1. Technology dissolved in the experience
James Box Skillswap Bristol | November 2008

2. Fan of Bruce Parry's Tribe. Armchair anthropologist.
Penan people / Nomadic hunter-gatherer tribe on the Malaysian state of Sarawak
Deeply affected large-scale selective logging in the late 1970s / More recently the creation of palm oil and acacia wood plantations has had a
caused a profound reduction in the number of Penan people
Dense rainforest/jungle. Remarkably attuned to the environment around them. Responses to the change in light, sound, smell and temperature of
the forest, nuances that outsiders over look.
The forest to which they are perfectly adapted, has been radically altered. Their everyday needs–collecting medicinal plants and clean water has
become extremely difficult.
One particular scene which I love involves messaging without words or writing.
Communication between tribes has to be carried out discreetly (to avoid the attention of the logging companies) so they leave messages on the
jungle floor using an ornate arrangement of sticks and leaves.
This one particular message involves:
* One large stick...the message stick...points in a direction that the tribe must go
* Another smaller stick, crossing the first, which indicates you MUST come. There is no choice.
* Another stick with a sharp, pointed end pointing to the sky...the sharpness indicates the urgency.
* A scraping down the main message stick runs down the length of the stick and indicates it's a very long journey
* A piece of knotted bark with three knots indicates that the journey will take three days.
* Then a notch further down the message stick a wrapped leaf which indicates they don't have any food
* But the best bit is a single stick poking right through the leaf which says even though they're desperate, that they must come quickly, must make
it in 3 days, that they are hungry and have no food…this stick means...don't worry I'm in a good mood.
Reminded me of nothing more than the humble smiley.
Despite our derision, its universally understood. And useful!

3. Me / Information Architect / IxD
Social spaces / Especially those mediated by technology
Clearleft, Brighton / UX consultancy / Silverback / dConstruct / UXLondon
Co-organise Skillswap Brighton with Natalie Downe
Evolution of a talk I gave at Barcamp called Built it like Dave…meet Dave:

4. How to imbue UX with personality/character by aligning behaviour with those of your friends.
Superficial stuff but was concerned with what I perceived as a general lack of attention to the
human quality of user experience.
This talk is an attempt to explore that subject further…

5. “ Interaction Design is the creation of a
dialogue between a person and a product,
service or system. This dialogue is usually
found in the world of behaviour. ”
Tend to think of myself principally as an IxD. This where all the good shit happens.
Use this definition from ‘Thoughts on Interaction Design’ by Jon Kolko, but applies to UX as
well.
Two words: dialogue + behaviour.
I’m going to focus on these aspects of an experience.
http://thoughtsoninteraction.com/section_one.html

6. The whole ‘personality’ thing is not new.
Brands love forming relationships with their customers.
Some do it very well indeed.

7. It works. It makes me smile.
And of course I’m telling you about it now right?

8. Lots of people have used this cutesy approach on the web:
Flickr greetings in foreign languages etc.
This I like: Picnik (flowers ‘grow’ as you complete your sign-up prividing progressive
feedback.)

9. Problem is, I get bored easily.
I’m already bored of Obama.
The litmus test is: would an estate agent use this?
This is outside our office.
[Sign on left]
It all gets a bit saccharine, mawkish.

10. “ To design behaviour requires an
understanding of the fluidity of natural
dialogue, which is both reactionary and
anticipatory at the same time. ”
The problem is structuring dialogue is difficult as it occurs in a fourth dimension: over time.
[quote]
Two words: reactionary + anticipatory.
Something that can only happen when the dialogue is given sufficient context.
If we miss the mark here, the intent fails.
We begin to sound clichéd, formulaic and inauthentic…
This is a negative experience.

11. And even worse…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/diamondjoe/205674525/

12. We even risk entering ‘The Valley’.
“Mori's hypothesis states that as a robot is made more humanlike in its appearance and
motion, the emotional response from a human being to the robot will become increasingly
positive and empathic, until a point is reached beyond which the response quickly becomes
that of strong repulsion.”
The suspension of disbelief is something we’re all prepared to entertain to an extent, but the
danger here is when this fails, we break the illusion.
Amazon recommendations are great until Christmas, when you spend all your time shopping
for others and consequently get recommended bread makers for the next six months.

