A proposal for my diploma project.

1. DESIGN BRIEF
Technological advancements have brought about a
convergence that brings together a large variety of
devices onto a single platform. IPTV is an example.
Here, television entertainment comes together with
computers and telephones to allow customized con-
tent, instant interactivity and feedback. While this is
exciting and opens up a host of possibilities for end
users, it also can be baffling, calling for technologi-
cal skills that end users may not possess.
Television viewership is not restricted to any
single class of people. Television has something for
everybody and there is scarce anyone today, who
does not watch television. But, research shows that
television viewership is highest amongst the elderly,
housewives and children – distinct groups of people
who may not necessarily possess the technological
know how or skills to make sense of and navigate
the host of options that IPTV makes possible. Yet,
IPTV and what it allows – on demand videos, social
interaction, on screen shopping, connectivity etc.
PROPOSAL v2.0 – is perhaps most relevant to these very groups. A
IPTV INTERACTION
retired old man, for example, may spend a lot of his
time watching the news on TV. Can he use the same
CLIENT BASED & EXPLORATION medium to constantly stay connected to his children
who may be far away? Can he get instant access to
his doctors and interact with them using the same
medium? Can he use television to stay in touch with
friends and can he share something he has just
seen with them? Can he use the medium to share
his expertise, knowledge and wisdom with people
who might find it useful? All of this is possible but, to
bring these benefits to primary users, it is important
to make IPTV accessible, simple and intuitive without
compromising on its capabilities. This is the design
brief I intend going with – how do we reach the ben-
efits of IPTV to the most relevant user groups.
UtStarCom is a multinational company involved in
providing IPTV solutions across the world. I intend to
work on this design project with them. The project
would essentially do the following:
• Understand the IPTV technology in terms of capa-
bilities and what it can do today.
• Explore what more IPTV can do and will do in the
near future.
• Research and study of primary and secondary user
groups.
• Mapping user group requirements and wishes to
IPTV capabilities.
• Explore ways and means of bringing IPTV capa-
bilities and applications to the user groups in an
understandable and comprehensible manner.
Arjun Gehlot | Visual Communication | Srishti School of Art & Design Page 01/02

2. While working on the above, I would attempt to
keep the need for hardware to the barest minimum
– technology would be present but invisible so that
people can interact in ways they know best – by talk-
ing, moving, body language and the like. Yet, the aim
is not to go totally blue sky. Design solutions would
be applicable with either todays technology or with
other fast emerging ones.
The solutions would be finally presented as user
scenarios either in the form of a digital presenta-
tion, book or film. Depending on the solutions that
emerge, detailed flow charts may also be made.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
• How will IPTV evolve in the future? What form will
it take and what roles will it play?
• How do you allow user interaction with the least
amount of hardware?
• How intuitive and responsive can we make tech-
nology?
• How do we ensure personal interaction and yet
PROPOSAL v2.0
remain accessible to the large variety of differently
IPTV INTERACTION sensitised people across the world?
CLIENT BASED & EXPLORATION
PROCESS
• Analysis and research of users who engage with
television today.
• Research on emerging and prevalent trends -
Application of gaming, online shopping, social
networking etc.
• Analysis and research on IPTV technology and the
possibilities it opens up.
• Analysis and research on major IPTV systems
across the world.
• Building a repository of required or desired inter-
actions.
• Prototyping a mockup of the system in for of future
scenarios.
MATERIAL/RESOURCES
• UTStarCom reports/research and labs.
• Michelle Cherian & Anders Sandell - Interaction
Designers
• Guides from the Industry. (Still trying to contact)
• Simulation applications like Flash.
• User Tests
• The Srishti School Library
Arjun Gehlot | Visual Communication | Srishti School of Art & Design Page 02/02