Claire Rowland speaking on the Internet of Things at World Usability Day 2013 Bristol. Connectivity, sensing and intelligence are becoming embedded in ever more physical objects, enabling new ways of understanding and engaging with the world around us. To date, much of the focus in this field has been around solving connectivity challenges, but as the technology matures, understanding how to create compelling and usable everyday applications for mass market users will be crucial to success. How is UX design changing as it moves beyond the screen and into the objects around us?

1. UX for the internet of
things
WUD Bristol 2013
Claire Rowland
@clurr
Monday, 18 November 13

2. Monday, 18 November 13

3. Boiler/
Thermostat
e.g. heating
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Hub

4. Smart plug
e.g. energy monitoring
Smart meter
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5. Camera
Motion sensor
Contact sensor
Key fobs
e.g. security and safety
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6. Internet
of
things?
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Information processing and
connectivity embedded in
physical objects
Stitched together with an
internet service

7. Cheap processing power means it’s cost effective to embed
sensors and computing power in everyday objects
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8. Pervasive networking means any device will be able
to share data over the internet
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9. Networked embedded devices can:
•
Capture data from the world
•
Deliver information and functionality
to users in the right context
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10. Bears
•
•
•
Multipurpose
Direct user interaction
Powerful computers
Scott Jenson: “Of Bears, Bats, and Bees: Making Sense of the Internet of Things”
Monday, 18 November 13

11. Bats
•
•
•
Specialised, embedded
devices
Onboard computation
Often indirect user
interaction, via mobile
apps
Scott Jenson: “Of Bears, Bats, and Bees: Making Sense of the Internet of Things”
Monday, 18 November 13

12. Bees
•
•
•
Connected networks of
sensors
Trackable objects
No (or little) onboard
computation
Scott Jenson: “Of Bears, Bats, and Bees: Making Sense of the Internet of Things”
Monday, 18 November 13

13. Smartness can live in the service, not just the physical device.
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14. The internet
of things is
still here...
Everett Rogers, Diffusion of Innovations, 1962
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15. Good UX is
needed to get
us here
The internet
of things is
still here...
Everett Rogers, Diffusion of Innovations, 1962
Monday, 18 November 13

16. UI/visual design
screen layout, look and feel
Interaction design
architecture and behaviours per
service, per device
Interusability
interactions spanning multiple
devices with different capabilities
Industrial design
physical hardware: capabilities
and form factor
Service design
customer lifecycle, customer services,
integration with non digital touchpoints
Designing with data
using data to drive insights and
intelligent system behaviours
Productisation
audience, proposition, objectives,
functionality of a specific service
Platform design
conceptual architecture and domain
models spanning products/services
Monday, 18 November 13
Many layers of IoT UX

17. UI/visual design
screen layout, look and feel
Interaction design
architecture and behaviours per
service, per device
Interusability
interactions spanning multiple
devices with different capabilities
Industrial design
physical hardware: capabilities
and form factor
Service design
customer lifecycle, customer services,
integration with non digital touchpoints
Designing with data
using data to drive insights and
intelligent system behaviours
Productisation
audience, proposition, objectives,
functionality of a specific service
Platform design
conceptual architecture and domain
models spanning products/services
Monday, 18 November 13
“People have to
understand it
before they can
want it”
Denise Wilton, BERG

18. Productisation is the extent to which
the supplier makes the user value
explicit
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19. This is hard to do for general purpose devices
This is not a contact sensor
this is a thing that tells you:
•when an intruder has forced your front door open
•when your child has opened her window in the middle of the night
•when someone is trying to steal your guns
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20. Product
Tool
In areas where they don’t have expert knowledge
consumers tend to buy products, not
tools
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21. Nest do productisation really well
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22. UI/visual design
screen layout, look and feel
Interaction design
architecture and behaviours per
service, per device
Interusability
interactions spanning multiple
devices with different capabilities
Industrial design
physical hardware: capabilities
and form factor
Service design
customer lifecycle, customer services,
integration with non digital touchpoints
Designing with data
using data to drive insights and
intelligent system behaviours
Productisation
audience, proposition, objectives,
functionality of a specific service
Platform design
conceptual architecture and domain
models spanning products/services
Monday, 18 November 13

23. Interusability:
•
•
•
Composition
Consistency
Continuity
Cross-Platform Service User Experience: A Field Study and an Initial
Framework. Minna Wäljas, Katarina Segerståhl, Kaisa Väänänen-Vainio-Mattila,
Harri Oinas-Kukkonen MobileHCI'10
Monday, 18 November 13

24. Composition
•
•
Which devices does your service need?
What does each device do?
Cross-Platform Service User Experience: A Field Study and an Initial Framework. Minna Wäljas, Katarina Segerståhl, Kaisa Väänänen-VainioMattila, Harri Oinas-Kukkonen MobileHCI'10
Monday, 18 November 13

25. vs
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26. Consistency
Device-appropriate interfaces that feel like a family
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27. Continuity
Fluent cross platform interactions...
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28. ...up to date data on
all platforms
!!possible 2 minute
delay!!
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29. Summary
•
IoT is tech centric: we’re still figuring out how to
make compelling consumer products
•
When user experiences are extended across multiple
devices with different capabilities, we need to
consider not just usability but interusability:
•
•
•
•
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Composition of functionality across devices
Appropriate consistency of interfaces
Continuity of interactions across devices
PS: There’s loads more. I’m writing a book :)

30. Thank you
@clurr
claire@clairerowland.com
Monday, 18 November 13