Audio & Vibration
MOBILE IS EVERYWHERE Problems: External stimuli & noise Seeing & hearing challenges Accessibility Solutions: Audio & Vibrations
TONES Goals: Regain user focus Feedback Alerts Delayed Response Tips: Visual or tactile component Keep visible until user cancels Group simultaneous alerts (i.e. calendar appointments) Risks: Alarm fatigue Headphones Too much sound
VOICE INPUT, READBACK AND NOTIFICATIONS Goals: Safety Voice command Speech to text Read text (all or selection) Read notifications Risks: Set-up voice recognition Lack of pauses = errors Name pronunciation Privacy concerns Tips: On/off setting (activation) Confirmation Playback – headphones Alert/tone when audio begins/ends Ensure content scrolls as its read
HAPTIC OUTPUT Goals: Receive information by touch Notifications when sound is off Ability to manipulate object on screen as if it is real Risks: Hardware limitations Battery drainage Multiple vibrations = noise Alarm fatigue Single vibration = accident Tips: Visual or physical component Get specialist in the design of vibration Never interrupt voice/tones
Screens, Lights, Sensors
LED Used in primary apps for alerts Notifies battery life Variations –Fixed –Relational –Ambient iPhone does NOT have LED notification on screen
LED Accompanied by audio tones Apps with cameras- decide if LED flash required Color –Red means bad –Green means good Speed
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS CONTROLS Display most important aspect of smartphone Bright screen will drain battery Interface at marginal lighting Keys must be visible in darkness
ORIENTATION Content must be in usable format Best to change automatically as user rotates phone –Touch devices –Portrait (vertical) –Landscape (horizontal)
ORIENTATION
Animate the change Avoid blanking screen Screen should appear same at any angle –Same point of interest/focus –Nothing falls off page –Give user leeway
LOCATION GPS is one form, but there are other location technologies –Cell Tower –Triangulation Measures angle –WLANs & PANs WiFi and Bluetooth
LOCATION Imagine travelers People do not memorize zip codes Don’t want additional step Also don’t want to make users leave your app for another
LOCATION Variations –Explicit Google Maps –Background Groupon Continue to consider travelers –People travel everyday, even to work
LOCATION Precision –Number of decimal places something measured to Accuracy –Scale of correctness –Measured in feet Because coordinates are rarely 100% accurate, avoid using crosshairs