[IxDA Discuss] "Interface-Free" Interface

Mon Oct 30 13:31:57 PST 2006

No, but I did like the idea being brought in discussion. :)
Sebi

On 10/30/06, Miguel Gonzalez <maglez at btinternet.com> wrote:
>
> [Please voluntarily trim replies to include only relevant quoted
> material.]
>
> Are you saying that we should do the interface more complicated so the
> final user moves more and
> so he or she doesn't get fat?
>
> :-D
>
>
> --- Sebi Tauciuc <stauciuc at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Well, what is our mission as Designers if not to help make the world
> better
> > and improve the well-being of humans and to sometimes dare to consider
> > everything involved in reaching these goals?
> >
> > Just another dreamer...
> >
> > Sebi
> >
> > On 10/30/06, Miguel Gonzalez <maglez at btinternet.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > [Please voluntarily trim replies to include only relevant quoted
> > > material.]
> > >
> > > Oh come on! you guys lost the point.
> > >
> > > As Interaction Designers, we have a mission and that is not to worry
> about
> > > people's weight,
> > > actually, if someone gets fat, then his or her problem is more related
> to
> > > a health diet, not on
> > > usability, design...
> > >
> > > I took Chrsitine's post more as a funny thing than serious. We humans
> make
> > > comparisons to help us
> > > on explaining new concepts to people by using a concept that they
> already
> > > know, but that
> > > comparison has to be close to the new concept and so do not mislead
> them,
> > > the shovel example is
> > > just a bad comparison.
> > >
> > > You guys can't be serious about this.
> > >
> > > Maglez.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --- "Gomez, Marla A" <marla.a.gomez at intel.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > > [Please voluntarily trim replies to include only relevant quoted
> > > material.]
> > > >
> > > > Hooray - you touched on a subject close to my heart...people move
> way
> > > too little nowadays and
> > > > some of us find joy in the physical as well as some people's
> > > intelligence lies more in the
> > > > physical realm...however, in today's company, the focus is on
> efficiency
> > > to cut costs so
> > > > anything physical would still have to be efficient timewise...you
> bring
> > > up some very interesting
> > > > points for discussion.
> > > >
> > > > Marla Gómez
> > > > User Experience Researcher
> > > > Intel
> > > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: discuss-bounces at lists.interactiondesigners.com
> > > > [mailto:discuss-bounces at lists.interactiondesigners.com] On Behalf Of
> > > Christine Boese
> > > > Sent: Monday, October 30, 2006 8:15 AM
> > > > To: discuss at ixda.org
> > > > Subject: Re: [IxDA Discuss] "Interface-Free" Interface
> > > >
> > > > [Please voluntarily trim replies to include only relevant quoted
> > > material.]
> > > >
> > > > Hey y'all,
> > > >
> > > > What an interesting discussion thread! I have nothing of substance
> to
> > > add to
> > > > the excellent points raised, esp. by Alan's memory of the document
> in
> > > his
> > > > file cabinet (terrific RAM call-up there!).
> > > >
> > > > But while reading one point below, I was struck by a silly idea, and
> I
> > > > wondered to myself how it would play out in a discussion among
> interface
> > > > designers.
> > > >
> > > > The item that set my mind spinng were several of the Fatigue Sources
> > > Alan
> > > > remembered, below:
> > > >
> > > > Fatigue sources included:
> > > > - necesity for operators to hold their arms up
> > > > - requirement to reach and retract arm on each completed interaction
> > > > - positioning of the screen for touch required operators to change
> > > > their head/body positions
> > > >
> > > > I got to thinking to myself about... oh, the obesity epidemic we
> hear
> > > about
> > > > all the time.
> > > >
> > > > I got to thinking about the interface design of a shovel. You know,
> say
> > > for
> > > > digging a ditch to put down your Directv satellite cable to the
> place in
> > > the
> > > > yard where the dish has to be? Just a little ditch. This isn't like
> > > tilling
> > > > a garden by hand or anything.
> > > >
> > > > So I'm guessing there will be some fatigue sources for the interface
> > > design
> > > > of the shovel. Some of those things are minimized, because it is a
> lever
> > > (as
> > > > is a broom), and we know that with a lever big enough, we can lift
> the
> > > > world. But your basic shovel functions as a lever because one hand
> > > chokes up
> > > > on the handle, forming the fulcrum, while the other holds on closer
> to
> > > the
> > > > end.
> > > >
> > > > So besides the function of the lever, there are a couple of other
> > > Fatigue
> > > > Sources, like perhaps the need to bend at the waist, and the force
> > > needed to
> > > > dig the shovel into the ground, usually be stepping down hard on the
> top
> > > of
> > > > the blade. But the blade edge on the ground can form another lever
> as
> > > well,
> > > > to help turn hard-packed earth.
