Reading Ahead Research Findings

Outline Our Team About Reading Ahead Introduction Executive Summary Project Overview Who We Met The Reading Experience The Social Side of Reading Books The Kindle Going Digital Looking Forward Wrapping Up

Our Team

About Reading Ahead

Introduction

Executive Summary

Project Overview

Who We Met

The Reading Experience

The Social Side of Reading

Books

The Kindle

Going Digital

Looking Forward

Wrapping Up

Our team Steve Portigal Dan Soltzberg

This Project: Reading Ahead An opportunity to explore something of our choosing Demonstrate how we work with our clients Make our process transparent Share best practices Lots of blog posting along the way

An opportunity to explore something of our choosing

Demonstrate how we work with our clients

Make our process transparent

Share best practices

Lots of blog posting along the way

Executive Summary Books are more than just pages with words and pictures; they are imbued with personal history, future aspirations, and signifiers of identity The unabridged reading experience includes crucial events that take place before and after the elemental moments of eyes-looking-at-words Digital reading privileges access to content while neglecting other essential aspects of this complete reading experience There are opportunities to enhance digital reading by replicating, referencing, and replacing social (and other) aspects of traditional book reading

Books are more than just pages with words and pictures; they are imbued with personal history, future aspirations, and signifiers of identity

The unabridged reading experience includes crucial events that take place before and after the elemental moments of eyes-looking-at-words

Digital reading privileges access to content while neglecting other essential aspects of this complete reading experience

There are opportunities to enhance digital reading by replicating, referencing, and replacing social (and other) aspects of traditional book reading

Portigal Consulting We help companies discover and act on new insights about their customers and themselves

We help companies discover and act on new

insights about their customers and themselves

Typical Development Lifecycle Iterate and improve What to make or do? Refine ideas and prototype Launch

Where We Work Take a fresh look at people What to make or do? Launch Refine ideas and prototype Iterate and improve

Where We Work What to make or do? Launch Refine ideas and prototype Iterate and improve Use existing ideas as hypotheses

Where We Work What to make or do? Launch Refine ideas and prototype Iterate and improve History provides context to explore new opportunities

Project Overview Objective: Explore the evolution of reading and books and develop product, service, and business opportunities Recruited 6 active readers (3 books, 3 Kindle) in the San Francisco Bay Area Photo-diaries: self-documentation of reading and environments In-depth contextual interviews (with participatory design component) Synthesis into findings, recommendations, and opportunities (this document!) Ongoing: dialog with different audiences

Objective: Explore the evolution of reading and books and develop product, service, and business opportunities

Recruited 6 active readers (3 books, 3 Kindle) in the San Francisco Bay Area

Photo-diaries: self-documentation of reading and environments

In-depth contextual interviews (with participatory design component)

Synthesis into findings, recommendations, and opportunities (this document!)

Ongoing: dialog with different audiences

Lead User Sampling Our sample is not representative of the general population Fewer than half of Americans regularly read literature (NEA, 2004) How many read as avidly as our sample? 400,000 Kindles sold (TechCrunch estimate) This isn’t a statistically valid quantitative study; it’s a contextual exploration to uncover the issues, which lead users are especially articulate about Market sizing question: what is the shape of the general population? 0 many 0 many Disinterested Enthusiast Disinterested Enthusiast

Our sample is not representative of the general population

Fewer than half of Americans regularly read literature (NEA, 2004)

How many read as avidly as our sample?

400,000 Kindles sold (TechCrunch estimate)

This isn’t a statistically valid quantitative study; it’s a contextual exploration to uncover the issues, which lead users are especially articulate about

Market sizing question: what is the shape of the general population?

