Realistic UI Design
                       Aaron Weyenberg
                        @aweyenberg




Friday, May 13, 2011
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Flickr photo: mwichary



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Flickr photo: c_emery



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Flickr photo: saxyjorge



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Ancestor               Decendent
                                  Realism
                       (Analog)             (Touch Device)




Friday, May 13, 2011
Weak form        Strong form

                          Texture          Texture
                       Light & shadow   Light & shadow
                           Depth            Depth
                       Skeuomorphs      Skeuomorphs

                                              +
                                          Behavior
                                          Structure
                                          Controls


Friday, May 13, 2011
Flickr photo: vanderveenr




                       Strong form realism copies analog form & behavior


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Mobile/Touch


                                                                      Web 2.0


                                                                    Semantic Web


                                                             Javascript


                                                       CSS


                                              Flash


                                     Tables & Images


                       Text


             1980             1990               2000                      2010


Friday, May 13, 2011
Mobile/Touch


                                                                      Web 2.0


                                                                    Semantic Web
       Usability




                                                             Javascript


                                                       CSS


                                              Flash


                                     Tables & Images


                       Text


                   1980       1990               2000                      2010


Friday, May 13, 2011
Mobile/Touch


                                                                      Web 2.0


                                                                    Semantic Web
       Usability




                                                             Javascript


                                                       CSS


                                              Flash


                                     Tables & Images


                       Text


                   1980       1990               2000                      2010


Friday, May 13, 2011
Mobile/Touch


                                                                          Web 2.0


                                     Crazy Image                        Semantic Web
                                        Maps
       Usability




                                                                 Javascript


                                                           CSS


                                                   Flash


                                       Tables & Images


                       Text


                   1980       1990                   2000                      2010


Friday, May 13, 2011
Mobile/Touch


                                               Insane Flash               Web 2.0
                                                   Sites

                                     Crazy Image                        Semantic Web
                                        Maps
       Usability




                                                                 Javascript


                                                           CSS


                                                   Flash


                                       Tables & Images


                       Text


                   1980       1990                   2000                      2010


Friday, May 13, 2011
Overzealous Touch
                                                                            Realism

                                                                              Mobile/Touch


                                               Insane Flash               Web 2.0
                                                   Sites

                                     Crazy Image                        Semantic Web
                                        Maps
       Usability




                                                                 Javascript


                                                           CSS


                                                   Flash


                                       Tables & Images


                       Text


                   1980       1990                   2000                      2010


Friday, May 13, 2011
Indiscriminate use of realism
                results in UIs that impair usability
                       and stall innovation.




Friday, May 13, 2011
How?




Friday, May 13, 2011
Usability   Innovation




Friday, May 13, 2011
Realistic UIs inherit both good and bad genes




     Flickr photo: deltamike



Friday, May 13, 2011
A Tale of Two
                       Typewriters



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“No problem...
                       I’ll just add modern features to
                       my cool, retro design.”




Friday, May 13, 2011
Realistic UIs contradict reality



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Flickr photo: mr_t_in_dc



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Flickr photo: mr_t_in_dc



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Realistic UIs consume space

       Flickr photo: eridius



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Camera+




                       No. 1 photography app
                       Over 2 million installs

Friday, May 13, 2011
Version 1.x
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Version 1.x
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Version 2.x
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2.7x revenue
                            in one month




                        v1.x                              v2.0
                        http://taptaptap.com/blog/million-million/

Friday, May 13, 2011
So should we abandon realism?




Friday, May 13, 2011
Realism can add credibility & trust
                       + differentiate
                       + utilize mental models

                       = aid usability



Friday, May 13, 2011
Flickr photo: usarmyafrica




                              Well-designed realism can aid trust & credibility




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Well-designed realism makes your app unique




 Flickr photo: carolmartinez




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Features + Personality = Differentiation




Friday, May 13, 2011
Flickr photo: double-m2




                              Thoughtful realism leverages mental models



Friday, May 13, 2011
RedLaser




Friday, May 13, 2011
Flickr photo: salemmapubliclibrary




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Featured in Apple TV ads
                           8 million installs
                          Acquired by eBay


Friday, May 13, 2011
Thoughtfully executed realism
               augments usability.




Friday, May 13, 2011
Usability   Innovation




Friday, May 13, 2011
Indiscriminate realism stalls innovation

        Photo: Wikimedia Commons




Friday, May 13, 2011
Flickr photo: landerholm


Friday, May 13, 2011
Flickr photo: mwichary




Friday, May 13, 2011
Flickr photo: angryamoeba




Friday, May 13, 2011
Flickr photo: mariusm




Friday, May 13, 2011
Flickr photo: dmkrum



Friday, May 13, 2011
Photo: Wikimedia Commons




Friday, May 13, 2011
Flickr photo: erling



Friday, May 13, 2011
Flickr photo: degilbo_on_flickr



Friday, May 13, 2011
Photo: Wikimedia Commons



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Friday, May 13, 2011
What if you had to
                         start over?

                        Multiline numeric display
                          Calculate as you type
                             Edit, undo, redo
                         Add words for meaning
                       Save and share calculations

Friday, May 13, 2011
Digits

Friday, May 13, 2011
Calcbot

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Soulver

Friday, May 13, 2011
Digits   Calcbot   Soulver




Friday, May 13, 2011
Four considerations




Friday, May 13, 2011
Be efficient
                   Don’t further limit the form factor of
                   mobile devices at the expense of
                   design realism.




Friday, May 13, 2011
Be honest
                   Realistic design features should be
                   consistent with and reflect reality.




Friday, May 13, 2011
Be unique
                   Your app wants a personality.




Friday, May 13, 2011
Be inventive
                   Think forward. Throw away old
                   blueprints.
               “My job as a designer is to look into the future. Not use
                any frame of reference that exists.”
                  Marc Newson




Friday, May 13, 2011
Usability




                   1980   1990   2000   2010


Friday, May 13, 2011
Thanks!
                       Aaron Weyenberg
                        @aweyenberg




Friday, May 13, 2011

Realistic User Interface Design