Top technological trends to re-shape UX

In this technology world, we are moving with fast pace. Our life style and behavior are changing and which is bringing more opportunities for creation of new products, services, solutions, gadgets etc. With the evolution of Internet companies have explored a larger area of business and this area is going to be getting more expanded with the evolution of some amazing and near future techniques. More innovations have happened at technology side now more imagination is happening at designing side. In this article we are going to see some cool areas for User Experience designer to work in near future.

Internet of thing

The internet of things (IoT) is the network of physical objects—devices, vehicles, buildings and other items—embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity that enables these objects to collect and exchange data.

Connected Home, cars, workstations, offices, cities are going to boom our current environment and experience.

Virtual Reality

Virtual reality or virtual realities (VR), also known as immersive multimedia or computer-simulated reality, is a computer technology that replicates an environment, real or imagined, and simulates a user's physical presence and environment to allow for user interaction. Virtual realities artificially create sensory experience, which can include sight, touch, hearing, and smell. The global AR and VR market is expected to grow to $209.2 billion by 2022. (Ref)

Most of the companies have already worked in this section and started creating VR products. Google cardboard and Microsoft Holo lenses are some well known products of this area.

Virtual reality (VR) is the experience where users feel immersed in a simulated world, via hardware—e.g., headsets—and software. Designers create VR experiences—e.g., virtual museums—transporting users to 3D environments where they freely move and interact to perform predetermined tasks and attain goals—e.g., learning.

- Interaction Design Foundation 

Mental Model – A real life example (AR Food Menu)

“You go to a restaurant and start flipping the pages of food menu. After spending some moments, you call the ‘Captain’ and ask him: “Can you please tell the curry which is ‘less/medium spicy’ or ‘in red gravy’ etc.?” These kind of incidents are very common and we all can relate similar conversation in restaurants/hotels.“

Have you tried to observe the scenario and reason why it was happening? Why sometimes we are not able to make decision with the help of food menu or require the help of captain/restaurant staff? One such key reason is ‘Mental Model mismatch’. 

Really? How does it relate to Mental Model???

What is mental model

Let’s understand that. A mental model is an explanation of someone's thought process about how something works in the real world. Mental models are how we understand the world. Not only do they shape what we think and how we understand but they shape the connections and opportunities that we see.

Mostly restaurants have food item name, which are not standardised or generic and sometimes they may change from Restaurant to Restaurant. Ex. – Paneer Lababdar, Paneer Maharaja, Paneer Pasanda etc. 

When you read these kinds of food item name, you don’t get ‘Key Details’ which are helpful in making decision. These key details are ‘Key Attributes’ which are required to form/understand mental model. For example: In this scenario of choosing Curry, we may have key attributes like Curry type, Gravy color, Spices, Quantity, how does it look when served etc. If we do not get these key details, we may not be able to make decision and will try to clarify them with others.

- What if a food menu can have Food Item name and little bit summary of these key details.

- What if food menu can have Food item image – ‘how will it be served’.

- What if food menu can show you the proper food item on your table before you order.

Using Augmented Reality (AR) in food menu

This problem is not novel in today’s world, many new tech enthusiasts and startups have come up with a new concept of Using – Augmented Reality in this ecosystem. Where Consumer can get preview or feel of food before actually ordering it on their table. This might change the experience of outing in food joint.

Credits: http://arplate.com/2018/05/19/bring-your-restaurant-menu-to-life-is-the-future-of-food-ordering/

Author

Abhishek Jain

Lead - UX Researcher 

LinkedIN  Twitter

Compatibility of Internet of Things (IoT) and User Experience (UX)

Internet of Things (IoT)

The Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the fastest-growing fields which is driving new ways for interacting with appliances, tools, and devices in entirely new and unexpected ways. IoT is becoming a bigger part of our everyday lives — from our gym and walks to travel planning, home security, and countless other uses. As IoT devices become more common the user experience of using such devices becomes increasingly important. Being a new technology and on the other hand addressing the fact that users have a very low tolerance for the inconvenience of learning something new or doing something differently. That’s why user experience is very vital for IoT products.

Initially, IoT solutions focused primarily on technical capabilities. But with more than one-third of these new objects and services are abandoned by their users after only 6 months of use, it became a primary result of the fact that IoT significantly depends on the UX design for the connected objects. The UX community being new to IoT projects, there is still a lot to be done to develop new best practices specifically for IoT projects.

UX for IoT is different and complex because there are two sequences of interaction ie from user to the virtual system and from the virtual system to the physical system. Also, each physical system has its own set of interactions and moreover there are different users to use the application. Hence the designers have to face new challenges while working on IoT projects.

Therefore, as UX experts we need to know some of the challenges of IoT and find out if we can address them to provide good user experience for our users.

