Ian Huckvale, Head of User Engagement at Reading Room Studio tells us about the simple truths that befall us when we're working with mobile devices, how to design for them while keeping in mind that designing for a human being is the end goal.

2. Twitter: @IanHux
Hashtag: #digicons
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3. Mobile Bootcamp
We’re still human: understanding
the people behind the screen
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4. Experience: noun, verb
A particular instance of personally
encountering or undergoing something
Philosophy. the totality of the cognitions given
by perception; all that is perceived,
understood, and remembered.

6. Which of these devices are you designing for?
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8. Can you spot the differences?
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9. How many can you spot?
Sat down in a familiar location Stood up – and on the move
Alone in a quiet room Surrounded by other people
Concentrating hard Lots of sensory distractions
Plenty of time to do what she wants Concentrating on something else (not missing
his train)
Typing with both hands
Fitting what he’s doing into an idle moment
Has full access to everything in her office and
on her computer Holding the device with one hand
Only has access to what he is carrying

10. Let’s go outside...
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11. We have different priorities

12. We are geolocated and moving

13. Filling our spare moments

14. Let’s be careful out there
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15. Think what you’re asking the user to do...

16. Takeaway
“Ideate in the wild” “Pretend it’s magic”
Rachel Hinman, Senior Research Scientist, Nokia Alan Cooper, usability extraordinaire
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17. Your plastic pal who’s fun to be with
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18. Our “take anywhere” electronic friend

19. Our new friend is not complicated
“At 18 months old, my son already
knows how to do the iPhone
swipe. Luckily he doesn't know the
password to unlock my phone just
yet.”
Kari Aakre, Intel employee
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20. Our friends are a constant source of entertainment
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21. Sometimes we want company

22. Sometimes we want privacy

23. Phone’s are becoming more human

24. 1984
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25. 2012
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26. We like positive feedback from our friends
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27. Put some of these techniques together and what do you have?

28. Takeaway
Think of your website/app/service as if it is a human
How would they behave if they wanted to make friends with the end user?
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29. All fingers and thumbs
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30. Fingers – thumbs and click targets
Pixel accurate Semi-accurate Approximate
Hyperlinks
Big buttons
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31. How you hold it makes a difference
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32. Swipes, gestures and skeuomorphism
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33. Tactile interface + instant feedback + low cognitive friction
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34. Stop and think how it all fits together
There was a better way:
Stop emailing people about every
single interaction.
Implement an undo feature (unlike).
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35. Takeaway
It’s about the users’ hands, eyes and ears – not size of the screen
Make it tactile, support experimentation, give constant feedback
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36. It’s all in the memes
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38. Memes in society

39. Memes in technology

40. Memes in web-interface design

41. Takeaway
“Memetic” interfaces are more important on mobile
No space to explain functions with labels, no hover states – evolve from learned behaviours
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42. Closing thought – mobile is just a tool to
allow humans to do something
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44. Questions?
Ian Huckvale – Head of user engagement
Email: ian.huckvale@readingroom.com
Twitter: @IanHux
Tel: +44 20 7173 2881
Reading Room Studio
65-66 Frith Street
Soho
London
W1D 3JR
http://www.readingroom.com