Technology Archives
Designing For Context and Convergence
March 25, 2006 | 
4 Comments
I’ve been talking and thinking about context quite a bit lately. This post is a bit of a brainstorm on the topic and I’d love to get your thoughts in the comments.
The Wikipedia defines context (as it relates to an event) like this:
The context of an event includes the circumstances and conditions which “surround” it;
When it comes to design, context usually refers to the medium (or media(s)) for which you are designing. This can create some interesting challenges when it comes to convergent media such as the Web, mobile and the desktop.
A quick story
I was speaking with a colleague (who shall remain nameless and blameless) about a situation he was having on the job. He’s working on a Web project (that I admittedly know little about) and asked me for a bit of insight into a user interface problem he was having.
A coworker of his was pushing for a flash-based drag and drop interface for a Web site. The reasoning behind this decision was that “users are familiar with drag-and-drop because it’s a common convention of desktop application for all the major operating systems.”
Without knowing the details there was little I could offer in hard ammo, but I do think my friend here was on the right track in calling this into question. (He was showing both skepticism and empathy — two great traits for any designer.) There are two things he could question:
- It’s rarely safe to make any assumptions about user behavior. Sure empathy and experience can help you see user patterns, but I’ve been proven wrong on my assumptions enough time to realize that some sort of validation is usually the best way to go.
- Even if this assumption is correct. We’re talking about familiarity with desktop applications—not a Web site or Web based application. The context is being left out. A user might be totally comfortable with drag-and-drop as a desktop UI convention, and yet totally confounded by it as a Web UI convention.
Mobile (Hot. Hot. Hot.)
A hot topic in mobile design (a hot topic itself) is whether to miniaturize (take existing content and make it fit a smaller screen) or mobilize (rework or in some way repurpose Web content to make best use of the mobile context).
For our Design Eye panel at SXSW we spent a whole lot of time talking about how people would use craigslist.org from a mobile device. We all felt that the context of that usage was extremely important.
Would people use craigslist via a mobile phone the same way they use it via a browser? If not, how would they use it? What would they do?
We had to ask those questions. To avoid them would be to ignore that context.
Jeff Croft wrote about the mobile Web and contextual relevance the other day. It’s a post worth reading. In that he talks about the mobile version of lawrence.com.
So what’s on the mobile site? Five things. Just five. We’ve parred it down to things we think people will really want to do on their cell phone or similar device, rather than simply reformatting all of our content. So what are the five things?
He also had a great quote that sums up the work.
We didn’t just simply make it work on a cell phone, we make it for a cell phone.
They say content is king…
…maybe context is key.
Zeldman wrote an inspirational post this week. In that post he talks about convergent media, Web 2.0, the future of the Web and lots more. At the end he concludes that, for him anyway, it’s about design and content.
…my web will continue to be about good writing and good design. Because that’s what I care about. And your web is your web because you care about what you care about. And whatever that is, there’s plenty of it to be found or made on this big web we share.
He mentions multiple Webs (kind of) to get his point across. There is a strong idea out there that there is and should be only one Web, where every bit of unique content should exist only once. Hopefully this is Web that we can work with and that lets usn mold that content to our liking and our contexts. One that allows for easy “mobilization” for example.
Call it Web 2.0, One Web, Semantic Web…The Web is bringing multiple new media together, like it or not. And I’d agree that content (good writing, useful information, etc.) are of prime importance.
There are many different ways (different contexts) to access content and so many tools and technologies at your disposal to remix, rework and repurpose that content. Many designers (like myself) are just now starting to realize this and get our minds around it.
Convergence is upon us and for designers this can create some crazy problems…and some amazing opportunity.
Filed under: Technology | 
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Gadget Convergence Ramblings
September 13, 2005 | 13 Comments
I’ve got a pocket-sized digital camera, an ipod, a PSP, a fairly light laptop and a phone that takes pictures, plays mp3s, does e-mail and more. I take these things with me wherever I go. Ok, well, I leave the PSP and laptop at home occasionally, but, you get the picture.
