push pull click 072011

THE SATISFYING PUSH PULL AND CLICK!The role of human and tangible Interactions in experiences

For me Apple has redefined the mobile. Its an object of seamless and minimal beauty and has successfully tamed the complexity of choice. Its delivered the age of touch for all its wonders and concerns. But, is it all about the touch screen at the cost of the tangible?

For apple there is considered use and care of the tangible.You touch, swipe, swipe again and the software inside gets to work sensing your fingers. You swipe harder and it freezes… drawing your frustration. Yet, hit the big real button, and you're back safely home.

TOUCHSCREEN TAKEOVERI'm an Apple fan if you hadn't already noticed. But Apples ‘touch' does spearhead a touch screen take over from phones and tablets to light switches.This image by artist Chris Ware sums it up ‘kids looking into the light of curiosity whilst their parents are confined in their touch screen worlds’.

Touch screens are almost every where, making our lives better, simpler and more seamless. But as we spread these new shiny cool black interfaces, how we use them and their content is key.

Stevie wonder recently raised a real concern about how accessible touch screens are. The craze for touch-screen gadgets, sparked by Apple is raising worries that a whole generation of consumer electronics will be out of ‘touch’ of the blind.

‘When you have a growing number of people, aging people, that will need things to be more accessible, as well as the hundreds of thousands of blind people in the world

‘just keep it real’

I'm a part time DJ, I still love my vinyl, two turntables and mixer.But due to the growing side of my digital music collection I felt its time to go forth a try digital dj-ing & venture further into this digital world awesomeness

So I tried on virtual DJ featuring spanking new touch screen interfaces to replace the records and decks.Although the technology is mind boggling, my curiosity isn't rewarded with the direct ‘cause and effect’ of my labors, the human hold on the experience is gone, not to mention my mix.

For touch screens in Retail, we are starting to see self service tills at the supermarket, checking in for flights via automatic screens, browsing and purchasing products on interactive tables.I feel that using a new technology alone doesn’t make it right or innovative.Is it helping me or am I being made further removed from this product or service?

Service?

Service?

U.S. burger joint Stacked is installing touch screens in favor of menus and staff. Remotely order from your table, but its noted ‘If the iPad is being used, other diners can scan printed menus on the table until it is their turn at the tablet’The concern here is If we end up skipping the real staff and human connection in the process.

Cause and effect?Turning a tap on with this sleek touch sensitive panelto the simplest form of cause and effect I’ve experienced, the humble light switch, which here is replaced with a gesture controlled panel.Where’s my ‘I did that’ moment, pleasure of accomplishment I got from my switch?

What next?Touch to gesture, biometrics and recognition software...Don’t get me wrong for us that help brands create compelling experiences digital can and will take us to more exciting places.Our history in retail reflects the role of technology in society and as technology advances so do our consumers expectations.

As we move on rapidly, getting closer to this seamless vision, are the tangible human connections being considered enough?Are buttons and switches being made extinct?Are we loosing the sense of joy in experiences that we first learnt as a baby? The beginning of problem solving and understanding how to get what they want.

‘designing things that have the power required for the job while maintaining understandability, the feeling of control, and the pleasure of accomplishment’ Don Norman (author of Design of everyday things)

Are the touch screens adding a layer to being further removed from the things that matter.With a new etiquette and digital behavior being established, we should find ways of ensuring the human and tangible experiences that we get from physical objects are considered.

In praise of all things human and tangibleWe should ensure that the touch screen and its content add to the experience not further remove the user.Yet this seamless integration of the real, human and digital in our ideas is what makes this opportunity magical.

In praise of all things human and tangibleIn this way, we can create experiences, products and services that achieve relevance and connect with people in meaningful ways.

In praise of all things human and tangibleHere’s some tangible stuff that pushes my buttons…

Intuitive beautyEncourage the right interactionOlivetti typewriter by Ettore Sottsass

Content and ContextInteract to learn Asian Paints Colour store Mumbai

TouchUltimate symbol of controlAuthentic timepieces, Bell & Ross

Cause and effectImmediate gratificationThe light switch

‘DO NOT PUSH’

Curiositythe big red juicy button

Curiositythe big red juicy button

The big ending, the big juicy red button, you cant resist it, wanting to see what it does.Tell me you don’t want to press it, this curiosity is unique to humans. Lets help our brands to give our consumers that satisfying push, pull and click in all our experiences.