13. One of the things I loved about the Penan tribe message was its authenticity.
The function/utility of the message was balanced with humour.
But when I thought back to my original presentation, I realised this is difficult to achieve with
simple heuristics, rules of thumb like ‘be polite’, ‘be courteous’ etc.
I also realised that by highlighting noticeable–arguably quantifiable–personality traits, I was
ignoring one of the most important attributes of meaningful dialogue.
That which is subtle or even unsaid often underpins the most delightful, remarkable
experiences.

14. “ Make all visual distinctions as subtle as
possible, but still clear and effective. ”
And this is undeniable true when we think of design.
Edward Tufte is famous for celebrating ‘The smallest effective difference’ as illustrated in this
quote.

15. 9 8 7 8 5
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Chesham Chalfont & Watford Junction Watford Junction is outside Cockfosters
Latimer Transport for London zonal High Barnet Epping
Watford area. Special fares apply.
Oakwood
Watford High Street Theydon Bois
Totteridge & Whetstone
Amersham Croxley Bushey Loughton Debden
Southgate
Chorleywood Woodside Park
4
Rickmansworth Carpenders Park
6
A Moor Park Edgware West Finchley Arnos Grove Buckhurst Hill A
Mill Hill East
Hatch End Roding
West Ruislip Northwood Burnt Finchley Central Valley Chigwell
5
Northwood Hills Headstone Lane Stanmore Oak Bounds Green
Hillingdon Ruislip Harrow & Colindale East Finchley Wood Green
Wealdstone Canons Park Harringay
Ruislip Manor Pinner Green Lanes South Grange Hill
Queensbury Hendon Central Turnpike Lane Woodford
3
Uxbridge Ickenham North Harrow Kenton Tottenham Hainault
Highgate
4
Eastcote Crouch
Harrow- Preston Kingsbury Hill Blackhorse
Brent Cross Seven Sisters Road Fairlop
on-the-Hill Road Archway Manor House South
Golders Green Gospel Woodford Barkingside
Ruislip Rayners Lane Tottenham Walthamstow
Gardens West Harrow Northwick Neasden Hampstead Oak Tufnell Park
Park Heath Upper Hale Central Newbury Park
Hampstead Holloway Finsbury
Wembley Dollis Hill
South South Kenton Park Park Walthamstow Snaresbrook Redbridge
Ruislip Arsenal Upminster
North Wembley Willesden Green Kentish Queen’s Road
Finchley Road Kentish Holloway Upminster
Northolt South Harrow Wembley Central Town Wanstead Gants Bridge
B Kilburn & Frognal Town West Road B
Belsize Park Hill
Stonebridge Park Leytonstone
Sudbury Hill Harlesden Brondesbury Chalk Farm Caledonian Road Highbury &
Sudbury Hill Harrow
Park Leyton Leytonstone
0m
(no weekend service) 150m Willesden Junction West Hampstead Camden Islington Dalston Midland Road High Road Hornchurch
10
Thameslink 200m from
Road Dagenham
Greenford Kingsland East Elm Park
( no Sunday Sudbury Town Kensal Rise Brondesbury Finchley Road Camden Town Caledonian Canonbury
service) Hackney Leyton Wanstead
Kensal Green Swiss Cottage Road & Central Park
Kilburn South Mornington Barnsbury
Alperton Queen’s Park High Road Hampstead St. John’s Wood King’s Cross Homerton Dagenham
Crescent Woodgrange Park
Heathway
2
St. Pancras
for St. Pancras International Becontree
Maida Vale Great Stratford
Kilburn Park Hackney Upney
Perivale Edgware Baker Portland Euston Angel Wick
Warwick Avenue Paddington Street Street
Road Barking
Royal Oak
Westbourne Old Street East Ham
Hanger Park Bethnal
Warren Street Euston ( no weekend
Green
Lane Paddington Edgware Marylebone Farringdon service) Mile End Pudding
C Regent’s Park
Square
Liverpool
Upton C
Road Euston 200m Mill Lane Park
Russell Street Shoreditch Plaistow
Park Royal Ladbroke Grove Barbican
Bayswater Square Limited service
West Ham
Latimer Road Check publicity for ELW Bow Bromley-
Goodge Moorgate information
Road Bow
North Ealing East White Holland Notting Lancaster Bond Oxford Street
Chancery ( no weekend
Stepney Church by-Bow
1 2 3 4
Acton City Park Hill Gate Gate Street Circus Holborn Lane service) 200m
Ealing Green Devons Road
654 3 2
Broadway St. Paul’s Aldgate Whitechapel
North Tottenham
10
West Shepherd’s Queensway Marble East
25
0
Langdon Park
0m
m
Acton Acton Bush Arch Court Road Bank
Wood Lane Covent Garden
Leicester Square 340m Aldgate All Saints
Acton High Street Cannon Shadwell East
Central Hyde Park Green Park Street Westferry Poplar India Canning Town
Shepherd’s Kensington Corner Leicester Mansion
Ealing Common Bush Market Royal Victoria
Piccadilly Square House
South Circus Limehouse Blackwall
Acton Kensington Knightsbridge Monument Tower Custom House
(Olympia) Charing Hill Tower for ExCeL
Goldhawk Road Gateway
ELW
Cross Fenchurch Street 150m
D Acton Barons Gloucester Blackfriars Closed until spring 2009 Wapping West West Prince Regent D
Town Court Sloane St. James’s Underground station India Quay Silvertown
South Ealing Hammersmith Road closed March 2009 River Thames
Square Park until late 2011 Royal Albert
Northfields Temple Rotherhithe Canary Wharf
London Beckton Park
Boston Manor Bridge
381/N381
Canary Wharf
0m
Chiswick Turnham Stamford Ravenscourt West Earl’s South Victoria Westminster Embankment
2
Pontoon
20
Hounslow North Cyprus
East Park Green Brook Park Kensington Court Kensington Charing Cross 100m
Greenwich Dock
Osterley Canada
15
Bermondsey
1
Gallions
0m
Heron Quays for The O2
Hounslow West Brompton Water Reach
West Hounslow
Central Fulham Waterloo Surrey Quays South Quay
Gunnersbury Broadway London City
Crossharbour Airport Beckton
Hatton East London line is closed
Terminals Cross Parsons Green Mudchute
for major line extension
1, 2, 3 Kew Gardens Putney Bridge Pimlico Southwark Borough work to become part of
ELC
Waterloo East Island Gardens King
River Thames
the London Overground George V
Terminal 4 Lambeth network
E North E
Richmond East Putney
New Cross Cutty Sark
3
Heathrow Gate for Maritime Greenwich
Terminal 5 Airport Opening
Vauxhall Elephant & Castle ELC New Cross Greenwich early 2009
Southfields Kennington 100m
Deptford Bridge Woolwich
Elverson Road Arsenal
Wimbledon Park Clapham
Junction Lewisham
Oval
Wimbledon
4
Stockwell
Clapham North
Clapham High Street 100m
Brixton 100m
Clapham South Clapham Common
Improvement works may affect your
F journey, particularly at weekends. Balham
F
Check before you travel; look for publicity Tooting Bec
at stations, visit tfl.gov.uk/check Colliers Wood
or call 020 7222 1234 Tooting Broadway
Morden South Wimbledon
This diagram is an evolution of the original design conceived in 1931 by Harry Beck · 10.08
Transport for London Correct at time of going to print, October 2008
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
MAYOR OF LONDON
Successful Information visualisation thrives on its ability not just to reinterpret but Transport for Lo
also
condense information in to understandable, intelligible and unambiguous representations.
What’s left out is as crucial to this message being communicated as what is left in.
Harry Beck’s Tube Map is the canonical example.
Tufte often bemoaned the prevalence of Chartjunk within information design: those “visual
elements that are not necessary to comprehend the information represented on the graph, or
that distract the viewer from this information.”