Who We Met

Research Participants Tracy Erica Chris Peter Jeff Julie

Tracy Tracy is a stay-at-home mom and part-time massage therapist, and is going back to school in the fall to get an MA in Occupational Therapy Reading is a big part of her family’s life. She reads every night with her two sons (including a two-hour Harry Potter session the night before), and told us she does different voices for each character in the stories In addition to a regular set of reading rituals with the kids, Tracy reads on her own, which she describes as “My way of getting completely unplugged”

Tracy is a stay-at-home mom and part-time massage therapist, and is going back to school in the fall to get an MA in Occupational Therapy

Reading is a big part of her family’s life. She reads every night with her two sons (including a two-hour Harry Potter session the night before), and told us she does different voices for each character in the stories

In addition to a regular set of reading rituals with the kids, Tracy reads on her own, which she describes as “My way of getting completely unplugged”

Erica Erica is 28 and lives by herself in an apartment in San Francisco She described growing up without a lot of money but in a house where there were “walls of bookshelves” She had been planning to open a cookbook store, until the recent economic slump. She’s working now as an office manager at a software startup and regrouping Erica talked about buying certain books just because she likes them as objects: “I love books. I almost like books more than reading.”

Erica is 28 and lives by herself in an apartment in San Francisco

She described growing up without a lot of money but in a house where there were “walls of bookshelves”

She had been planning to open a cookbook store, until the recent economic slump. She’s working now as an office manager at a software startup and regrouping

Erica talked about buying certain books just because she likes them as objects: “I love books. I almost like books more than reading.”

Peter Peter works in web production and lives in Vallejo. When describing himself, he says, "I like gadgets” Peter’s had his Kindle for a couple of years. He says when he first got it (as a gift from his partner), it “got him” buying books right away, and he used it almost exclusively for around a year. Now he’s back to reading print books again The biggest frustration for Peter is that he can’t share Kindle books

Peter works in web production and lives in Vallejo. When describing himself, he says, "I like gadgets”

Peter’s had his Kindle for a couple of years. He says when he first got it (as a gift from his partner), it “got him” buying books right away, and he used it almost exclusively for around a year. Now he’s back to reading print books again

The biggest frustration for Peter is that he can’t share Kindle books

Chris Chris is a software engineer in his early thirties. He lives in an apartment in Mountain View with his wife and their small dog. They moved here a couple of months ago, after returning from an extended stay in Europe When they left the US for Europe, the couple got rid of many of their possessions, including their books Now that they’ve settled in again, Chris says he’s still trying to keep from accumulating too much stuff, and has been buying fewer books and using the library more

Chris is a software engineer in his early thirties. He lives in an apartment in Mountain View with his wife and their small dog. They moved here a couple of months ago, after returning from an extended stay in Europe

When they left the US for Europe, the couple got rid of many of their possessions, including their books

Now that they’ve settled in again, Chris says he’s still trying to keep from accumulating too much stuff, and has been buying fewer books and using the library more

Jeff Jeff is a former architect who works in interaction design for a large Silicon Valley company Jeff is extremely busy, and he likes the ease and efficiency of the book-buying experience the Kindle supports Jeff uses his Kindle for not only for personal reading but for work as well, and sometimes publishes documents he needs to review to the Kindle. He and his team have also experimented with using the Kindle as a platform for delivering presentations He calls the Kindle “One of my favorite devices”

Jeff is a former architect who works in interaction design for a large Silicon Valley company

Jeff is extremely busy, and he likes the ease and efficiency of the book-buying experience the Kindle supports

Jeff uses his Kindle for not only for personal reading but for work as well, and sometimes publishes documents he needs to review to the Kindle. He and his team have also experimented with using the Kindle as a platform for delivering presentations

He calls the Kindle “One of my favorite devices”

Julie Julie and her housemate have an amazing library in their San Leandro home, with three walls of alphabetized floor-to-ceiling bookshelves With the bookshelves and quiet ambiance of the space, being in this part of their home feels just like being a library While some of the people we met described the Kindle as less-than-satisfying compared to a printed book, Julie has a long history of reading on electronic devices, and finds the Kindle a big step forward For Julie, reading a book and reading on the Kindle are both equally positive experiences

Julie and her housemate have an amazing library in their San Leandro home, with three walls of alphabetized floor-to-ceiling bookshelves

With the bookshelves and quiet ambiance of the space, being in this part of their home feels just like being a library

While some of the people we met described the Kindle as less-than-satisfying compared to a printed book, Julie has a long history of reading on electronic devices, and finds the Kindle a big step forward

