How can we improve Mobile User Experience?

By Stuart O'Brien

A roundtable of forward thinkers convened in London last month to debate mobile user experience in advance of the forthcoming MEX conference. ME listened in…


The iPhone may not be the perfect device, but in one area it undoubtedly trumps everything that has come before it: user experience. Apple’s big gamble has thrown into sharp relief the shortcomings of most other devices. ME joined an industry thinktank into UE, and here are the highlights...

Marek Pawlowski, PMN: User experience is suddenly at the fore of mobile thinking. Why is that?

Mike Short, 02: Three reasons. First, the mobile industry is now global, but we mustn’t forget local requirements. Second, many countries are heavily penetrated, so the only route to growth is through increased usage. Thirdly, people are using mobile devices in a broader range of contexts.

Steve Ives, Taptu: UE has become magnified because the complexity of services has escalated. The ‘soft key’ templates for calling and texting are no longer up to the job.

John West, Nuance: The key thing is making sure people can find content and services from the handset. In the PC world, apps like Google Desktop Search can find almost anything from one box. That’s the way mobile will have to go.

Marek Pawlowski: Mobile is becoming more integrated in people’s lives. That throws up a whole new list of UE requirements. This is as much about social as technological change. Even aeroplanes are no longer a refuge from the ringtone.

Steve Ives: Exactly. And it’s not just talking and texting – younger people especially seem to have no problem with playing their favourite music with their phones on loudspeaker at the back of the bus!

Associated Link: Discussion highlights: How can we improve mobile user experience?

Why 'The 10 Commandments of Web Design' are Complete Baloney
Source: SitePoint, 5 July 2008
 
Further to our earlier discussion...

Local Council Websites: Good, but no Cigar
Source: Webcredible, 4 July 2008
 
The 'Local Council Websites: Good, But No Cigar' report evaluates the top 20 Socitm council websites against 20 best practice usability guidelines.

Why does the OK Button say OK?
Source: Gerry McGovern, 3 July 2008
 
Most times I come across the OK button, something not-OK has happened.

The 10 Commandments of Web Design
Source: Business Week, 2 July 2008
 
To try and make sense of it all, BusinessWeek.com canvassed a broad range of Internet luminaries to discover the design rules they live by right now.

Bill Gates' email rant at the Usability Team
Source: Crunch Gear, 1 July 2008
 
The Seattle P-I has tracked down an old e-mail from 2003 that Bill Gates sent out to members of the Windows Usability team.

Can a better User Experience also be a Greener Experience?
Source: Catalyst Resources, 30 June 2008
 
By improving the user experience of its web collaboration software, Catalyst made it easier for clients to work in productive teams without travelling the globe.

The Spread of Telepresence Technology
Source: Tech News World, 28 June 2008
 
Rising energy costs and green concerns are fuelling a huge increase in demand for videoconferencing, collaborative software and virtual telepresence technology.

UK Usability market worth more than £200 million by end of 2008
Source: eConsultancy, 27 June 2008
 
The UK Usability market will grow by an estimated 20% in 2008 to a value of £214 million, according to research published this week by e-consultancy.

Research suggests growing importance of Usability to UK Businesses
Source: Business Strata, 26 June 2008
 
Integrated software for lead generation and marketing is valuable, but only as long as it's usable.

Web 2.0: Too Smart by a Half?
Source: Computer Technology Review, 25 June 2008
 
Will the Web 2.0 generation’s epitaph be, “They died with their options open?”