16. Design for serendipity
Architecture can be good mediating this kind of experience.
Rather than a cold, urine-smelling NCP style Fire Exit, the main staircase within Cardiff’s
Millennium Centre is intentionally positioned within the central social hub of the building.
Exposed for all to see.
The intention here is to create a sense of fluidity by exposing the movements but also to
create chance encounters, serendipitous exchanges between the building’s temporary
inhabitants.
There is no instruction, just implication.
When the 'feature' or function is held in reserve, and not overtly forced, it becomes
discoverable.
Engagement then becomes a delightful, serendipitous experience.

17. Ambient signifiers
In Japan, the notoriously complex railway system employs a set of individual chimes for each
station that play as the passengers wait to get on or off.
Design elements that communicate subtly as part of the environment’s ambiance.
They allow passengers to gauge status or context without having to actively seek it.
Previous incarnation of the BBC home page was originally created with a ‘digital patina’ which
altered the colouring of the page according to usage patterns.
Similarly when we’re walking the streets, many county councils alter the texture of the
pavement to indicate caution i.e. when approaching a zebra crossing etc.
Again, subtle. For some, not even noticeable.
http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/ambient_signifi

18. Systems like last.fm (scrobbler) rarely interrupt, instead they gather silently.
The product’s output is simply a manifestation of my typical, intrinsic behaviour.
The data and therefore the value of my dialogue with last.fm emerges through use.