For Julie, reading a book and reading on the Kindle are both equally positive experiences

The Reading Experience

Artifacts and behavior Although we can conceive of reading and books as separate (verb and noun), they are tightly coupled There is almost no way to talk about them separately: asking a participant a question about reading quickly leads to a discussion of books, and vice versa Books Reading

Although we can conceive of reading and books as separate (verb and noun), they are tightly coupled

There is almost no way to talk about them separately: asking a participant a question about reading quickly leads to a discussion of books, and vice versa

Reading is much broader than eyes-looking-at-words The complete reading experience includes pre- and post-reading behaviors What is “Reading?” Post-reading Pre-reading Reading

Reading is much broader than eyes-looking-at-words

The complete reading experience includes pre- and post-reading behaviors

People grow up with reading and books They are an important part of many people’s memories and formative experiences Reading is often a life-long, multigenerational activity Tracy keeps books from her childhood on her shelves and shares them with her children

They are an important part of many people’s memories and formative experiences

Reading is often a life-long, multigenerational activity

Tracy keeps books from her childhood on her shelves and shares them with her children

Why read? People have many motivations for reading Sometimes it is a medium of escape Sometimes it’s a way to better understand yourself It can be entertaining It can be educational It can be a way to pass the time Erica: “I’ll read anything.” Tracy: “Reading is my ‘crack.’ It’s my way of unplugging.”

People have many motivations for reading

Sometimes it is a medium of escape

Sometimes it’s a way to better understand yourself

It can be entertaining

It can be educational

It can be a way to pass the time

Erica: “I’ll read anything.”

Tracy: “Reading is my ‘crack.’ It’s my way of unplugging.”

Reading is not just one activity People read in a variety of modes Work Fun Interstitial Bedtime Focused Private Family

People read in a variety of modes

Each reading mode has multiple components These components get combined in different ways to support each mode Interaction with others Content Setting Motivation

These components get combined in different ways to support each mode

Work About gaining knowledge, skill-building, and problem-solving Primarily non-fiction

About gaining knowledge, skill-building, and problem-solving

Primarily non-fiction

Fun Can be about learning, but is often about fantasy, relaxation, unplugging Fiction or non-fiction

Can be about learning, but is often about fantasy, relaxation, unplugging

Fiction or non-fiction

Interstitial Takes place on public transit, in waiting rooms, and during a homemaker’s day Books requiring less focus are better for short bursts and frequent stopping and starting Some books, such as romance novels, are written specifically for this type of use

Takes place on public transit, in waiting rooms, and during a homemaker’s day

Books requiring less focus are better for short bursts and frequent stopping and starting

Some books, such as romance novels, are written specifically for this type of use

Family An entertainment and educational activity A bonding ritual for parents and kids There are variations Reading aloud, together Same room, private books

An entertainment and educational activity

A bonding ritual for parents and kids

There are variations

Reading aloud, together

Same room, private books

Bedtime A way of disconnecting from the world of computers, jobs, family, etc. A quiet environment is important A good time to read books requiring more concentration

A way of disconnecting from the world of computers, jobs, family, etc.

A quiet environment is important

A good time to read books requiring more concentration

Focused Reading is primary focus No interaction with others, eliminate distractions

Reading is primary focus

No interaction with others, eliminate distractions

Private About getting personal time, relaxing, self-improvement At home, in public but not interacting

About getting personal time, relaxing, self-improvement

At home, in public but not interacting

The Social Side of Reading

Reading is not just a solitary activity In addition to solitary time spent with a book, reading is connected to different social activities

In addition to solitary time spent with a book, reading is connected to different social activities

Book sharing People talk about what they’re reading, make recommendations, etc., as well as actually sharing books The medium for acquiring a particular book (print or digital) might be determined by whether or not it is going to be shared Printed books are easily shared while Kindle books are not Peter returned to printed books because he couldn’t share Kindle books with his coworkers

People talk about what they’re reading, make recommendations, etc., as well as actually sharing books

The medium for acquiring a particular book (print or digital) might be determined by whether or not it is going to be shared

