Lessons From Early Stages Design Of Mobile Applications

Summary

The article shows step by the design process and methodology of creating and testing a mobile interface. Using UCD(User-centered design) the authors show that environment, cognitive state, and movement should be considered when designing a mobile user interface.

Pros

1. Taking into account the various scenario variables as well as scenario transitions, improves the user design in way that some developers don't think about.
2. The use of low-fidelity prototypes allows for more users to test a given application.
3. The use of a shoulder strapped video camera is a vast improvement to questionnaires and allows the user to give design input also.

Cons

1. Although the low fidelity can give some feedback. The amount that it gives useful feedback is very limited, as it doesn't dynamically return input. If such a device could do this at such a low price, mobile device would have been ubiquitous a long time ago.
2. A sample of one of the questionnaires given to the testers would have explained more what feedback was needed from the user.
3. How would a blind person use the wizard of oz method with the electronic white cane in a real environment.