1. Connectivity issues

Internet of Things as its name suggests is primarily based on network connection as the internet is needed to transfer data between the app and physical devices. Most of the IoT devices require a good WiFi network.

We are used to occasional connectivity problems on our smartphones and computers like poor connection during a video call, slow websites, etc. Whereas we don't expect such problems with our physical devices like toasters, room lighting, and opening or closing doors. The user experience expectation of everyday physical things is different from that of the web. When we turn on room light, we expect an immediate response or else we assume that there is some defect with light. But when the internet connection is poor it may take a couple of minutes for the lights to turn on. The users might not be ready for such delays in response from physical products and might lead to frustration, worry or abandoning of IoT system. The first generation users certainly have to go through such problems.

Connectivity issues are going to have a significant impact on the IoT experience and there is little we can do about it since it is a technical problem.

2. Multiple apps for different devices

One of the main problems with IoT devices functioning is that there are plenty of connected devices. Individually these devices might be smart and useful, but as a team, they might not work in sync. Users need different apps for different devices and this becomes overwhelming and a plenty of mental overloads. In the current scenario, users cannot control the whole collection of IoT devices from a single app and make them sync the data. So for instance, if you have a smart car, a smart gym, and a smart toaster, and you have different apps to control them. You won’t be able to apply the rule to adjust the temperature in the room according to your workout data and start your toaster after 30 mins of workout and start your smart car as soon as you lock the door from outside. This does not give a unanimous user experience of all IoT products. This kind of broken UX can make the tasks more complicated whereas the purpose of smart devices is to make the user’s life easier. Another example can be lots of smart home apps don’t work together for example, a user might control the sound system with one app and lights with another. Even in some cases, lighting from different manufacturers may require different apps to control, which leads to bad user experience.

3. Synchronising Data

Another IoT design challenge is to separate the useful and irrelevant data while a lot of data is flowing from various sources and devices. Synchronising data flow between different smart devices is the key to UX design in the IoT platform and is also a difficult task.

4. Third-party integrations

UX designers rely on the supplies from many third-party vendors to develop an IoT device. Different components (sensors, processors, controllers) from different vendors can be difficult to integrate and lead to disoriented user experience. Supplies such as application processors, sensors, controllers, and platforms may not all come from one supplier. Expecting different pieces to work together to produce a seamless UX might be impossible. IoT devices require repairs and updates after a certain interval. Third-party integrations are not always seamless.

5. Impact of hardware

Hardware is a big part of the solution in IoT products and, depending on its type and quality it has a large effect on the user experience. Hardware selection is generally based on the technical specifications, compatibility of running software and cost to the user. The combination of hardware impacts user experience to a large extent. In case the user chooses a lower-cost system, some functionality might not be applicable which compromises the user’s experience. Therefore it is important to select appropriate hardware components.

Conclusion

The key to creating great IoT user experiences lies in understanding the fluid nature of IoT and designing interaction for it. A good user-research is a must to understand the user’s expectations from IoT devices. The fundamentals always remain the same, just that the designer needs to spend more time understanding how IoT works.
In the IoT domain, a user task flow may span different devices, different interaction paradigms, and different contexts of use. This increases complexity by orders of magnitude for the designer. Conversely, user expectations are also increased because users expect the experience of using these disparate connected devices in concert to be more than the sum of their individual experiences.

About Author

Neha Srivastava

Manager | User Experience | HCL Technologies, Noida 

Email   |  LinkedIn 

Designing for the “Gen-Z”

Image Source - www.eduswami.com

www.futurumresearch.com has coined a very interesting term called Digital Native for the ones born after 2000, the world calls them Generation Z. Adding to Generation Z are the millennials who are not only come to claim the largest share of market products today, but, are also will be the next biggest share of the working class. While Generation Z comes totally equipped with mobile and digital media, the millennials are but a mixed lot of digital and analog experiences.

Generation Z is integrally born in the digital wave and does not consider their involvement in the technology as addiction, as the other generations think they are. In fact, Generation Z sees technology as an extension of their normal life. They have aligned and adapted to the technology to fill their social, mental and physical spaces. The impact of technology so penetrating the lifestyle has its adverse effects and researchers are studying the involvement of Generation Z and their technology involvement.

Gen Z is born to technology and they see technology as inseparable. Rather their smartphone devices are such integral part of their lifestyles that it resembles an extended organ of their body. Education, entertainment, shopping, ordering food, booking movie tickets or online banking, everything is at their fingertips. Gen Z is spoilt for information and choices and therefore they value technology as a practical tool and not a developmental luxury. While the other generations have come a long way adopting and adjusting to technology, Gen Z is riding the

technology wave. No wonder you see babies, surfing YouTube for their favourite rhymes and children gamming like professionals. The adult Gen Z is supported to deal with different challenges except for the emotional one through technology. For emotional ones too they can easily reach their friends through technology.