Printed books are easily shared while Kindle books are not

Family reading Reading together is a bonding activity, and provides entertainment and education Tracy and her sons read together every day. When she reads aloud to them, she performs different voices for each character As the kids get older, family reading rituals evolve to include new ways of sharing the experience Tracy reading with her son

Reading together is a bonding activity, and provides entertainment and education

Tracy and her sons read together every day. When she reads aloud to them, she performs different voices for each character

As the kids get older, family reading rituals evolve to include new ways of sharing the experience

Public places Libraries and bookstores are public places with social functions Erica has strong memories from visiting libraries as a child with her mother For Tracy, weekly library visits have led to new relationships with library staff Julie: “I love bookstores. That’s always our, ‘Oh, we have to kill an hour before the movie’” Family browsing in a bookstore

Libraries and bookstores are public places with social functions

Erica has strong memories from visiting libraries as a child with her mother

For Tracy, weekly library visits have led to new relationships with library staff

Julie: “I love bookstores. That’s always our, ‘Oh, we have to kill an hour before the movie’”

Family browsing in a bookstore

People use a variety of artifacts, including books, to actively construct and display their identity Displaying identity Julie in her home library From Leah Missbach’s Teenagers

People use a variety of artifacts, including books, to actively construct and display their identity

Julie in her home library

From Leah Missbach’s Teenagers

Outer and inner selves A person’s choice of reading and relationship to books are ways of communicating identity to others People also use what they read to explore and evolve who they are Erica’s way of organizing her bookshelf says a lot about how she sees herself (and wants others to see her)

A person’s choice of reading and relationship to books are ways of communicating identity to others

People also use what they read to explore and evolve who they are

Books are a medium for expressing values Books carry messages about group membership and values Jeff: “There’s a lot of who you are sort of floating in the choices that you make” Tracy’s older son is reading about weaponry. She’s not happy about this topic, but values his freedom to choose his own interests.

Books carry messages about group membership and values

Jeff: “There’s a lot of who you are sort of floating in the choices that you make”

Books

The book reading experience Post-reading Pre-reading Reading Memories Sensory Kinesthetic Sharing

Books are sensory Distinct sensory qualities—texture, weight, etc.—vary between books, making each interaction a unique experience Jeff: “I used to love the smell of books— it’s a really weird thing to say, but…there’s probably some aspect from my childhood”

Distinct sensory qualities—texture, weight, etc.—vary between books, making each interaction a unique experience

Jeff: “I used to love the smell of books— it’s a really weird thing to say, but…there’s probably some aspect from my childhood”

Reading (books) is kinesthetic Reading is typically a relatively quiet activity, but with an important kinesthetic element Several people described the significance of turning pages A relaxing gesture An innate part of taking in information and moving forward Erica: “Even just the act of physically turning the page and interacting with it…helps me decompress”

Reading is typically a relatively quiet activity, but with an important kinesthetic element

Several people described the significance of turning pages

A relaxing gesture

An innate part of taking in information and moving forward

Erica: “Even just the act of physically turning the page and interacting with it…helps me decompress”

Books are easily shared They can be passed along to others Borrowing and lending (friends or library) Give away to friends Donated Sold

They can be passed along to others

Borrowing and lending (friends or library)

Give away to friends

Donated

Sold

There are many ways to use a book Focused reading Non- reading Book interactions Focused on content, experience of reading, or both Purposefully seeking specific information “ Auditioning” a book Comparing information on non-sequential pages Using a book for reference Books can be Decorative objects Objects of inspiration Markers of identity Signaling intention They can serve these functions without being read

Purposefully seeking specific information

“ Auditioning” a book

Comparing information on non-sequential pages

Using a book for reference

Books can be

Decorative objects

Objects of inspiration

Markers of identity

Signaling intention

They can serve these functions without being read

Books are significant objects The physicality of books gives them unique attributes Erica: “In a way, I almost love books more than reading” There are elements of craftsmanship Binding Typography Pictures and illustrations Quality of paper, printing, etc. They can be objects of art Signed copies Galley proofs Antiquarian books Erica displays books on her wall

The physicality of books gives them unique attributes

Erica: “In a way, I almost love books more than reading”

There are elements of craftsmanship

Binding

Typography

Pictures and illustrations

Quality of paper, printing, etc.

