10 Tips For Designing Mobile Widgets

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10 Tips for 10 Tips for Designing Mobile WidDesigning Mobile Wid

Rajesh LalSenior Engineer, Nokia

Maemo Devices, Mountain View, California



15minutes



Why Should We Care



Worldwide 1 Billion Computers and ~ 4 Billion Mobile Phone

Today Computer to Mobile ratio is1:4

Smartphone sales estimate: 20% increase annually, today 140 million to 42013

Source: Wireless Expertise www.wirelessexpertise.com

http://www.wirelessexpertise.com/





Data based on study at http://www.researchandmarkets.com published July

27, 2009





Design for a Mobile User

Tip: 1



Short attention spanShort attention span

Divided attentionDivided attention

InterruptibleInterruptible

Dynamic environmentDynamic environment



Know Widget

Tip: 2

A Widget is a small, light weight application, meant for a sing purpose.



Mobile Widget

[ ]

Desktop Widget

Konfabulator,

Desklets, Dashboard,Vista

Widget Engine

Native APIs

Web Widget

igoogle, Wordpress,

Pageflakes, FacebookWeb browser (server)based

+ =

< HTML, CSS, JavaScript, XML, Ajax, RIA

MobileWidget

S60, Maemo

Web Runtime

Device APIs



11

Target Specific Set of Users

Tip: 3



12

Highly persHighly pers

Rich features specRich features spec

Allow for cuAllow for cu

Target sp Target sp

cc



Play Nice

Tip: 4



Follow design guidelinesFollow design guidelines Justify space Justify space

Do not poll data frequentlyDo not poll data frequently Do not be aDo not be a

memory hogmemory hog



Utilize Device Potential

Tip: 5





N900 Features

qwertmulti-taskingmulti-tasking

personalized desktop

widgets

flash

Ajax

integrated gps

5 mp camera

linux os

3d graphicsOpen GL

web run time

Qt32 gb

wireless broadband

powerful processorInnovative design

800 × 480 re

video

touch screen

48 gb exp memory

firefox browserra





Focus on One Functionality

Tip: 6



Know what Widgets are

Quic

C

Med

Search / Life

Re

S

Brande

Subtle ad

M



Simplify Features

Tip: 7



http://www.google.com/ig/directory?q=clock



Easy to Look

Easy to Understand

Easy to Use

Most effective designs are least complicated

Paperclip Principle



Grab the User

Tip: 8



1. Attract at entry point

Short title, simple headings

Nice professional icon

Precise description

2. Make it alive

Compelling data

Dynamic informatio

Make it interestin

3. Get statistics

No. of downloads

No. of users

Feed based statistics

4. Hear your use

Include email

Online forum

Allow for feedback



26

Add Social

Tip: 9



27

Mobile is a social deviceMobile is a social device

Always AvailableAlways Available

Meant for communicationMeant for communication

InteractiveInteractive



Make it Fun

Tip: 10



29

“If it's not fun, you're not

doing it right” –Bob Basso

Add ‘Extra Fun’Add ‘Extra Fun’

Delight usersDelight users

Give pleasant surprisesGive pleasant surprisesMake it specialMake it special



7. SimplifyFeatures

1. Design for a Mobile User

10. Make it Fun

Ten Tips

2. Know Widget

3. Target Specific Set of Users

4. Play Nice

5. Utilize Device Potential

6. Focus on One

Functionality

8. Grab the Use

9. Add Social



31



32

Thank You

[email protected]

Join us @ http://maemo.org/development/sdks/

http://maemo.org/development/sdks/

http://maemo.org/development/sdks/

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10 Tips For Designing Mobile Widgets