The traditional shift to marketing and buying patterns

The buying patterns for Generation Z has largely been the digital way. The millennials and now the Generation Z are posing a challenge to marketers and promoters to hook these young consumers to screen. Considering the very short attention span and multiple screen juggling practices. The challenge is to keep these young consumers glued to your screen. Short and crisp is the way ahead for Generation Z.

The Budding Clients

It will not be a distant day when Gen Z will be the major clientele. From schoolwork, games, surfing, texting, shopping and entertainment, Gen Z relies on technology. Going forth many applications and products need to be designed around the needs of Gen Z. To capture this wave of Gen Z in all its fervour, designers and companies need to be workaround a few parameters that will define the user experiences for Gen Z.

Dependence on Memory

Generation Z and to an extent the millennials are up for easy grabs for a calculator for solving simple math. The dependence on scheduler apps for updates and reminders is common. They have glued on to the screen and adrift from the world under the veil of their headphones. The short-term memories dependency of Generation Z is dependent and supported and controlled by the scheduler. They are continuously fed with a sea of data and thus a limitation to remember, recollect and the process is left to the comfort of external devices and technology.

www.Forbes.com states, we off-load memories to 'the cloud' just as readily as we would to a family member, friend or lover. It may be that the Internet is taking the place not just of other people as external sources of memory but also of our own cognitive facilities. The researchers call it "the Google effect."

Attention Span

Plethora of information makes data accessibility so easy that the essential what? and why? is often lost in a flood of information. The attention span of Generation Z is just 8 secs and they browse a minimum of 5 screens at a time.

Generation Z is not celebrity endorsement kinds. They are the ones who are captivated by the maximum follower bases- the influencers. YouTube has therefore seen the most subscriber base as Generation Z. The believe in what the masses believe, then call it herd mentality or a choice.

Image Source - www.openbusinesscouncil.org Influencers to Marketers

Working Designs

Designs that are bold, captivating and trendy will catch the fancy of a Gen Z, but be wary that their attention span is a few seconds and to make them stay on your product site is to supplement them with valuable information and insights, leading to call for action.

Building Content

Gen Z would go through as much information to get their desired inputs. But, if you want to anchor the Gen Z to your product, creating compelling, authentic and versatile content is the need.

Fluid Borders

Geographical barriers are not a concern of Gen Z. For them, this world is their playground. The Gen Z is easily accessible to information across the world and that has again changed their decision-making power. The comparison now is not locally, but internationally. The fluid geographical borders technology presents have made Gen Z more worldly and accepting. Their tastes and communication sphere has enhanced to worldwide options. Worldwide education prospects and online shopping are the majorly accessed options.

Gen Z calls for constant information and likes to regale in this whirlwind of information. They are spoilt for choice and are experimental with their outlook.

There is a sea change the generations over the last decades have transitioned over. Lifestyles, education patterns, travel, food, culture and business have all influenced under the scope of technology. However, as Gen X or Gen Y, who were adroitly sharp at their memory and remember facts and figures from the wee days, are the Millennials and Gen Z losing the power of memory over cloud-based artificial storages as well as smartphone devices. The transition is to a technology-based lifestyle that is facilitating, yet, daunting the mere existence of your inherent resources. Call it development or name it an addiction, the fact is, the world is changing and so are the behavioural patterns.

Going forth, the challenge is not to deviate the Gen Z from technology, but be able to build experiences that are making Gen Z spend more and valuable time on your product page. The earlier generations would call this paradigm shift

merely losing control to technology whereas, the Gen Z calls it ‘Tuned-in to Technology.’

User Experience in Artificial Intelligence

Two years back, Toyota offered us a glimpse into their version of the future where surprisingly, driving is still fun. Concept-i is the star in the autonomous future where people are still driving. And in the case of Toyota, it's so much fun because they're cruising along with their buddy Yui, an AI personality that helps them navigate, communicate and even contributes in their discussions.

Yui is all over the car, controlling every function and even taking the wheel when required to. It's definitely an exciting future where the machine sounds and “feels” like a human, even exhibiting empathetic behaviour.

Related: Preparing for the Future of AI

That's the kind of future I'd imagine awaits user experience (UX) in the world of AI. A time when the human-AI connection is so deep that some experts say there will be “no interface.” But currently, UX does depend on an interface. It requires screens, for instance, and they don't do much justice to it. Integrating AI into the process will mean better experience all around.

From websites to homes and cars, here's how AI could help patch the holes and bring UX closer to maximum potential.

1. Complex data analysis.

Until now, to improve user engagement in their products, UX teams have turned to tools and metrics such as usability tests, A/B tests, heat maps and usage data. However, these methods are soon to be eclipsed by AI. It's not so much because AI can collect more data -- it's how much you can do with it.

