The value of an interaction
A DESIGNER’S JOURNEY FROM A STRUCTURED UPBRINGING TO UTTER CHAOS
Joel Flom
OZ-IA 2008, Sydney

HELLO...
Joel Flom
- Managing Director, Elavision
- Chief Instigator, IxDA Brisbane
- 11 years experience
- A designer

THE STRUCTURED UPBRINGING

THE STRUCTURED UPBRINGING

THE STRUCTURED UPBRINGING
Goals.
Tasks.
Results.

THE STRUCTURED UPBRINGING
Categorise.
Structure.
Label.

THE STRUCTURED UPBRINGING
Analyse.
Design.
Test.

THE UTTER CHAOS

THE UTTER CHAOS
From fairly
straight-
forward...

THE UTTER CHAOS
...to ridiculously
complicated.

THE UTTER CHAOS
It was chaos.

THE SHORTFALLS

THE SHORTFALLS
Requirements kill
- Too often it drives process
- Laundry pile (clean... and dirty)
- Business vision chopped up into
little pieces
- Perceived as voice of end user

THE SHORTFALLS
Researching for conclusions
- Process of elimination
- Dictated recruiting
- Needs & desires perceived as
issues of usability
- Process-driven, not people-driven

THE SHORTFALLS
✘
Researching for conclusions
- Process of elimination
- Dictated recruiting
- Needs & desires perceived as
issues of usability
- Process-driven, not people-driven

THE SHORTFALLS
Structure ≠ foundation
- Very easy to structure bad content
- People not visiting a “site”
- Infinite touch points & devices
- Mixing & mashing of services

THE SHORTFALLS
Usability testing too scientific
- Task completion basis for success
- Can’t control all the variables
- Business & product-focused
- Only one factor of experience

THE SHORTFALLS
“Too often we measure everything and
understand nothing.”
Jack Welch, Past CEO at GE

THE SHORTFALLS
Humans are messy
- Not rational or structured
- Unique behaviours & motivations
- Extremely difficult to personify
- Can’t control all the variables

THE SHORTFALLS
Product isn’t the experience
- Product not the final destination
- Dependant on culture and context
- Desires & needs based on
experience, not product

THE SHORTFALLS
“You can only provide the resources for
people to have an experience; then it’s
the people (users) themselves who
create the experience.”
Dan Saffer, Kicker Studios

THE HIERARCHY

THE HIERARCHY
MEANINGFUL
ENGAGING
AUTHENTIC
USEFUL
USABLE
ACCESSIBLE

THE HIERARCHY
MEANINGFUL
ENGAGING
AUTHENTIC
USEFUL
USABLE
ACCESSIBLE

THE HIERARCHY
Accessible
- Ethical
MEANINGFUL
- Compliant ENGAGING
AUTHENTIC
- Inclusive
USEFUL
- Reasonable cost of entry USABLE
- Welcoming ACCESSIBLE

THE HIERARCHY
Usable
- Low learning curve
MEANINGFUL
- Easy to use ENGAGING
AUTHENTIC
- Manageable
USEFUL
- Consistent USABLE
- Dependable ACCESSIBLE

THE HIERARCHY
Usable
- Low learning curve
MEANINGFUL
- Easy to use ENGAGING
AUTHENTIC
- Manageable
USEFUL
- Consistent USABLE
- Dependable ACCESSIBLE

THE HIERARCHY
Usable
- Low learning curve
MEANINGFUL
- Easy to use ENGAGING
AUTHENTIC
- Manageable
USEFUL
- Consistent USABLE
- Dependable ACCESSIBLE

THE HIERARCHY
Useful
- Meets immediate need
MEANINGFUL
- Serves a purpose ENGAGING
AUTHENTIC
- Solves specific problem
USEFUL
- Answers questions quickly USABLE
- Enjoyable in productive way ACCESSIBLE

THE HIERARCHY
Authentic
- Trustworthy
MEANINGFUL
- Easy to verify ENGAGING
AUTHENTIC
- Credible & professional
USEFUL
- Open & transparent USABLE
- Best interest in mind ACCESSIBLE

THE HIERARCHY
Authentic
- Trustworthy
MEANINGFUL
- Easy to verify ENGAGING
AUTHENTIC
- Credible & professional
USEFUL
- Open & transparent USABLE
- Best interest in mind ACCESSIBLE

THE HIERARCHY
Engaging
- Pleasing aesthetically
MEANINGFUL
- Real (instils confidence) ENGAGING
AUTHENTIC
- Delight to use
USEFUL
- Participatory (social) USABLE
ACCESSIBLE

THE HIERARCHY
Engaging
- Pleasing aesthetically
MEANINGFUL
- Real (instils confidence) ENGAGING
AUTHENTIC
- Delight to use
USEFUL
- Participatory (social) USABLE
ACCESSIBLE

THE HIERARCHY
Engaging
- Pleasing aesthetically
MEANINGFUL
- Real (instils confidence) ENGAGING
AUTHENTIC
- Delight to use
USEFUL
- Participatory (social) USABLE
ACCESSIBLE

THE HIERARCHY
“Each encounter no matter how brief is
a micro interaction which makes a
deposit or withdrawal from our rational
and emotional subconscious.”
David Armano, Logic + Emotion

THE HIERARCHY
Meaningful
- Fulfilling
MEANINGFUL
- Engaging & empowering ENGAGING
AUTHENTIC
- Fuels passion
USEFUL
- Participatory (belonging) USABLE
ACCESSIBLE

THE HIERARCHY
Meaningful
- Fulfilling
MEANINGFUL
- Engaging & empowering ENGAGING
AUTHENTIC
- Fuels passion
USEFUL
- Participatory (belonging) USABLE
ACCESSIBLE

THE HIERARCHY
Meaningful
- Fulfilling
MEANINGFUL
- Engaging & empowering ENGAGING
AUTHENTIC
- Fuels passion
USEFUL
- Participatory (belonging) USABLE
ACCESSIBLE

THE HIERARCHY
MEANINGFUL
ENGAGING
AUTHENTIC
USEFUL
USABLE
ACCESSIBLE

THE END
Thank you
- Web: www.elavision.com
- Blog: elavision.typepad.com
- Email: info@elavision.com

THE END
References
- Armano, David (2006) - darmano.typepad.com/
logic_emotion/2006/09/user_experience.html
- Hodge, Challis (2008) - www.challishodge.com/
experience-hierarchy-of-needs/
- Knemeyer, Dirk (2006) - uxmatters.com/MT/archives/
000124.php
- Morville, Peter (2007) - semanticstudios.com/
publications/semantics/000179.php
-