[IxDA Discuss] Master's thesis: Mobile phone GUI model

[Barbara Ballard]

On 1/23/08, squall <dlinder at kth.se> wrote:
> I'm currently starting a master's thesis work on a experimental GUI model for
> mobile phones,
>
> What programming language would be most convenient? The GUI is supposed to
> offer icon based navigation (very traditional mobile style like SE or
> Symbian Nokia), but no other applications (ie "dead ends" on UI nodes).

You are going to test on an actual device? If possible, you should -
interaction will be different when people have the device in their
hands as opposed to on a computer. Also, are you making any changes or
assumptions regarding the input mechanisms?

Assuming that as a student you have a very limited time and money
budget and hence want to test on a device but aren't making physical
changes to the device, what I recommend is finding a device that meets
your needs (touch screen? 4 way rocker?), then find a language to fit.

Flash Lite is nice but very limited: it's a small sandbox on the
device. If this is what you need, and you know a little Flash already,
then go for it. Python is supposed to be pretty easy. Also consider
the Neo1973 http://openmoko.org/ - designed for hackability.

> How do I decide the relevant user "types", or Personas (perhaps around five
> would be good)? I imagine there would be some studies on this already,
> preferrably for mobile phones directly or otherwise for computer users
> (hopefully somewhat similar).

Um. What market would your new UI be aimed at? Just to give you an
idea of implications, Nokia recently published personas for emerging
markets: http://www.nokia.com/press/entrylaunch


-- 
Barbara Ballard
barbara at littlespringsdesign.com 1-785-838-3003