My pockets are full. There is a ton of overlap in my gadgets, and it’s obvious these things are converging, yet I still feel compelled to drag them all around with me.
Filed under: Gadget | Permanent Link
Vonage, Netgear and Linksys: A Really Bad Customer Experience
September 07, 2005 | 10 Comments
This is a rant, fueled by serious frustration with the instructions and support offered by the combination of Vonage, Netgear and Linksys. I was already mad as hell, having spent about four fruitless hours trying to get this damn Vonage VoIP configured (and dealing with Linksys and Netgear passing the buck on my problem) when I got the following e-mail:
On September 8, 2005, we received your request to activate 911 Dialing.Unfortunately the address you provided failed our 911 Address Matching Test.
The reason for this failure is listed below:
We’re sorry. There was a problem with the information you provided. Please re-enter your address.(My correct address appears here.)
You can use the following link to change your address:
https://secure.vonage.com/vonage-web/features/index.htmIMPORTANT: 911 Dialing is presently inactive and will not work until we have verified your physical address It takes several days to complete the address verification process.
If we don’t hear back from you we will contact you in several days.Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Email: customercare@vonage.com
Phone: 1-VONAGE-HELP (1-866-243-4357)
Fax: 1732-333-1353
24 hours a day, 7 days a weekThank You.
Vonage
I think I know my own address, and while it may have “failed” your 911 Address Matching Test, there is no “problem” with the information I provided. The problem probably lies in the stupid ass form you use to capture addresses. Oh, and by the way, it really chaps my hide that I can find lots of press releases talking about how you’re all buddy, buddy with both Linksys and Netgear, but I can’t find jack shit on how to get your partner’s components to work together.
Filed under: Technology | Permanent Link
CNET Top 10 Must Haves
July 28, 2005 | 2 Comments
CNET has posted their top 10 must haves and I’m proud to say I’ve got #1 — The Sony PSP. I’m not sure I’d put this at the top of my list, but it’s a pretty good gadget anyway.
Filed under: Geek News & Stuff | Permanent Link
PSP Web Browser
July 22, 2005 | 4 Comments
Ever since I got my PSP a few weeks ago I’ve been thinking it was perfect for handheld Web browsing. Well, it’s no big surprise it’s soon going to get just that.
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) will release a system software update for its PlayStation Portable (PSP) next week that will add several new functions to the handheld gaming device, including the ability to browse the Internet and download TV programs, the company said Thursday. Chief among the additions to version 2.0 of the software will be a Web browser. Accessible from the PSP’s main menu, the browser supports HTML 4.01 and will allow access to most Web sites.
Get the full scoop from Macworld. [Hat Tip to Wonderland]
Filed under: Geek News & Stuff | Permanent Link
The Brothers Grimm HD Trailer
July 22, 2005 | 0 Comments
Wow. The new High Definition trailer for the upcoming movie The Brothers Grimm is pretty impressive. It uses Quicktime 7’s new High Def capabilities to great effect, even on the smallest version. It’s a slow load but it’s worth it.
The movie looks pretty cool too. Here’s the description:
The film follows Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm on an enchanted adventure set in a world of heroes and villains, witches and trolls, undying evil and true love — a realm they thought was just make believe — until it came into their world. Now the brothers must confront all that their imaginations brought to life, in a battle between fantasy and reality.
Fun stuff.
Filed under: Movies | Permanent Link
Google Moon
July 20, 2005 | 0 Comments
I love Google Maps and it’s been pretty amazing to see all the cool things people have been doing with it.
Well, now Google’s gone and taken it to the moon:
In honor of the first manned Moon landing, which took place on July 20, 1969, we’ve added some NASA imagery to the Google Maps interface to help you pay your own visit to our celestial neighbor. Happy lunar surfing.
Filed under: Web Site | Permanent Link
Enhanced Podcast Tutorial
July 19, 2005 | 1 Comments
Philip Torrone, over at Make Magazine, has a great tutorial on how to make enhanced podcasts.
