Connecting the dots of user experience
The design of interactive systems
February 2009
Gianluca Brugnoli
frogdesign

DECONSTRUCTING THE MACHINE: THE SYSTEM PARADIGM
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?
2

Experience is a conversation
Many locations
Many situations
Many channels
One conversation
3

Experience is
what we can remember
what we learn
Experience is meaning
Source: Stephen P. Anderson
4

CONTENT IS GETTING INDEPENDENT FROM THE MEDIA
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/
5

Media are getting unspecialized
6

Media are getting unspecialized
local mobile local online
7

Content is in the air
10

Content is in the air

Experience: Music
Many sources
Many players
Many services
One experience
12

Example: the photo experience

Photography eco-system map
Web application
Mobile media player
Photo sharing on
the web
Camera phone
Mobile phone
Desktop application Media center
Digital camera
Print
Digital frame
14

Photography eco-system map
Web application
Mobile media player
Photo sharing on
the web
share
Camera phone
Mobile phone
capture manage
publish / view
Desktop application Media center
Digital camera
Print
Digital frame
15

Photography eco-system map
Web application
Mobile media player
Photo sharing on
the web
public distribution
Camera phone
Mobile phone
private distribution
Desktop application Media center
Digital camera
Print
Digital frame
16

Photography eco-system map
Web application
Mobile media player
Photo sharing on
the web
outdoor
Camera phone
Mobile phone
indoor
outdoor
Desktop application Media center
living room
Digital camera
Print
Digital frame
17

User scenarios
a: + +
T exports his
om he retouches it and …and transfers the new
photo on is laptop saves a new photo on a digital frame
version… at home.
b: + +
T exports his
om He show o the
He uploads it on
photo on is laptop photo to a friend in a
Flickr adding few tags
pub using mobile
web
18

User scenarios
a: + configurations
+
Di erent
T exports his
om
Di erent interfaces transfers the new
he retouches it and …and
photo on is laptop
saves a new photo on a digital frame
version… at home.
Di erent contexts
Di erent interactions
Di erent results
b: + +
T exports his
om He show o the
He uploads it on
photo on is laptop photo to a friend in a
Flickr adding few tags
pub using mobile
web
19

Photography Customer Journey
Main user actions / intentions
manage share
capture publish / view
Touchpoints
Digital camera
Mobile phone
PC application
Web site / application
Portable mediaplayer
Print media
Home mediacenter / TV

Connecting the dots - 1
Main user actions / intentions
manage share
capture publish / view
Touchpoints
Digital camera 1
Mobile phone
persona
PC application 2
Web site / application 3 4
Portable mediaplayer
Print media
Home mediacenter / TV
21

Connecting the dots - 2
Main user actions / intentions
manage share
capture publish / view
Touchpoints
Digital camera
Mobile phone 1
PC application persona
Web site / application 2
Portable mediaplayer
Print media 3
Home mediacenter / TV
22

Connecting the dots - 3
Main user actions / intentions
manage share
capture publish / view
Touchpoints
on the move
Digital camera
Mobile phone 5
4
PC application
Web site / application 1
3 persona
2
Portable mediaplayer
home o ce
Print media
living room
Home mediacenter / TV
23

Design considerations
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.
24

Connecting the dots
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.
25

Connecting the dots
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.
26

Connecting the dots
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.
27

Connecting the dots
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.
28

Connecting the dots
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.
29

Connecting the dots
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.
30

Grazie
Thank you
Danke
Merci