They can be objects of art

Signed copies

Galley proofs

Antiquarian books

Erica displays books on her wall

Books carry memories Marks of age and use (i.e., annotations) record personal experience A favorite “dog-eared” paperback An inscribed book given as a gift A book from a previous time in one’s life This book on Thanksgiving has been in Tracy’s family for several generations

Marks of age and use (i.e., annotations) record personal experience

A favorite “dog-eared” paperback

An inscribed book given as a gift

A book from a previous time in one’s life

This book on Thanksgiving has been in Tracy’s family for several generations

Books are objects of ritual Books become props in personal and public rituals Weekly library visits and living room reading sessions are family rituals for Tracy and her sons On Bloomsday in Dublin, fans of James Joyce relive the events of his novel, Ulysses

Books become props in personal and public rituals

Weekly library visits and living room reading sessions are family rituals for Tracy and her sons

On Bloomsday in Dublin, fans of James Joyce relive the events of his novel, Ulysses

Books express aspirations We buy books we’d like to read but will probably never get to. These books represent vicarious experiences, expressing what we’d like to do and who we’d like to be

We buy books we’d like to read but will probably never get to. These books represent vicarious experiences, expressing what we’d like to do and who we’d like to be

Books are casual and simple They are durable and relatively inexpensive Each book is a separate object They can be left around the house, tried out with minimal investment, and given away or traded Books intermingle with food in Erica’s kitchen cabinets Tracy’s current bathroom books

They are durable and relatively inexpensive

Each book is a separate object

They can be left around the house, tried out with minimal investment, and given away or traded

Books intermingle with food in Erica’s kitchen cabinets

Tracy’s current bathroom books

Books enable unplugging For some people books are a refuge: a way to unplug and get away from the ubiquity of computers, screens, and digital information In contrast to the scanning and multi-tasking typical of computer use, books afford a slower, more focused experience Erica: “I have a very hard time reading…sustaining it without doing something else. It’s a problem I recognize and have been trying to break. I could be sitting on the couch and feel this need to check my email” Erica’s bedside table

For some people books are a refuge: a way to unplug and get away from the ubiquity of computers, screens, and digital information

In contrast to the scanning and multi-tasking typical of computer use, books afford a slower, more focused experience

Erica: “I have a very hard time reading…sustaining it without doing something else. It’s a problem I recognize and have been trying to break. I could be sitting on the couch and feel this need to check my email”

Erica’s bedside table

The Kindle

How Kindle affects reading New behaviors Kindle introduces the idea of carrying around a “library” Never run out of content “Real books” vs. “Kindles” “Publish” to the Kindle Old behaviors Kindle supports solitary reading (with different sensory and kinesthetic aspects from print reading) Old behaviors not enabled? Kindle does not easily support sharing Not the medium of choice for those who are not “digital natives”

New behaviors

Kindle introduces the idea of carrying around a “library”

Never run out of content

“Real books” vs. “Kindles”

“Publish” to the Kindle

Old behaviors

Kindle supports solitary reading (with different sensory and kinesthetic aspects from print reading)

Old behaviors not enabled?

Kindle does not easily support sharing

Not the medium of choice for those who are not “digital natives”

Kindle vs. printed books For those who have been using PDAs or an iPhone for reading, the Kindle is an improvement Julie sees reading a printed book and reading on the Kindle as “the same experience” Jeff: “If I have a book that I really like, it has exactly the exact same experience—I just get lost in the content—but I’ve always been like that” Julie relaxes on the couch with her Kindle

For those who have been using PDAs or an iPhone for reading, the Kindle is an improvement

Julie sees reading a printed book and reading on the Kindle as “the same experience”

Jeff: “If I have a book that I really like, it has exactly the exact same experience—I just get lost in the content—but I’ve always been like that”

