates to TwiIer on what food has just come out of the oven. To use – o urn the dial and select from Croissant, Chelsea Bun, Pain Au Chocolate etc. T o hen hit the tweet buIon to send. T Eager foodies then come to the bakery whilst food is sEll warm from the oven. 15

No longer necessary to leave to luck how fresh produce will be. In turn the bakery improves customer saEsfacEon and builds up rapport. Real Eme knowledge allow individuals to choose immediate acEon. 16

On‐Demand has provided Eme‐shiKing of TV content for some Eme. Gives greater control over what content we choose to watch via our TVs, laptops, mobiles, etc Beyond our personal devices there is an increasing rise of TV screens in bars, restaurants and other public spaces. Except, unlike online personalised services, there is far less control over whether you can choose to watch or not. 17

TV‐B‐Gone only has a power buIon that allows you to switch a TV on or oﬀ. You control when you see, rather than what you see. The device is so small that it easily ﬁts in your pocket. If you can be discreet enough to avoid detecEon you could use it in public spaces. 18

The role of design paIerns has come round full circle back to the physical world. Pervasive compuEng has enabled the merging of real and digital worlds. This brings new opportuniEes of how experience can be directed, challenged or adapted. Rather than focussing on how to design for ease of use or quality of experience, there is potenEal to consider how we can inﬂuence change on a personal level. The role of technology need not be obtrusive. It can gently brush against the real world environment to enhance it. 19

This talk has been inspired by a joint proposal that myself and @saintsal have submiIed to SXSW10. 20

Ignite London: Analogue World Design Patterns

by Nicky Smyth on Nov 19, 2009

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Ignite London: Analogue World Design Patterns — Document Transcript