Using AI, an ecommerce store can track user behaviour across various platforms to provide the owner with tips on how they can improve their purchasing experience, eventually leading to more sales. AI can be used to tailor the design to each user’s specifications, based on the analysis of the collected data.

All this is achieved through the application of deep learning that combines large data sets to make inferences. Additionally, these systems can learn from the data and adjust their behaviour accordingly, in real time. Thus, designers applying AI in their work are likely to create better UIs at a faster rate.

2. Deeper human connection.

By analysing the vast amount of data collected, AI systems can create a deeper connection with humans, enhancing their relationship. This is already happening in a couple of industries. When you think of Siri, you see a friendly-voiced (digital) personal assistant. When Amazon first introduced Alexa, it took the market by storm. But its usefulness could only be proven over time. And it was. Smart-home owners are using it to do a million things, including scouring the internet for recipes, schedule meetings and shop. It's also being used in ambulances. Even Netflix’s highly predictive algorithm is a case example of AI in use.

Toyota says Concept-i isn't just a car, but a partner. From the simulation video, you can see that Yui connects with the family on a level that current UX doesn't reach.

By using the function over and over, consumers end up establishing an interdependent relationship with the system. That's exactly how AI is designed to work. You use the system; it collects data; it uses it to learn; it becomes more useful; gives better user experience; you use it more as it collects data, learns and becomes more useful; and the cycle continues. You don't even see it coming -- and before you know it, you're deeply connected.

3. More control by the user. 

A common concern about the adoption of AI to everyday life is whether the machines might eventually rise and take over the world. In other words, users are concerned about losing control over the systems. It's a legitimate concern with the autonomous cars, robots guards and smart homes expected to become commonplace.

This lack of control is mirrored in the skepticism for the future, but it can also be seen in commerce and other areas where user experience is of great importance. For instance, a user will be more likely to enter their card information into a system if they feel they have control over when money is transferred, to whom it goes and that they can retrieve it in case something goes wrong.

As AI develops, users will gain more control over the system, gradually improving trust which will lead to more usage. 

In Which AI Could Enhance Your Company's UX 

UX design is about a designer trying to communicate a machine's model to the user. Meaning, the designer is trying to show the user how the machine works and the kind of benefits they can get from it, from the former's point of view. 

Traditionally, this involved following certain rules, and designers understood them very well. A designer knows how to create a web page by following certain rules that they can probably manipulate. With AI, however, the design is dependent on a complex analysis of data instead of following sets of rules. To be able to design using AI, designers will have to really understand the technology behind it. 

Mixing UX and AI as we can have played with “AIBO” 

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI), the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings. The term is frequently applied to the project of developing systems endowed with the intellectual processes characteristic of humans, such as the ability to reason, discover meaning, generalize, or learn from past experience. Since the development of the digital computer in the 1940s, it has been demonstrated that computers can be programmed to carry out very complex tasks - as, for example, discovering proofs for mathematical theorems or playing chess - with great proficiency. Still, despite continuing advances in computer processing speed and memory capacity, there are as yet no programs that can match human flexibility over wider domains or in tasks requiring much everyday knowledge. On the other hand, some programs have attained the performance levels of human experts and professionals in performing certain specific tasks, so that artificial intelligence in this limited sense is found in applications as diverse as medical diagnosis, computer search engines, and voice or handwriting recognition.

What Is Intelligence?

All but the simplest human behaviour is ascribed to intelligence, while even the most complicated insect behaviour is never taken as an indication of intelligence. What is the difference? Consider the behaviour of the digger wasp, Sphex ichneumoneus. When the female wasp returns to her burrow with food, she first deposits it on the threshold, checks for intruders inside her burrow, and only then, if the coast is clear, carries her food inside. The real nature of the wasp’s instinctual behaviour is revealed if the food is moved a few inches away from the entrance to her burrow while she is inside: on emerging, she will repeat the whole procedure as often as the food is displaced.

Fixing the AI in real time

Problem solving, particularly in artificial intelligence, may be characterized as a systematic search through a range of possible actions in order to reach some predefined goal or solution. Problem-solving methods divide into special purpose and general purpose. A special-purpose method is tailor-made for a particular problem and often exploits very specific features of the situation in which the problem is embedded. In contrast, a general-purpose method is applicable to a wide variety of problems. One general-purpose technique used in AI is means-end analysis—a step-by-step, or incremental, reduction of the difference between the current state and the final goal. The program selects actions from a list of means—in the case of a simple robot this might consist of PICKUP, PUTDOWN, MOVEFORWARD, MOVEBACK, MOVELEFT, and MOVERIGHT—until the goal is reached.

Many diverse problems have been solved by artificial intelligence programs. Some examples are finding the winning move (or sequence of moves) in a board game, devising mathematical proofs, and manipulating “virtual objects” in a computer-generated world.

About Author

Jagannathan Kannan
UX Lead Designer @ Verizon wireless
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