Julie relaxes on the couch with her Kindle

Digital devices don’t afford unplugging For readers like Tracy and Erica, who use reading to unplug/disconnect, digital reading devices like the Kindle may signify computer , not book Computers, with their speed and hyper-connectedness, are in opposition to the desired reading experience Erica: “Computer lifestyle has seeped into my world so deep that my attention span is the attention span of a gnat” Tracy unplugs with some bedtime reading

For readers like Tracy and Erica, who use reading to unplug/disconnect, digital reading devices like the Kindle may signify computer , not book

Computers, with their speed and hyper-connectedness, are in opposition to the desired reading experience

Erica: “Computer lifestyle has seeped into my world so deep that my attention span is the attention span of a gnat”

Tracy unplugs with some bedtime reading

Kindle challenges existing navigation behaviors It is difficult to go between non- sequential pages on the Kindle, or to go directly to a desired spot (unless one has thought ahead and bookmarked it) Books easily enable flipping back and forth, comparing non-sequential pages, using several books at once, etc. Chris: “It’s a lot easier for me to, actually, to read (a book), and I think that’s maybe because I do jump around a little bit ” Chris prefers the flexible navigation with books

It is difficult to go between non- sequential pages on the Kindle, or to go directly to a desired spot (unless one has thought ahead and bookmarked it)

Books easily enable flipping back and forth, comparing non-sequential pages, using several books at once, etc.

Chris: “It’s a lot easier for me to, actually, to read (a book), and I think that’s maybe because I do jump around a little bit ”

Chris prefers the flexible navigation with books

Kindle provides a different sensory experience The Kindle works very well on a functional level, but some of the more nuanced aspects of the reading experience are not carried over Pressing a button (on the Kindle) is different from turning the pages of a printed book Peter: “Even though the text on this Kindle is great…it’s easy on the eyes, there’s a difference…when you’re reading paper—the whiteness of the paper, the black text—there’s something about that you just can’t capture”

The Kindle works very well on a functional level, but some of the more nuanced aspects of the reading experience are not carried over

Pressing a button (on the Kindle) is different from turning the pages of a printed book

Peter: “Even though the text on this Kindle is great…it’s easy on the eyes, there’s a difference…when you’re reading paper—the whiteness of the paper, the black text—there’s something about that you just can’t capture”

Easy content acquisition is key One of the standout features of the Kindle is the ability to instantly get more content Jeff: “It’s super-addic…super easy to order stuff, and so by reducing the barrier to purchase, I buy all kinds of stuff… …I was listening to NPR, and Michael Pollan was on and they mentioned his book…I was at a stoplight, I bought the book before the light turned green…”

One of the standout features of the Kindle is the ability to instantly get more content

Jeff: “It’s super-addic…super easy to order stuff, and so by reducing the barrier to purchase, I buy all kinds of stuff… …I was listening to NPR, and Michael Pollan was on and they mentioned his book…I was at a stoplight, I bought the book before the light turned green…”

Social aspects of reading are not well-supported People purchase differently if they are planning on sharing Julie: “If it’s an author we both like, then I’ll buy the regular book. So we both have access to the book” Peter: “I came to this job where there were a bunch of people passing books around and I realized I had nothing to contribute… …and I realized, oh, this is so much fun, to read a book and then pass it back and talk about it with other people. I think that’s part of the experience”

People purchase differently if they are planning on sharing

Julie: “If it’s an author we both like, then I’ll buy the regular book. So we both have access to the book”

Peter: “I came to this job where there were a bunch of people passing books around and I realized I had nothing to contribute… …and I realized, oh, this is so much fun, to read a book and then pass it back and talk about it with other people. I think that’s part of the experience”

Going Digital

The Gold Standard As new technologies emerge, people are willing to give up certain things in exchange for convenience, price, or to meet a social standard The previous technology may still be seen as “the best” – the Gold Standard – but people’s everyday behaviors reflect the new option LPs are better than CDs (or MP3s) for gazing at the cover art CDs have more accurate reproduction than MP3s Yet, industry experts predict sales of digital music files will equal CD sales by the end of 2010 Will it be the same for books? Bookstores are best for an exploratory, immersive browsing experience, yet online shopping has hurt both chain and independent brick-and-mortar book retail Will the convenience of carrying 100 books on our digital reader ameliorate the loss of the sensory pleasures of paper? As people grow up with digital books, will people adapt more naturally to the differences from printed books, and make choices accordingly?