This will allow you to place images and URLs into your podcast as well as add bookmarks for “chaptering” your show.
Cool stuff. [via Lifehacker]
Filed under: Geek News & Stuff | Permanent Link
Video Ipod Coming Soon
July 18, 2005 | 0 Comments
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple’s new video equipped ipod will be hitting the market sometime in early fall. From Yahoo News:
Negotiations are an indication that Apple is moving to release a device that plays video files, possibly by September, The Journal said.
Filed under: Geek News & Stuff | Permanent Link
Make Magazine
June 16, 2005 | 2 Comments
When I first heard of Make, a very geeky DIY rag from Oreilly, I was pretty skeptical. I heard good things though and decided to pick up the first issue.
What I found, while not exactly practical, was an extremely interesting and entertaining read. There were articles on how to take aerial photos with a kite, how to reduce wire clutter with a 5-in-one DIY cord and an very interesting piece on heirloom technology.
Between the first and second issues I’ve found little that I could put to use, but what I did find was good and the rest was interesting enough to really look forward to each new issue.
Filed under: Sweet | Permanent Link
Podcasting at iPodarmy.com
May 07, 2005 | 8 Comments
As you may have guessed I’ve been working away at a few different side projects over the last few months. I’ve got one big one, which is quite a-ways away, and a whole slew of smaller “mini” or “for fun” projects going right now.
One of these is my first ever podcast. It’s a music show, at least for now, where I showcase mostly Creative Commons licensed music and other tracks that won’t get me sued.
Along with that is the launch of iPodarmy.com, a site where I’ll host these podcasts as well as do some blogging on podcasting and related topics. I’ve decided that I don’t want to clutter Asterisk up with too much side business, so this is one of my “channels” to talk about something different.
Filed under: Music | Permanent Link
Backpack First Impressions
April 30, 2005 | 120 Comments
Today I was lucky enough to receive a “Golden Ticket” from Jason Fried and the folks at 37Signals to check into their new product/service—Backpack. While I’ve not spent a whole lot of time with it (an hour or so) and I’m not able to utilize every feature, I am able to give y’all a pretty good snapshot of the product and what it’s all about.
It seems in many ways to be a personal version of Basecamp. It’s got some of the same features, a similar UI and the philosophy behind it is basically the same. It’s a personal information manager and organizer. It’s got a to-dos, notes, calendaring, reminders and thing like that. Pretty much what you’d expect. It’s also got the 37signal’s style—ease of use, simple yet useful, etc.
Filed under: Web General | Permanent Link
Digital Camera Reviews and Recommendations
April 30, 2005 | 25 Comments
I’m in desperate need for a new camera. (And a new computer, but that’s a different post.) I gave my old Nikon Coolpix 4300 (which I was very happy with) to my Mom when she moved down to Florida, thinking I’d get good use out of the Pentax Optio until I could get a new one. Well, the Optio is great for many things, but it’s not as good as I was thinking as far as picture quality goes. Sure it’s small, but…Oh and low light pictures come out like poo.
So, I’m in the market for a good camera and I’m thinking about going with something a bit higher-end this time. I’m just not all that sure where to start. Photography has been a hobby of mine for a few years now and with each new camera I get a little better and a little more up on the technology. I’m thinking it’s time for me to get something “semi-pro” now that there are some affordable cameras on the market in that space.
So I’m asking for reviews and recommendations.
Filed under: Technology | Permanent Link
SlideShowPro
April 29, 2005 | 1 Comments
SlideShowPro is an amazingly easy to implement Flash-based image slideshow component. To use it you do need to have some working knowledge of Flash, but aside from that it’s damn easy to get set up and customize.
It’s perfect for anyone with a Web site that wants to have a slideshow or image gallery. It’s pretty customizable and has all sorts of implementation options to choose from. As someone who’s gone through several different methods of sharing photos via my own site, I can attest to the power, customizability and ease of use SlideShowPro brings.
It’s well worth the mere $20 it costs.
Filed under: Sweet | Permanent Link