IKONA ABSTRACT - Hyun-Ju Leehyunju-lee.com/images/ikona.pdfIKONA ABSTRACT The IKONA is a...
Transcript of IKONA ABSTRACT - Hyun-Ju Leehyunju-lee.com/images/ikona.pdfIKONA ABSTRACT The IKONA is a...
IKONA ABSTRACT
The IKONA is a communication product that provides
close friends with a shared emotional and environ-
mental experience. Our device is exclusively targeted
at one-on-one communication, focused on young
adults between the age of 18-25. Friends can
communicate through expressive iconic symbols and
a subtle ambient glow. The device is carried with you
at all times–on a key chain or in a pocket. The IKONA
is non-intrusive, and provides cues of information
about your intimate friend, showing whether they
are at home, work, or away. Initial feedback from our
evaluations suggest that this quick non-conventional
form of communication is perceived by potential
users to be fun and has the potential to build a feel-
ing of closeness amongst friends.
COLLABORATIVE PLAY PROJECT
The Collaborative Play Project intended to develop
a way to actively engage with friends at a distance.
The idea for the project came from Media Lab Europe,
who created a system in which two remotely located
participants can play soccer against each other. The
exertion interface “makes you tired and sweaty and
supports you in bringing you closer to old friends.”
The project was in collaboration with Dutch
interaction design students. This allowed the student
teams from the Netherlands and Carnegie Mellon
University to engage in long distance communication.
This fostered an environment both of cooperation
and feedback.
PROCESS
Stage 1 research and design direction hypothesis
Brainstorm ideas about product context and users and
technologies that might be used to support interaction.
Stage 2 research and research analysis
Conduct research according to the plan developed
Stage 1. Explore alternative contexts or situations.
Summarize the research and highlight of specific
important details as well as a set of design
implications or framework.
Stage 3 construct - concept development
Develop a wide range of concepts that respond to the
design implications or framework.
Stage 4 refine - user testing
Revise and improve the first iteration of the final
product. ‘Expert’ interviews, paper prototype and other
forms of evaluating the product will be conducted with
product concepts and real users.
Stage 5 reflect - final product
discovery user research concept development user testing refinementprototype
TYPES OF RESEARCH
Surveys on-line
Daily journal
Observation
Face to face interview
Direct storytelling
Once research data was collected, we sorted
the findings using a method of information
mapping (shown below). From the group-
ings it was apparent that friendship activities
ranged from emotional to physical, and from
outdoor to indoor. This grouping led to the
idea of a “balance of needs” in a relationship.
Individuals want both emotional and physical
activities to maintain a relationship.
ANALYSIS OF RESEARCH
The information gathered from the research is
captured and analyzed in formats such as
diagrams, photographs, and videotape. After
each phase of research, the results are
discussed in team meetings. We determine
what the findings are, why they are important,
and the implications of those findings on
future iterations of development.
We also found that close friends are not inter-
ested in playing a physical game together, but
rather feeling emotionally connected.
“When I’m doing something like sports, it’s more
like creating memories like laughing and joking
about... The moments make me feel most connect
to friends are just literally talking about things are
important to us. Having long conversations that is
more meaningful .“
Adventure Driven Sport Driven
Game DrivenCommunication Driven
emotional physical
outdoor
indoor
Through the research analysis,
our targeted users are defined
as in the ‘communication driven’
group. They value communica-
tion as a tool connecting to their
friends and enjoy activities that
are conducive to talking.
PERSONASMelani is 21 year old, a college
student. Communication is
important to her, not play.
She maintains relationship with
friends and boyfriend at a distance.
She wants to feel private, comfort-
able and emotional interaction is
important.
Her life goals are to avoid loneli-
ness, to be happy, and to maintain
relationship with several close
friends. Her experience goals are
feeling of togetherness, and
having fun. Her end goals are to
keep in touch successfully, to make
effective use of time, to maintain
desired level of interaction, and
to keep friends updated on her
activities.
hanging out in a nice environmentroad tripamusement parkshopping...
extreme sports(bunge jump, sky diving)professional sporting event...
instant messengerface to face talkscreating memoriesliterally talking...
chess, card gameroller coastervirtual mini golfroller coaster simulator...
FINDINGSThe sorting of research information led to several
key findings that helped to form the concept for this
project.
TIME
The age group we are targeting does not have
enough time to allot to friends–especially not friends
at a distance. Through surveying we found that
young adults spend 2-3 hours per day communicat-
ing with close-by friends and only communicate with
friends at a distance once a week. This dramatic drop
in communication proves that an efficient and con-
venient form of communication would be useful in
maintaining long distance relationships.
TALKING
Friends enjoy activities that are conducive to talking.
This is not necessarily true of sports. In most cases,
sports are engaging and allow friends to create mem-
ories, however the physical nature of sports prevents
emotional communication. Young adults would prefer
to build emotionally on existing friendships rather
than ‘getting physical.’
NOT TECHNOLOGY BASED
Some people are not technology based. Interviews
indicated that users would much rather have technol-
ogy represented through a form with which they are
comfortable. Our communication device should take
the form of something that could easily become an
everyday object.
