Designing the Mobile User Experience

Barbara Ballard9780470033616, 0470033614

Mobile and wireless application design is complex and challenging. Selecting an application technology and designing a mobile application require an understanding of the benefits, costs, context, and restrictions of the development company, end user, target device, and industry structure.Designing the Mobile User Experience provides the experienced product development professional with an understanding of the users, technologies, devices, design principles, techniques and industry players unique to the mobile and wireless space. Barbara Ballard describes the different components affecting the user experience and principles applicable to the mobile environment, enabling the reader to choose effective technologies, platforms, and devices, plan appropriate application features, apply pervasive design patterns, and choose and apply appropriate research techniques.

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Table of contents :
Designing the Mobile User Experience……Page 4
Contents……Page 8
Preface……Page 14
About the Author……Page 16
1 Introduction: Mobility is Different……Page 18
1.1 Mobilizing Applications……Page 19
1.2 What is ‘Mobile’ Anyhow?……Page 20
1.3 The Carry Principle……Page 21
1.4 Components of a Mobile Application……Page 22
1.5 About This Book……Page 24
2 Mobile Users in the Wild……Page 26
2.1.1 Mobile……Page 27
2.1.3 Available……Page 29
2.1.4 Sociable……Page 31
2.1.5 Contextual……Page 32
2.1.6 Identifiable……Page 33
2.2.1 Voice and Texting……Page 34
2.2.3 Physical and Mobile Hybrids……Page 35
2.2.4 Mobiles as Status……Page 36
2.3 International Differences……Page 37
2.3.1 Europe……Page 38
2.3.2 Japan……Page 41
2.3.3 United States……Page 43
2.3.4 Other Regions……Page 45
3.1 A Device Taxonomy……Page 48
3.1.1 General-Purpose Devices……Page 50
3.1.2 Targeted Devices: the Information Appliance……Page 53
3.1.3 Ubiquitous Computing……Page 57
3.2.1 The Carry Principle……Page 61
3.2.2 Input Mechanisms……Page 62
3.2.3 Output Mechanisms……Page 66
3.2.4 Technologies……Page 68
3.2.6 Standby Screen……Page 71
4 Selecting Application Technologies……Page 72
4.1.1 Buttons……Page 73
4.1.3 Speech+Buttons……Page 74
4.2 Interaction Responsiveness……Page 75
4.3 Data Storage Locations……Page 76
4.5 Supplemental Technologies……Page 77
4.6.1 Cost of Deployment……Page 79
4.6.2 Sales Channels……Page 80
4.7 Other Concerns……Page 82
4.8 Platforms……Page 83
5 Mobile Design Principles……Page 86
5.1 Mobilize, Don’t Miniaturize……Page 87
5.1.1 The Carry Principle……Page 88
5.1.2 Small Device……Page 89
5.1.3 Specialized Multi-Purpose……Page 92
5.1.5 Customized Device……Page 96
5.1.7 Battery-Powered……Page 97
5.1.8 Inconsistent Connectivity……Page 98
5.2 User Context……Page 99
5.3 Handling Device Proliferation……Page 100
5.3.1 Targeted Design……Page 101
5.3.2 Least Common Denominator……Page 102
5.3.3 Automatic Translation……Page 103
5.3.4 Class-based Design……Page 105
5.4 Emulators and Simulators……Page 107
5.5.1 Platform Providers……Page 108
5.5.3 Carriers and Device Manufacturers……Page 109
5.5.4 Third-Party Guidelines……Page 110
6.1 About User Interface Patterns……Page 112
6.1.1 Mobilization……Page 113
6.1.3 Corporate Patterns (Library)……Page 117
6.2.1 List-based Layout……Page 118
6.2.2 Table-based Layout……Page 119
6.2.3 Location Selection……Page 121
6.2.4 Returned Results……Page 122
6.2.5 Menus……Page 124
6.2.6 Tab Navigation……Page 126
6.2.7 Breadcrumbs……Page 127
6.3.1 List Navigation……Page 129
6.3.2 Game Navigation……Page 131
6.3.3 Alphabetic Listings – Short……Page 133
6.3.4 Alphabetic Listings – Long……Page 134
6.3.5 Softkey and Button Management……Page 135
6.4.1 Application Download……Page 138
6.4.2 Application State Management……Page 139
6.4.3 Launch Process……Page 140
6.4.4 Cookies……Page 141
6.5.1 Interstitials……Page 143
6.5.2 Fisheye Ads……Page 145
6.5.3 Banners……Page 148
7.1 Composition for the Small Screen……Page 150
7.1.1 Learning from Portrait Miniatures……Page 152
7.1.2 Distinguishing from User-generated Content……Page 153
7.1.3 Style and Technique……Page 154
7.1.4 Context of Use……Page 156
7.2 Video and Animation……Page 157
7.2.1 Content……Page 158
7.2.2 Production and Preprocessing……Page 159
7.2.3 Post-production……Page 160
7.3 Sound……Page 161
7.3.2 Post-production……Page 162
7.4 Streaming versus Downloaded Content……Page 163
7.5 Managing Media: Meta Data……Page 164
8 Industry Players……Page 166
8.1.1 Carriers and Devices……Page 167
8.1.2 Walled Gardens and Decks……Page 169
8.1.3 Mobile Virtual Network Operators……Page 170
8.2 Device Manufacturers……Page 171
8.3 Technology and Platform Providers……Page 172
8.3.2 Application Environments……Page 173
8.3.3 Operating Systems……Page 174
8.4 Application and Content Developers……Page 175
8.5 Content Distributors……Page 176
8.6 Industry Associations……Page 177
8.7 Government……Page 178
9 Research and Design Process……Page 180
9.1 Mobile Research Challenges……Page 182
9.1.1 Device Proliferation……Page 183
9.1.3 Field versus Laboratory Testing……Page 184
9.2 User Research……Page 185
9.3.1 Card Sorting……Page 186
9.3.2 Wizard of Oz Testing……Page 187
9.4 Application Usability Testing……Page 188
9.4.1 Emulator Usability Testing……Page 189
9.4.3 Field Usability Testing……Page 190
9.5 Market Acceptance (beta) Testing……Page 192
10.1 User Requirements……Page 194
10.1.1 User Types……Page 195
10.1.4 Key User Needs……Page 196
10.2 Product Requirements……Page 199
10.2.1 Features……Page 200
10.2.2 Technologies and Platform……Page 203
10.2.4 Development Strategy……Page 204
10.3 High-level Design Concepts……Page 205
10.3.2 Communications Center……Page 206
10.3.3 Maps, Directions, and Transportation……Page 207
10.3.4 Journaling……Page 208
10.3.5 Local Information……Page 209
10.3.6 Main Screen……Page 210
10.3.7 Softkey Strategy……Page 212
10.4.1 Process……Page 213
10.4.3 Data Sources……Page 214
10.4.4 Testing Plan……Page 215
A: Mobile Markup Languages……Page 216
B: Domain Names……Page 221
C: Minimum Object Resolution……Page 223
D: Opt-In and Opt-Out……Page 226
E: Mobile Companies……Page 229
Glossary……Page 238
Index……Page 252