> > > >
> > > > Clearly these fatigue sources pose a problem for this interface.
> Should
> > > we
> > > > propose all shovels be eliminated because of poor interface design,
> in
> > > favor
> > > > of the far superior backhoe or rototiller?
> > > >
> > > > But those interfaces burn fossil fuels, while a shovel burns human
> > > calories.
> > > > There is that obesity epidemic, after all, and this is just a little
> > > ditch,
> > > > to bury that Directv cable.
> > > >
> > > > Some people may HAVE to dig ditches all day by hand, and if fossil
> fuels
> > > run
> > > > out one day, we all may have to do it at sometime, at the very least
> to
> > > bury
> > > > our own waste. There can be terrible ergonomic problems for the back
> and
> > > > neck too, with a risk of repetitive stress injuries, bursitis, and
> so
> > > on.
> > > > Shovels all over the world will be spawning lawsuits, unless
> interface
> > > > designers can address these issues.
> > > >
> > > > I know, I'm just being silly, but I wanted to step back and think
> about
> > > > things in these terms for a second. Since when does a physical
> movement
> > > > factor automatically count as a strike against an interface design
> > > calculus,
> > > > you know, physical movement=bad?
> > > >
> > > > Would ALL IDEAL interfaces ultimately move toward telepathic control
> and
> > > > utterly inert human users, like Stephen Hawking's eye-controller
> > > thingie?
> > > > Should we really be designing interfaces so as to make the physical
> body
> > > > obsolete?
> > > >
> > > > Yes, I know accessiblity issues mandate certain interface features
> so as
> > > not
> > > > to restrict differently abled people from using them. And that's
> part of
> > > the
> > > > reason we have both right- and left-handed scissors. I'm not arguing
> for
> > > > discarding those standards. I like inclusiveness in design very
> much.
> > > >
> > > > But what PHILOSOPHIES, what unexamined assumptions sit behind the
> idea
> > > > (perhaps going back to Taylorism, factory assembly line efficiency
> > > studies)
> > > > that minimizing physical movement is an ultimate good?
> > > >
> > > > And could we not say the politics of those deep structure interfaces
> are
> > > > part of what helped create the obesity epidemic? (along with high
> > > fructose
> > > > corn syrup and MSG, of course).
> > > >
> > > > Indulge me one more second, and then I'll shut up. Consider an
> > > alternative
> > > > universe where inert bodies are not an unintended consequence of
> > > interface
> > > > design assumptions. All of these assumptions are
> socially-constructed
> > > > anyway, so imagine a culture that values all movement, considers
> > > kinetics,
> > > > all kinetics, as a form of dance and joy, from working a shovel to
> > > > snowboarding to chopping wood to making love. Bodies in motion.
> > > >
> > > > Such a culture would not be able to sit still long enough to learn
> to
> > > love
> > > > our inert body interfaces. Their feet would get twitchy. Their knees
> > > would
> > > > bounce up and down. Maybe they'd compulsively pick at their pimples
> or
> > > twirl
> > > > and chew on their hair. Maybe they'd start chain smoking, or get
> another
> > > > oral fixation and fill their need for movement with food.
> > > >
> > > > Their asses might spread a bit, if they really HAD to be married to
> our
> > > > inert body interfaces. Maybe they'd buy their children interfaces
> that
> > > used
> > > > their feet on something like a twister mat, so the kids wouldn't be
> > > lured
> > > > away by the attractive idea of creative and unstructured play in the
> > > > physical interface called "outside."
> > > >
> > > > Think of it. Some of these people, forced into these inert positions
> for
> > > > long periods of time, not conscious that their bodies were craving
> > > movement,
> > > > might just sort of automatically find themselves at porn sites,
> maybe
> > > daily,
> > > > maybe more often than daily, watching the kinds of movement that
> people
> > > who
> > > > still live in a world of movement get to do...
> > > >
> > > > I'm just speculating...
> > > >
> > > > Chris
> > > >
> > > > On 10/30/06, Alan Wexelblat <awexelblat at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > [Please voluntarily trim replies to include only relevant quoted
> > > > > material.]
> > > > >
> > > > > I can't find the references at this moment (they're on this
> ancient
> > > > > paper medium somewhere in my home office filing cabinet) but back
> in
> > > > > the late 80s the military went through a fad of touchscreen
> > > > > interfaces.  They were found to be highly error-prone and
> fatiguing.
> > > > >
> > > > > Error sources include:
> > > > > - size of the pointing device (fingertip vs cursor)
> > > > > - selection with the finger obscures the thing you're trying to
> select
> > > > > - uncertainty on feedback.  The combination of physical feedback
> (does
> > > > > the screen flex in response to pressure?  If so how much and how
> does
> > > > > the user correlate that feedback with visual changes?) proved
> > > > > difficult for some users.
