There are two guest lectures in Week 11, with topics on sketch-based applications and brain-computer-based application respectively. However, they both emphasis user experience, the determinant of nowadays applications.
The age of features is gone.
When computers were initially invented, people have been thinking about accomplishing all kinds of tasks with them. Now, after 60 years of evolution, computer application development has reached a stage whereby features are overflowing. At the same time, applications are getting more and more difficult to use when their complexity grows as a result of feature overflow. Many applications with a great feature set are no longer popular, due to excessive features and complexity, such as GNU Emacs.
Previously used top-down model, with features decided by managers and nobody cares about the actual users, will no longer work. Instead, it is far more important to allow user to do things that they used to do better and faster, or in more places.
User experience is the key in computer application development, and brings huge competitive advantage. Think about the sucess of the iPhone, which does not really have more functionalities that other smart phones. It is the seamless user experience that makes a difference.
Hundreds of drawing applications are available with all kinds of features. As a drawing application developer, how to excel in such a competitive environment? User experience is the key. T.E.D.D.Y is an application that allows creation of 3D image out of 2D drawings. The application is very easy to use, with intuitive stylus gestures for different functions.
SandCanvas, is a multi-touch sand animation application developed by a group of NUS alumni. The greatest feature is that the application could capture gestures performed by different parts of the hand. It gives users a real-world sand drawing experience. Due to its creativity and functionality, it won Best Design at CHI 2011.
Interestingly, the most intuitive way to design an user interface (which is the deciding factor of user experience) is through sketching. Thus, advancements in more user friendly sketching applications could stimulate the creation of better user interfaces and thus formation of better use experience.
Brain-computer interface: Understanding your mind
As was mentioned, user experience is the deciding factor of whether an application could success. However, how do one actually measure user experience? After all, it is not something that is tangible and easily measurable.
With advancements in Brain-computer interface, however, it becomes possible to measure a user's experience using an application. Brain-computer interface allows communication between brain and an external device, such as a Neurosky headset.
A device like Neurosky headset makes use of EEG (Electroencephalography) to record brain's electrical activity. The recorded information could be used to determine the user's real-time mind activity status: whether the user's brain is excited or unexcited, for example.
We could record down a user's brain activity while he/she is helping us testing an application prototype. Then we could analyze the brain activity record to decide which parts of the prototype are well designed (which excites the user, for instance) and which are not. This is a promising field and could potentially help improving user experience study to a new height.
It is interesting to note that, brain-computer interface itself could be a user-friendly interface and potentially create great user experience. Hardware companies like OCZ has already released BCI gadgets that could be used in gaming.
Conclusion
With continuous computer software development for over half a century, we are in an era whereby features are overflowing. Current trend in computer application development has a strong emphasis on user experience. With recognition of the importance of user experience, and with the help of well-designed software and new technologies such as brain-computer interfaces, we will see a great leap of computer application user experience in the near future.
No comments:
Post a Comment