As new technologies emerge, people are willing to give up certain things in exchange for convenience, price, or to meet a social standard

The previous technology may still be seen as “the best” – the Gold Standard – but people’s everyday behaviors reflect the new option

LPs are better than CDs (or MP3s) for gazing at the cover art

CDs have more accurate reproduction than MP3s

Yet, industry experts predict sales of digital music files will equal CD sales by the end of 2010

Will it be the same for books?

Bookstores are best for an exploratory, immersive browsing experience, yet online shopping has hurt both chain and independent brick-and-mortar book retail

Will the convenience of carrying 100 books on our digital reader ameliorate the loss of the sensory pleasures of paper?

As people grow up with digital books, will people adapt more naturally to the differences from printed books, and make choices accordingly?

Guiding the transition Companies can help consumers make a transition to digital by seeking ways to mitigate what might be lost, offering increased benefits, and helping to make new behaviors attractive and pleasurable Apple emphasized tangible benefits (capacity) and emotional benefits (the inner listening experience)

Companies can help consumers make a transition to digital by seeking ways to mitigate what might be lost, offering increased benefits, and helping to make new behaviors attractive and pleasurable

Apple emphasized tangible benefits (capacity) and emotional benefits (the inner listening experience)

The digital reading experience Digital readers let people carry far more reading material than physically possible with printed books Readers can effortlessly acquire new content anytime and almost anywhere Currently not providing readers with as rich a total experience as books

Digital readers let people carry far more reading material than physically possible with printed books

Readers can effortlessly acquire new content anytime and almost anywhere

Currently not providing readers with as rich a total experience as books

Different platforms provide different experiences Post-reading Pre-reading Reading Awareness Anticipation Personal history Pick book up and hold Waiting to acquire Tactile variety Turning pages Flipping around Annotating Bookmarking Recommend Share Lend Trade Discuss Awareness Instant acquisition Recommend Discuss Tactile uniformity Button press Electronic notes & bookmarks

Awareness

Anticipation

Personal history

Pick book up and hold

Waiting to acquire

Tactile variety

Turning pages

Flipping around

Annotating

Bookmarking

Recommend

Share

Lend

Trade

Discuss

Awareness

Instant acquisition

Recommend

Discuss

Tactile uniformity

Button press

Electronic notes & bookmarks

Books and digital can coexist Both the book reading and the digital reader experience have a place in our lives Jeff: I don’t think this thing (Kindle) replaces my paper books, and I’ll certainly still, if I’m at a bookstore and I see a really beautiful book… I’ll buy it”

Both the book reading and the digital reader experience have a place in our lives

Looking Forward

Has the book been fully explored? Chris: “There’s a lot more that can be done with this format. I don’t think it has to go to computers for these authors to be more creative. They could take what’s good about books already…” Book designers have used dozens of techniques to support navigation or other aspects of the experience, yet most books do not make use of those techniques Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern experiments with new approaches to typography, layout, binding in each issue

Chris: “There’s a lot more that can be done with this format. I don’t think it has to go to computers for these authors to be more creative. They could take what’s good about books already…”

How can we create a rich digital reading experience? Post-reading Pre-reading Reading

How can we create a rich digital reading experience? Include the sensual Support the social side of reading Consider the varied modes and rituals of reading Develop the ecosystem

Include the sensual

Support the social side of reading

Consider the varied modes and rituals of reading

Develop the ecosystem

1. Include the sensual Provide sensory and kinesthetic elements that deliver the total experience readers seek

Put the book back into the device Design the digital reading device with more of the tactile and interactive aspects of books While only a conceptual piece and not an a realistic solution, this Kindle case offers the touch and gesture of a hardcover book

Design the digital reading device with more of the tactile and interactive aspects of books

Give the device its own distinct gesture A new gesture (and language that lets people teach each other about it) helps create acceptance Texting is immediately recognizable without seeing the person’s face or the screen Gellin’ became a catchphrase to describe a new behavior layered on top of the old behavior of wearing shoes

