[IxDA Discuss] Interaction design is design of time

[Eugene Chen]

Music and movies can be considered the design of time-based experiences with
pacing, introduction, climax, anticipation, breath-taking, rhythm, beats,
etc. But these are all linear and largely controlled by the designer.

If we are contemplating a new vocabulary, I think it is important that we
remember our design of time is indirect. It's time+choice. Level of choice
is a key aesthetic. Maybe the word "motion" helps to combine
time+space+choice.

With interaction, we are setting up an environment, a set of potentialities
more like architecture, or an event (like a conference)--but an event
ultimately co-constructed with the user. We can think of or construct
beginnings and endings to tasks, but we can't make the experience. Most
users may enter through the lobby, so we can plan for the experience there,
but some will come in through the side door if they want to.

I do think the attention on time goes a good step though toward considering
the aesthetics of experience (e.g. choppy, smooth, zigzaggin, momentary,
spread-out,
slowburn, swept-away, diving in, bubbling up ... well those are mostly
spatial metaphors but that's because it is hard to visualize time)




Eugene
Eugene Chen  |  User Experience Design, Strategy, and Usability
main 415 282 7456  |  mobile 415 336 1783  |  fax 801 340 6677


 

-----Original Message-----
From: Mauro Cavalletti [mailto:mcavalletti at hotmail.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2006 2:44 PM
To: tangospring at gmail.com; discuss at lists.interactiondesigners.com
Subject: Re: [IxDA Discuss] Interaction design is design of time

Very interesting point of view. I am not sure if our goal is allways

>to remove time fluff: excessive
>clicks, scrolling, browsing, unnecessary screens

but it definitely includes manipulating the sense of time and flow. Not
sure, either, if there is any conflict between time and space in this
context.

It reminds me when I was in the architecture school and a professor claimed
the "time component". He said that likewise music, architecture could not
separate time from space. To me, this estatement makes even more sense in
the digital environment.

Mauro


>From: "Oleh Kovalchuke" <tangospring at gmail.com>
>To: discuss at lists.interactiondesigners.com
>Subject: [IxDA Discuss] Interaction design is design of time
>Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2006 14:43:58 -0600
>
>[Please voluntarily trim replies to include only relevant quoted 
>material.]
>
>Talking about job interviews I have just had one for UI Designer job 
>where I think I have surprised interviewers when I have mentioned that 
>interaction design is time design (hence more interesting, complex than 
>visual design). Below is follow up email. Any feedback?
>
>----------------------------
>Talking about time I wanted to clarify what I have meant by interaction 
>design being concerned primarily with time design (as opposed with 
>design of space).
>
>The goal of interaction design is to remove time fluff: excessive 
>clicks, scrolling, browsing, unnecessary screens - time-wasting 
>information/interaction (of course the important question here is who 
>decides which information is important (in a good process the 
>importance is filtered from future users)).
>
>Since time flow is subjective experience, the designer goal is to make 
>it seamless unless disruptions are required due to overriding safety 
>concerns.
>
>Another important caution: the processes should be optimized to fit 
>human nature (for instance it should support learning via exploration 
>of system boundaries), not to "ease of use" - a misnomer for usability 
>if there was one.
>
>--
>Oleh Kovalchuke
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