This document introduces Interfaceology, a new design language for describing tangible and ambient interfaces as touchscreen devices and gestural interaction become more prevalent. It notes that existing design tools are not adequate for describing how people will interact with ambient interfaces of the future. Interfaceology was developed by Huge to address this gap and will be demonstrated at SXSW, then released as an open source project for continued refinement as new technologies emerge. An accompanying mobile app will allow people to experiment with and discuss Interfaceology hands-on.

1. Interfaceology
A Design Language for Tangible and
Ambient Interfaces

2. Today.

3. Since Apple launched the iPhone and iPad
touchscreen interaction has moved from
academia to mainstream.
With the $60 Aakash tablet launching in
India, there could soon be more
touchscreen devices in use than
non-touchscreen devices.

4. As Interaction
Designers.

5. We had to adapt to this change and
evolve a new design language to
describe how people will use
touchscreen applications and other
ambient interfaces.

6. Gesture.

7. Nintendo changed the interaction
paradigm again with the Wii introducing
gestural interaction to the mainstream.
Microsoft would follow with Kinect -
allowing people to interact without
touching any device at all.

9. Tangible
Interfaces.

10. Interfaces might be described as tangible
when their aim is to be functional and
stimulate emotions. They reach us through
our senses - visual, auditory or tactile.
They are displayed digitally or by means of
physical material and combine some
patterns to produce a unique aesthetic
composition.

12. Ambient
Interfaces.

13. The device has disappeared into the
background. To the next generation,
growing up in this environment human-
computer interaction, as we know it - will
be a foreign concept.
We will be interacting with our
environment - the interface will be ambient
- a means of interacting with the context
that surrounds us.

15. We lack the
vocabulary.

16. Our tools of interaction design have
fallen behind the times. We can describe
screen, hyperlinks and devices, but we
lack the vocabulary to describe how
people will interact with ambient and
modern tangible interfaces.

17. Until Now.

18. At Huge we’ve been prototyping the near-
future of interfaces.
And we’ve developed a working design
language, to describe these new modes
of interaction.

19. At SXSW.

20. We will demonstrate how to work with this
design language called ‘Interfaceology’
And then we will turn it over to the public
domain as an open source project to
continue to test and evolve as new
technologies emerge.

21. Explore
Interfaceology
The Mobile App

22. Finally, you’ll be the first to experience
Interfaceology hands-on – a contextual
design toolkit app, that will be a platform
for people to discuss and experiment.
COMING MARCH 2013

23. Thanks.