This document discusses challenges with Chinese input methods on mobile devices and opportunities for improvement. It describes how users were heavily reliant on SMS before 3G networks and dissatisfied with existing input methods. Multiple input methods were developed but led to user confusion. The document analyzes problems with keyboard, voice, and handwriting input according to Norman's framework. It envisions upcoming standards and improved input through accurate recognition, customized dictionaries, and optimized mapping and feedback. Examples show how improved keyboards could address constraints.

1. Design Problem in
Chinese Input for Mobile Devices
ADS 740 Special Problems in Design, by Yujie Guo (Torry)
Professor Michael Eckersley Fall semester 2009

2. Content
• Why this project
• What is the current design and the problem
• How is the future

3. why this project
• The Mme before 3G
– Users: they use text message so much…
The amount of short messages you send per month?
1000+
500‐1000
300‐499
100‐299
50‐99
under 50

4. why this project
• The Mme before 3G
– Users: How’s current input methods?
Are you saMsfied with the input method?
Very saMsfied
Good
Just so so
unsaMsfied

5. why this project
• The Mme before 3G
– Manufactories: why they developed so many input
methods?
• More than 1,000 ways
• 90% market share from foreign companies, where 50%
from T9, a US company

6. why this project
• The Mme before 3G
– Carriers: what’s their a^tude?
• SMS plans as strategy
• Benefits
• Desktop applicaMon soluMon

7. why this project
• The Mme before 3G
– Carriers: PC applicaMon=IM+SMS to improve the
experience
No I never use
It saves money
the input is faster
the interface is more friendly
the keyboard is becer
I don’t like switch from computer to phone
when I use computer.

8. why this project
• The coming of 3G
– More applicaMon needs text input, input speed
could be the stumbling store of communicaMon
– User group may changed, a wider age scale
challenges the current methods

9. The current design and the problems
• The design Process of Chinese input
– Challenges
• Hardware & sofware constrains
• Language complexity
– Research: HCI research in China
• The studied group and regional differences
• Real‐life pracMce and academic knowledge
– Implement balance
• “Engineer first” moco
– TesMng
• Constrains and limitaMon

10. The current design and the problems
• Input differences between different device
puzzled user
Keyboard Method
difference difference
Word lib
difference
Character lib
difference

11. The current design and the problems
• The design Process
• The design
– Keyboard input Pinyin
• Pinyin Stock
• Stock
Cang jie
Hand wriMng
– HandwriMng input Voice input
– Voice input

12. Keyboard input
• Popular keyboard input methods

13. Keyboard input
A demo of pinyin input
• By input the English
lecer, certain mapping
to the character will
then display.
• Use direcMon arrows to
choose the correct
character or word

14. Keyboard input
A demo of stock input
• The lecers on keyboard
were mapped to stock
of the character
• By input right order of
stock will input the
character
• Even same stocks,
different order refer to
different character

15. Handwriting input
• You can write on screen
and the system “guess”
the thing you tend to
input

16. Voice input
• Demo of applicaMon

17. The current design and the problems
• The design Process
• The design
• The problems
– Norman’s 6 points framework
• Conceptual model
• Affordances
• Mapping
• Feedback
• Visibility
• Constraints

18. The current design and the problems
• The main problems of keyboard input:
– Mapping
– Physical constraints
• The main problems of voice input
– Affordances
– Cultural constraints
• The main problems of handwriMng input
– Visibility
– feedback

19. Keyboard input – ABC/English
• Mapping

20. Keyboard input ‐Pinyin
• Mapping

21. Keyboard input ‐Pinyin
• An example of
improved Pinyin input
by opMmizing the
mapping process:
intelligent word input
• Depend on the
capability of the word
library

22. Keyboard input ‐ Stroke
• Mapping

23. Keyboard input ‐ Stroke
• An example of
improved stroke
input by opMmizing
the mapping
process
• Depend on the
capability of
Character library

24. Voice input
• Affordances
• Constraints
• The challenge is the
local accents
– Memory
– Library
– Response Mme

25. HandwriMng input
• Visibility
– Cursive wriMng
– The size of the pad
– Character lib
• Feedback
– The input order is important wrong order to
write a character will not be recognized in some
devices

26. The future
• Coming standard
– The standard of Chinese input in Mobile phone
would carry out by Department Ministry of
InformaMon Industry.
– By then, every one want to get a piece of the
market should follow the standard.
– This informaMon was from newspaper of 2006,
February.

27. The future
• Coming standard
• Product ideas
accurate handwriMng input
accurate voice input
easy‐operaMng copy‐paste funcMon.
word scan funcMon
customize words and phrases
auto arrange most common used words
magnanimous word library
If the following new technologies are applied to Chinese input
methods, which do you like to try most?

28. The future
• Coming standard
• Product ideas
• InnovaMon points
– Analyze the current problems
• Keyboard: Mapping, constraints
• Voice: Affordances, constraints
• HandwriMng: Feedback, visibility

29. Examples of improved keyboard input

30. Examples of improved keyboard
The BK600 Bluetooth The O2 Xda Atom Exec send The G‐tech Bluetooth
wireless foldable out this keyboard as a gif wireless keyboard can be
keyboard support Palm, for buying the phone. The folded as cloth. It is
Symbian, Win CE these size is similar with the phone because it designed by
3 OS. It only weights and set as a standard using cloth, expect the
200g and a hand size. 2 keyboard. Meanwhile, some bacery box. This keyboard
AA baceries would shortcut keys are added on weight 68g and the
provide a long‐Mme use. the top, such as rotate bacery can stay for 20
At the back of the screen, inbox mail and hours conMnuous
keyboard, there’s a calendar. working. It supports most
stand that can be placed PDA and smart phone
on a phone. device.

31. Examples of improved handwriMng
No more touch pen needed Touch pad improvement

32. Appendix A Data and the survey used
35+
30‐34
Male
25‐29 Female
20‐24
0 5 10 15 20 25