SPECIAL FRIENDS
People only maintain really close friends. It’s true
of young adults that the friends they keep in touch
with are only their really close friends, as opposed to
acquaintances. Through direct storytelling, it became
evident that users did not want a “Buddy List™,”
however an intimate object to create a feeling of
closeness with one special friend.
CONCEPTThe key research findings shaped the IKONA
concept. The device should bring together aspects
of environment, emotion, and communication to
create a new language with which to communicate.
By creating the same mood, we can suggest a feel-
ing of togetherness. Within the device, ambient
lighting will share cues of information. Additionally,
the device must be easily accessible and portable;
allow users to communicate both physically and
emotionally; and find an intimate way for really
close friends to interact one-on-one. This can be
achieved by developing a portable, handheld device
that allows friends to communicate through
expressive iconic symbols.
PROCESS SKETCHESTo develop a device to portray the concept,
sketches were produced to reflect the
portability, shape, and feel.
INITIAL PROTOTYPEOur initial prototype is a artifact in a form of
keychain, a small form to place on desk, or a
small accessary that is wearable. Friends
communicate feelings and activities through
icons on screen.
USER TESTINGThe final device was highly influenced by user test-
ing. The various methods utilized were paper proto-
typing, think aloud method, on-screen prototyping,
color surveys, and expert interviews. The testing was
performed in two sessions, the first sessions tested
3 individuals. After reviewing the data collected from
users, the initial ideas were refined, and a second
session was conducted.
To test the device form and shape, models created
of clay represented a range of handheld sizes. Users
preferred a circular shape, claiming it was more or-
ganic and human-like. Of the various sizes tested, the
form that was two inches in diameter was most popu-
lar. Next color was tested with face-to-face question-
ing. There was no clear majority in color choice,
suggesting a need for customizable ambient glow.
Ease of use and navigation was assessed with paper
prototyping. For initial IKONA setup, a web configura-
tion was necessary. A paper prototype followed by
a online prototype led to the refinements needed for
clear navigation.
worthy - unique
clear - soft
soft - pure
smooth - glowing
As for materiality of the device, users seemed
to prefer a precious, glowing material, with a
smooth feel.
FINAL PROTOTYPEThe device took its final form following refinements
after user testing. Above is the IKONA, with ambient
indicating the friend is at work, home, or away
(respectively). On the left is the final Basic Icon Set.
Additional icon sets can be purchased on the inter-
net.
NAVIGATIONThe image shown depicts the features of the IKONA
and how to use the device. The navigation works
through hotspots on the interactive touch screen.
Cardinal points navigate UP, DOWN, LEFT, and RIGHT.
To send a message to a friend, one would first navi-
gate left and right to select an icon set (the Basic Icon
Set is the default, however additional sets can be
purchased). Next, navigating up and down through
that icon set reveals expressive icons to send to a
friend. To select an icon simply tap on the center of
the screen.
HOW TO USE YOUR IKONA
ON / OFFHold bottom screen ‘hotspot’ in for five seconds.
NAVIGATE LEFT / RIGHTTouch ‘hotspot’ points on the left and right of the screen. This will select your Ikon sets.
NAVIGATE UP / DOWNSelect the message you would like to send by pressing the ‘hotspots’ on the top and bottom of the screen.
TO SELECTSimply tap on the center of the
screen to select your set or Ikon.
CELLULAR NETWORKThe IKONA will work through an existing cellular
network. Enabled with GPS, the IKONA will send its
GPS coordinates through the cellular network, allow-
ing the IKONAs to track the location of one another.
Any web information–for instance, if a new icon set
is purchased on the internet–will also be sent
through the cellular network and to both IKONAs.
SCENARIOBy creating user scenarios, the range of situations for
IKONA use are addressed. Above is one such scenario
which takes Mel, a recent college graduate, and
illustrates a situation in which she interacts with the
IKONA. In this case, the IKONA is showing that Mel’s
boyfriend, Derek is home from work and she reacts
by giving him a call.
The start of Derek’s work day
Derek recently graduated from col-lege and is adjusting to his life as a young professionals. He misses his girlfriend Mel. She is still attending university. While thinking about Mel, he takes out his IKONA and decides to send a message.
Using touch screen cardinal points, Derek navigates up and down to select ‘I love you’ icon. Derek sends an icon to Mel for her to find when she wakes up.
Mel wakes at 8:30 a.m. Time to get ready for a busy school day. Mel no-tices she received a message on her IKONA. It’s a message from Derek symbolizing, ‘I Love You.’She is happy and goes to class.
Evening 7 p.m. Derek is home from work. Derek sees Mel is home that his IKONA is glowing blue. Mel also sees that Derek is home. Derek de-cides to give her a call. They have a nice conversation after a long day.
Mel sends Derek a ‘Good Night’ icon. She navigates up and down to select it.
They feel closer together even though they are apart. Derek and Mel go to bed happy.
CONCLUSIONThrough initial research, idea development and user
testing, emerged an innovative device for the commu-
nication field. The IKONA is not only a new language
with which to communicate, but also a way to feel
the presence of a friend. By quickly and easily send-
ing icons, friends receive cues of information about
one another. Furthermore, the ambient lighting of the
device represents the location of the friend, whether
he/she is at home, work, or away. This is a non-con-
ventional fun way to have a feeling of togetherness
and maintain an important relationship with a friend
at a distance.