Perception

This post is briefly what has been covered in NM2216 Introduction to Interactive Media Design so far this term, and for the project for this module we’re required to design around the dimensions covered here. Namely, these dimensions are purpose, users, activity, context and multimodalities.

Purpose
The purpose of one’s product is important in aligning the focus of the design, and whether a design is successful can be measured by whether it has fulfilled its intended purpose. A product can have multiple purposes, of course, but knowing what your primary purpose will help you design your producted suited to achieving that purpose. Some examples covered in class were assist, entertain, educate, increase awareness, persuade, impress and inspire, but I think you get the idea. The purpose of the product is not what it does, but what it aims to accomplish in relation to the user.

Users
Users, in my opinion, are the most important aspect of a design. Yet, they are the most difficult to design for. Knowing who your target users are is vital, and having a specific group to design for would be easier than designing a product for everyone. As a designer, you should be able to understand that group’s characteristics and limitations, and revolve the design around them. It would be best to include the users as part of your design process, and amending or improving any areas along the way. This is especially common in web applications nowadays, where beta phases easily extend to over a year or much longer (as in Gmail’s case). 

Another feature of your design with a significant relevance to your user is the user interface (UI) and the user experience (UX). Having a user-friendly design will not only let your users learn or master your product faster, but they will also be spared the stress and frustration of trying to use your product to merely carry out a simple task. In terms of web design, a simple UI is sometimes sufficient and might even be preferred a complex and sophisticated design, which might easily deprove the UX. Thus design is not just about how something looks, but its usability as well.

Activity
The activity, or tasks, of your design is what the user has to do to accomplish a certain action of your product and often, the lesser the steps, the better. This would enable the user to learn the functions and features of your product quicker. Usually, this aspect of your design should pertain to your target user group. For example, an impressive but sophisticated web application will definitely lose its appeal in a non-tech-savvy user base, where each step is as equally agonising as the last, especially if it’s just something simple that they want to do.

Context
Context is a sense, the environment where the user will use your product. A social context would be if the user was using your product to interact with another person or a group of people, for example, while a physical context would be a physical place where your product is used. I couldn’t really grasp this concept during the lecture nor through the readings, which dealt with ideas like augmented reality and the like. I guess what you should consider is the context of which the interaction between your product and the user takes place, whether it is a product designed for your home, office, outdoors, etc, basically any physical environment.

Multimodality
An interaction takes place when the user delivers an input while the product responds with an output. Many forms of interaction can take place, and with the modern advances of digital technology nowadays, devices are more interactive than ever before. Some common inputs such as touch and voice have been in existence for quite a while, but gesture-based sensors and gaze technology are increasingly useful today. Outputs vary also from the traditional form of a two-dimensional screen (i.e. your monitor), and visual, audio, touch and scent are all possible forms of output. Having multimodal interactivity can certainly enhance the UX, and sometimes having multimodal inputs allows a more effective and natural communication between the user and the product.