> > > > > - dirt and oils from human hands tended to introduce errors and
> > > > > obscure displays after extended use.
> > > > >
> > > > > Fatigue sources included:
> > > > > - necesity for operators to hold their arms up
> > > > > - requirement to reach and retract arm on each completed
> interaction
> > > > > - positioning of the screen for touch required operators to change
> > > > > their head/body positions
> > > > > - operators tended to crane their necks sideways to try and
> confirm a
> > > > > touch that was full or partially blocked by their fingertips.
> > > > >
> > > > > The tasks used were very similar to the original "Put That There"
> > > > > gestural interface, which is why I got interested in the research
> (I
> > > > > did my MS on gesture). The military operators used the touch
> screens
> > > > > in 1, 2, 4 and 8 hour shifts that matched their normal work
> schedules.
> > > > > Even a one-hour shift was perceived as fatiguing.  This leads me
> to
> > > > > believe that touch interfaces are fine for casual interaction over
> > > > > short periods, but not really suitable for extended work.
> > > > >
> > > > > On 10/29/06, Dan Saffer <dan at odannyboy.com> wrote:
> > > > > > "Jeff Han demonstrates-for the first time publicly-his
> intuitive,
> > > > > > "interface-free," touch-driven computer screen, which can be
> > > > > > manipulated intuitively with the fingertips, and responds to
> varying
> > > > > > levels of pressure."
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> http://ted.com/tedtalks/tedtalksplayer.cfm?key=j_han&flashEnabled=1
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Just because an interface is [arguably] easy to use, doesn't
> mean
> > > > > > it's interface free. While I think this is a really need use of
> the
> > > Z-
> > > > > > axis and a gestural interface, I'm wondering about its
> limitations
> > > > > > for daily use. Could I type on a touch-screen keypad all day,
> for
> > > > > > instance? How would MS Office for instance (not to mention Adobe
> > > > > > products) get translated into this mouse-less OS?
> > > > > ________________________________________________________________
> > > > > Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)!
> > > > > To post to this list ....... discuss at ixda.org
> > > > > List Guidelines ............ http://listguide.ixda.org/
> > > > > List Help .................. http://listhelp.ixda.org/
> > > > > (Un)Subscription Options ... http://subscription-options.ixda.org/
> > > > > Announcements List ......... http://subscribe-announce.ixda.org/
> > > > > Questions .................. lists at ixda.org
> > > > > Home ....................... http://ixda.org/
> > > > > Resource Library ........... http://resources.ixda.org
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > christine boese
> > > > www.serendipit-e.com
> > > > ________________________________________________________________
> > > > Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)!
> > > > To post to this list ....... discuss at ixda.org
> > > > List Guidelines ............ http://listguide.ixda.org/
> > > > List Help .................. http://listhelp.ixda.org/
> > > > (Un)Subscription Options ... http://subscription-options.ixda.org/
> > > > Announcements List ......... http://subscribe-announce.ixda.org/
> > > > Questions .................. lists at ixda.org
> > > > Home ....................... http://ixda.org/
> > > > Resource Library ........... http://resources.ixda.org
> > > > ________________________________________________________________
> > > > Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)!
> > > > To post to this list ....... discuss at ixda.org
> > > > List Guidelines ............ http://listguide.ixda.org/
> > > > List Help .................. http://listhelp.ixda.org/
> > > > (Un)Subscription Options ... http://subscription-options.ixda.org/
> > > > Announcements List ......... http://subscribe-announce.ixda.org/
> > > > Questions .................. lists at ixda.org
> > > > Home ....................... http://ixda.org/
> > > > Resource Library ........... http://resources.ixda.org
> > > >
> > >
> > > ________________________________________________________________
> > > Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)!
> > > To post to this list ....... discuss at ixda.org
> > > List Guidelines ............ http://listguide.ixda.org/
> > > List Help .................. http://listhelp.ixda.org/
> > > (Un)Subscription Options ... http://subscription-options.ixda.org/
> > > Announcements List ......... http://subscribe-announce.ixda.org/
> > > Questions .................. lists at ixda.org
> > > Home ....................... http://ixda.org/
> > > Resource Library ........... http://resources.ixda.org
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Sergiu Sebastian Tauciuc
> > http://www.sergiutauciuc.ro/en/
> >
>
> ________________________________________________________________
> Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)!
> To post to this list ....... discuss at ixda.org
> List Guidelines ............ http://listguide.ixda.org/
> List Help .................. http://listhelp.ixda.org/
> (Un)Subscription Options ... http://subscription-options.ixda.org/
> Announcements List ......... http://subscribe-announce.ixda.org/
> Questions .................. lists at ixda.org
> Home ....................... http://ixda.org/
> Resource Library ........... http://resources.ixda.org
>

-- 
Sergiu Sebastian Tauciuc
http://www.sergiutauciuc.ro/en/