20. Similarly Nike+
Transaprently extracting my behavioural information directly from the shoe/iPod and
publishing this to ‘The Cloud’ to be viewed, shared, recombined and probably laughed at!
There is no ungainly input device–no keyboard, mouse or RSI–to battle with.
Technology dissolved in the experience.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ldandersen/249465130/

22. SeeShell is an augmented Oyster Card (the RFID-enabled Underground ticket), designed by
PhD student Johanna Brewer
A simple sleeve which displays, over time, the journeys the owner has taken.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicohogg/344132621/

23. Violet’s Mir:ror project.
(Sidenote (something I was reading before I came in here): Violet the creators of the notorious
Nabaztag have recently announced their Mir:ror project in which they have devised “a simple,
two-step strategy for the construction of an Internet of objects i.e. a time where all objects
are internet-enabled.
* One: connect the Rabbits.
* Two: connect everything else.”

24. 1. Connect the Rabbits
Violet’s Mir:ror project.
(Sidenote (something I was reading before I came in here): Violet the creators of the notorious
Nabaztag have recently announced their Mir:ror project in which they have devised “a simple,
two-step strategy for the construction of an Internet of objects i.e. a time where all objects
are internet-enabled.
* One: connect the Rabbits.
* Two: connect everything else.”

25. 1. Connect the Rabbits
2. Connect everything else
Violet’s Mir:ror project.
(Sidenote (something I was reading before I came in here): Violet the creators of the notorious
Nabaztag have recently announced their Mir:ror project in which they have devised “a simple,
two-step strategy for the construction of an Internet of objects i.e. a time where all objects
are internet-enabled.
* One: connect the Rabbits.
* Two: connect everything else.”

26. A warning.
As our personal data becomes exponentially more available, connected and discoverable, the
need for privacy controls becomes greater and greater.
There is no excuse for ‘security through obscurity’ when dealing with user’s personal data–
even our genome data is now sharable with services like 23andme.
And this is especially true for those products whose dialogue with technology manifests itself
as a seamless, invisible or ambient experience.

27. This is a big challenge for designers.
This is something I was playing around with: applying the OAuth model of managing access
to all our personal data.
In case you don’t know what OAuth is, in laymen’s terms it allows a user to grant access to
their information on one site (e.g a Service Provider like Flickr), to another site (e.g.
Consumer like Moo), without sharing all of his or her identity.
It also ensures maddeningly, immoral, lazy patterns like the password anti-pattern stop
proliferating the web.
Sketched this after experiencing the pain of public sector organisation’s attempts to control
OUR data.
They seem to move from one extreme to the other: either paralysed by fear or imploding with
their own ineptitude.
So this is an imagined ‘personal dashboard’ for your own personal data.

28. There are other risks to be mindful of as well as privacy.
Mobile me.
These services become so deeply ingrained, sometimes invisible, that they become close to
muscle memory.
Twitter fail whale.
This hurts.

29. Gentle. Open. Transparent.
Deferential. Ambient.
Anticipatory. Invisible.
Humble. Modest. Assured.
Well-mannered. Considerate.
Contextual. Subtle.
Unassuming. Discoverable.
Reactionary.
In conclusion:
Design does not need to be ‘obvious’ or contrived.
We don’t always have to impose dialogue on our users.
Context (reactionary + anticipatory) is everything but don’t be arrogant or rude and assume
you can predict this.
Be open
Be transparent
The ambient and invisible can be more meaningful.

30. “I like a view but I like to sit
with my back turned to it.”
GERTRUDE STEIN, THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ALICE B.TOKLAS
I leave you with this quote from Gertrude Stein which says it all for me.

31. Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike

32. Photo Credits:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/74845103@N00/415981279/
http://icanhaz.com/penan
http://www.flickr.com/photos/duncan/2084134925/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lwr/972289835/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/maxbraun/1489103461/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w00kie/225861208/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicohogg/344132621/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/otrops/2702646947/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattbaron/2657690363/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/suntom/181044383/
and a bunch from my Flickrstream:
http://flickr.com/photos/boxman