|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
product's range of functionality can
prove to be very difficult. Often, the result is overly complex and many actually restrict users' access to even
commonly used functions.
Many
vendors have approached this UI design problem by making adjustments to an
existing user interface design originally
based on a desktop metaphor. The adjustments include miniaturisation, slight 'look and feel'
alterations, and the addition of alternative input or output modalities
(e.g., handwriting recognition, voice as data, speech recognition). As newer user interface technology matures
and designers develop a better
understanding of users' requirements for mobile products (both for tasks and interaction), a new metaphor should
emerge. This new 'mobile' metaphor will
include multi-modal interaction (i.e., using a combination of input or
output methods for a single task),
spontaneous interaction, output mechanisms suitable to a small interface all within a metaphor appropriate
for the mobile interaction. Addressing the mobile user interface design
problem presents many exciting challenges
for the HCI community.
Paul Gough: Previously at Xerox, Paul Gough joined
Philips in the early eighties. He is the
manager of the software research group and is involved in the development
of a mobile and personal interfaces
research programme.
We
believe that the desktop metaphor and direct manipulation interaction
style is a deficient combination for
mobile users, because of the differences in requirements between mobile and office users. Unlike an
office-based user, the mobile user needs to dedicate attention to their
task location, and for safety reasons, be aware of their environment. For these reasons, it is difficult
to imagine that direct manipulation and a desktop metaphor are the ideal components of a mobile
user-interface. Much more appropriate are
means of interaction which can be undertaken whilst the user is maintaining awareness of location and
environment.
We
believe that the user interface will use a mixture of metaphors and
interaction styles (e.g., speech gestural, or tactile) to provide access
to the available information and
functions.
Matt Jones: Senior Lecturer at the School of
Computing, Middlesex University. Currently, he is working on an EPSRC funded project(GR/L70028) on
handheld web browsing with collaboration
from Reuters.
We
are at a "defining moment" for mobile personal technologies. Up until
recently, PDAs, email 'phones, in car navigation systems and the like have
been mainly bought by gadget lovers and
early adopters. Soon, though, they will really have to work: people will rely on them to get their jobs done,
to help them use their leisure time effectively and, in some cases, to keep them alive. To be
successful, mobile interfaces need to
have qualities, which the current "desktop" just cannot deliver - focused
navigation for task completion, simple
and systematic interactions and cross platform independence. The development of new metaphors for the mobile era
will have ramifications for interfaces on conventional platforms too
-maybe it is time we threw the desktop
out of the window altogether. |
|
