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<update date="March 28, 2011"> I don't mean to suggest that we throw out all of our familiar buttons entirely. Light switches shall remain necessary, after all, and so shall buttons, especially where it's necessary to trigger abstract actions ("share via Twitter," for example). But it's important to recognize those devices for what they are: necessary hacks for moments when direct interaction isn't possible. Touchscreen interfaces allow that direct interaction in many more contexts. As new solutions arise, we should be open to putting our time-tested workarounds aside. When designing an interaction for touch, always ask: do I really need another button or control for this? </update>
"I don't mean to suggest that we throw out all of our familiar buttons entirely. Light switches shall remain necessary, after all, and so shall buttons, especially where it's necessary to trigger abstract actions ("share via Twitter," for example). But it's important to recognize those devices for what they are: necessary hacks for moments when direct interaction isn't possible. Touchscreen interfaces allow that direct interaction in many more contexts. As new solutions arise, we should be open to putting our time-tested workarounds aside. When designing an interaction for touch, always ask: do I really need another button or control for this?"

This page is a stub. It's just something to get notes down, and is not final in any way.

Principles are higher level than any pattern. Each section and chapter will have an introduction with other helpful guidelines that apply to them, but these are some key ones we have gathered, and which appear to apply univerally.

ALSO: maybe we should explicitly talk about design at this time. Riff off this article http://globalmoxie.com/blog/evolution-of-touchscreen-discoverability.shtml And especially this paragraph which is a nice guideline -- added after my gripes :)

"I don't mean to suggest that we throw out all of our familiar buttons entirely. Light switches shall remain necessary, after all, and so shall buttons, especially where it's necessary to trigger abstract actions ("share via Twitter," for example). But it's important to recognize those devices for what they are: necessary hacks for moments when direct interaction isn't possible. Touchscreen interfaces allow that direct interaction in many more contexts. As new solutions arise, we should be open to putting our time-tested workarounds aside. When designing an interaction for touch, always ask: do I really need another button or control for this?"

Respect user entered data

Input is hard. Users slip. You have a new phone, or are borrowing. Someone jogs your arm. And minutes of typing is gone. Do things to keep user data. From saving as they type so autocomplete can bring it back, to NOT clearing forms on error, to planning for loss of connection.

Mobiles are personal

Security, settings, etc. all can be presumed to be one-device, one-person. Don't think it's like the library computer anymore.

Lives take precedence

Phones are used glanceably, a tiny bit at a time, as people get on with their lives. Don't make things blink or otherwise change state, if it can be missed at a glance, for example. If you have to get their attention, make sure you can, as part of their life.

Mobiles must work in all contexts

Behave appropriately, or allow the user to make it behave appropriately, to make it work where they are. E.g. usually too bright at night, so hard to read that last email before bedtime. If the phone doesn't have a good way to change brightness, you app sure can. Even your website can just have a dark/light switch.

Use your sensors. Use your smarts

You can do the above for them. Why should anyone have to silence a phone for a meeting, when it knows where you are, and that you have a meeting in that room at that time? Mobiles can be better than computers, because of their personal nature and their sensors. Use them.

User tasks usually take precedence

Over schedules, etc. If typing an SMS, let them. Don't focus on a meeting maker, or a new SMS or anything else. Beep if you must. Throw a notification strip up. But don't take them out of process.

Consistency

Whatever the OS does, do that.

Respect for information

Basically just precision vs. accuracy. Grab lots of my blog posts for this. TMI2, other industrial stuff, digital vs. analog indicators, decimal places, "yesterday", "about 2mb" and CEP circles.

Principles of Mobile Design (last edited 2016-02-02 15:48:56 by shoobe01)