[IxDA Discuss] Interaction design is design of time

[Oleh Kovalchuke]

First, thanks to everyone for this discussion, an example of
well-functioning "social brain". Especially thanks to those who think
this theory is 1. Not true, and 2. Not important.
An intuitive hunch has developed into better understanding and
appreciation of interaction design as design of time (at least for
me).

I have put outline and comments in my blog:
http://www.tangospring.com/IxDtopicWhatIsInteractionDesign.htm . The
scale of time perception will be updated as I come across more
examples of meaningful time intervals.

-----------------------------------------------

A bit more on why UI Design is in fact a branch of Interaction Design.

Here only some of UI Design principles, which are concerned with time:

- Chunking, Arranging content in grids, Alignment - reduce time of
information scanning
- Fitt's law and Recognition over recall - directly time related
- Hick's law and related Signal-to-Noise ratio, Form follows function,
Ockham's razor and Framing (or Priming), Choice of color and language
based on Cognitive Dissonance principle - all save time by focusing on
"user defined" meaningful info
- Storytelling and consistency - save time remembering things and
predicting events

Even somewhat tricky Attractiveness Bias or "Halo" Effect principle
can be reduced to (gene encoded) filter for information credibility,
and like Garbage-in, Garbage-out principle helps to find meaningful
info quicker.

Hence UI design is design of time, is interaction design (unless one
chooses to ignore _all_ of the above principles in which case
resulting design should not include UI attribute in my opinion).

Good example of time based interaction design approach specifically
related to UI Design is described in "Designing from Both Sides of the
Screen" by Isaaks and Walendoewski. To choose layout of screen
elements the authors use matrix of frequency of use vs. commonality of
use. Both frequency and commonality are time of use criteria.

The authors also offer somewhat rough but practical measure of time in
UI Design: mouse click. For instance selecting item from a menu is 3
clicks (open, scroll, select). I would add 1 more "click" to remember
which menu to open.

-----------------------------------------------

A reply to a different message in your message, Gunnar:

> Sure: Every kind of interaction takes place in time.
> But equally: All kinds of experiences of and in time - are situated in
> space (relative to other places/spaces).

The meaning, which users give to interval of time, is crucial for
distinction of interaction design as design of time. The meaning of
space interval is more elusive, but I think it is derived from the
perceived time for that particular space interval. It's good coffee
talk subject. Let's have coffee over it next time I am in Netherlands.

--
Oleh Kovalchuke


On 4/9/06, Gunnar Langemark <gunnar at langemark.com> wrote:
> [Please voluntarily trim replies to include only relevant quoted material.]
>
> Not intending to be rude or anything - I nevertheless decide to invade
> this thread....
> :-)
>
> I'm not sure Einstein would have agreed that space is a subcategory of time.
>
> While I find your argument interesting - I don't agree on the conclusion.
>
> Sure: Every kind of interaction takes place in time.
> But equally: All kinds of experiences of and in time - are situated in
> space (relative to other places/spaces).
>
> So in my world - time and space are on the same level of importance -
> and as such the information space and the interaction time - are equally
> important, and weigh in with different emphasis - on different projects.
> Exactly as in the graphic.
>
> Best
> Gunnar Langemark
> http://www.langemark.com
>
> Challis Hodge wrote (or was it Oleh?):
> > The classification illustrated by the diagram is misleading. Both UI
> > and IA should be viewed as branches of interaction design.
> >
> > Why UI design is interaction design? Take a look at any illustration
> > of eye tracking of UI. They unfold in time. Hence guided time
> > perception is indelible from UI design. Users spend time looking and
> > discovering familiar patterns and use them as anchors for further
> > interactions.
> >
> > Why IA is interaction design? It is primary goal is reducing time of
> > finding relevant information.
> >
> >
>
> > Oleh Kovalchuke