A new gesture (and language that lets people teach each other about it) helps create acceptance

2. Support the social side of reading Support and expand the social aspects of the reading experience

Netflix has many different elements that tell you see what others have watched in the past, plan to watch in the future, or how they rate have rated films Incorporate social networking

Netflix has many different elements that tell you see what others have watched in the past, plan to watch in the future, or how they rate have rated films

Bring people together Peer-to-peer sharing brings social interaction to device usage and encourages product sales Communities build acceptance for new products and behaviors Zune Social is “an online music community powered by what you and your friends are listening to” Apple’s rumored peer-to-peer app sharing leverages the offline behavior of people comparing iPhones

Peer-to-peer sharing brings social interaction to device usage and encourages product sales

Communities build acceptance for new products and behaviors

Zune Social is “an online music community powered by what you and your friends are listening to”

Apple’s rumored peer-to-peer app sharing leverages the offline behavior of people comparing iPhones

Bring people together Shelfari is a social networking site that seeks to replicated the offline social connectedness of reading

Shelfari is a social networking site that seeks to replicated the offline social connectedness of reading

Bring people together Sony has just launched Words Move Me , a site that invites people to share their favorite “literary moments” and then browse the Reader store

Sony has just launched Words Move Me , a site that invites people to share their favorite “literary moments” and then browse the Reader store

Prioritize functionality for sharing Zune places functionality for sharing at the top level of its menu structure

Zune places functionality for sharing at the top level of its menu structure

Encourage interactions across multiple platforms A more open product or service can be more fully integrated into people’s lives

A more open product or service can be more fully integrated into people’s lives

Support the varied modes and rituals of reading 3. Support the varied modes/rituals of reading Work Fun Interstitial Bedtime Focused Private Family

Support the varied modes and rituals of reading

Reading aloud Optimize voices, pacing, emphasis, revealing pictures, etc. for reading aloud to children

Optimize voices, pacing, emphasis, revealing pictures, etc. for reading aloud to children

Be friendliest for transit Compensate for vehicle motion Allow for frequent interruption of eye-gaze (i.e., highlight last read word)

Compensate for vehicle motion

Allow for frequent interruption of eye-gaze (i.e., highlight last read word)

Support bedtime ergonomics Adjust to ambient lighting Offer a timer Support a range of body/hand/face positions

Adjust to ambient lighting

Offer a timer

Support a range of body/hand/face positions

4. Develop an ecosystem Harness the “power of many” to support new behaviors and grow the category

The iPod ecosystem iPod and iPhone are at the center of a vast system of products, companies, and experiences

iPod and iPhone are at the center of a vast system of products, companies, and experiences

The eBay ecosystem eBay has created/spawned a network of products and services that have made it a powerful player and grown the auction category There are many different ways to engage with the eBay ecosystem and they serve as a hub for that extended community PayPal solves a specific eBay problem (how to safely send and receive money to pay for online auctions) and becomes a separate solution to many other problems around moving money eBay doesn’t certify third parties that sell on your behalf, but they make that information available on their site. Consignment stores further expand the ecosystem

eBay has created/spawned a network of products and services that have made it a powerful player and grown the auction category

There are many different ways to engage with the eBay ecosystem and they serve as a hub for that extended community

PayPal solves a specific eBay problem (how to safely send and receive money to pay for online auctions) and becomes a separate solution to many other problems around moving money

And it just gets bigger and bigger… Growth of the ecosystem normalizes new behaviors and creates even broader opportunities for products, services, and communities

Growth of the ecosystem normalizes new behaviors and creates even broader opportunities for products, services, and communities

Wrapping Up

For Future Work Study other “users” in the system Authors, publishers, retailers Educators Explore other issues Ownership of digital content Consider more platforms and formats iPhone, netbook, Google Books, digital library books Storyboard/prototype current ideas and conduct further contextual research

Study other “users” in the system

Authors, publishers, retailers

Educators

Explore other issues

Ownership of digital content

Consider more platforms and formats

iPhone, netbook, Google Books, digital library books

Storyboard/prototype current ideas and conduct further contextual research

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