The best interface is no interface

This article was translated by Jiangnan University Graduate School of Design has Lixia, the original author: Golden Krishna, URL: http: //www.cooper.com/journal/2012/08/the-best-interface-is-no-interface.html

"Atmadm."

Our job is like a nightmare about alphabet games.

"Chkntfs."

"Dir."

(Source: vintagecomputer.net)

In 1984, Apple introduced WIMP systems from Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center-windows, icons, menus, and pointers-to move us quickly away from the dreaded command lines under DOS and into the graphical user interface world.

Apple's Lisa. (Source: Guidebook Gallery)

We have been changed. Ten years later, we were even more excited when we could touch the Palm Pilot instead of dragging the mouse. But today we are out of control of the digital interface.

It has become a universal solution to every design problem.

What to do to make your car better? Implant an interactive interface in it.

BMW Mini Cooper Speedometer (source: BMW)

Who do not want to have Twitter function in their speedometer? (Source: CNET)

How would you be a better refrigerator? In the refrigerator design a human-computer interface.

A better refrigerator door can "improve your quality of life." (Source: Samsung)

Like to check out my tweet when taking water from the fridge. (Source: Samsung)

How do you design a better hotel lobby? Apply human-computer interface.

(Source: IDEO)

A huge screen with news and weather information was missing from my hotel stay. (Source: IDEO)

Innovative thinking in technology should focus on problem solving, not just as an interface.

As Donald Norman put it in 1990, "The real problem with an interactive interface is that it's an interactive interface that hinder us from looking and I do not want to focus my energy on the interface. ... I do not want to think of myself as using a computer, but doing my job.

Now we should go beyond the interface-based ideas. Because when we think at the interface, our design is based on a model that is inherently unnatural, unnatural, and ultimately of little benefit. It requires a lot of manpower, money and time to make these systems available. With all these efforts, the software may still be a tragedy that can only be remedied with real drastic changes.

There is a better way: no interface. This is a design approach designed to create an extremely simple, non-digital interface. Following these three simple principles, we can design smarter and more functional systems that make our life better.

Principle 1: Reduce the interface, embrace the natural process

Several car companies have recently developed a smartphone app that allows drivers to unlock their doors. In general, the unlock function is implemented as follows:

Driver approached her car. Took a smartphone out of her purse. Open her phone. Slide to unlock. enter password. Flipping one screen one screen icon, trying to find the application's icon. Click the desired application icon. Waiting for the application to load. Look closely at the application and try to figure out (or recall) how it works. Make a best guess, click which menu item to open the door, then click the icon. Click a button to open the door. The car door unlocked. She opened her car door.

After thirteen steps, she can enter her car.

This application will force drivers to use her mobile phone. She has to learn a new interface. And the user experience of the interface is around computer programs, rather than follow the thinking process of human design.

If we lose the user interface, we leave only three natural steps:

A driver approached her car. The car door unlocked. She opened her car door.

Anything beyond these three steps should be unpleasant.

Is it crazy? However, Mercedes-Benz already solved the problem in 1999. Do not believe, you can look at the first 22 seconds of the demonstration (Youtube video).

Based on our natural behavior, through the redefinition of the design range, Mercedes created an incredible experience, with a marvelous and elegant door. Once the car detects the car keys are in the vicinity, the doors open automatically, without any additional work.

This is a great way to design, and especially when designing everyday things, the best interface is no interface.

Another example: Some companies, including Google, have built smartphone apps that allow customers to pay for merchants using NFC. The process is as follows:

Shopper enters the store. Order a sandwich. Take out his smart phone from his pocket. Turn on his cellphone. Slide to unlock. Enter the phone password. From the icon Ocean, try to find the Google Wallet app. Click the desired application icon. Waiting for the application to load. Looking at the application and trying to figure out (or memorize) how it works. Make a best guess of which menu item to click and open his credit card with Google Wallet. In this case, start the "payment method". Find the credit card he wants. Click the credit card you want. Discover the NFC receiver near the cash register. Click on his smartphone to receive payment from NFC. Sit down and eat sandwiches.

If we lose the user interface, we leave only three natural steps:

Shopper enters the store. Order a sandwich. Sit back and eat sandwich.

Post-payment is a natural user behavior, using Square's automatic bill-to-payment (Youtube video). There are some user interfaces that you really need to start using Square payment. However, by using behind-the-scenes targeting, the customer does not have to deal with the interface interaction and can simply follow his natural course of action.

Square's Jack Dorsey explains, "In addition, NFC has to face the fact that using one device has to wait for the response from the other device, which is not the most humane way to do that.

Principle 2: Use computers instead of cater to them

The concept of no user interface is dedicated to having the machine help us, rather than letting us fit into the computer.

The user interface we face is a counterintuitive, interactive interface that is tailored to the needs of the computer. We were forced to use complex interface navigation to get simple information. We need to remember countless passwords like a capital letter, two numbers and punctuation. And most importantly, we are constantly moving away from what we really want to do.

Windows 2000 password requirements (source: Microsoft)

By using a user-less interface to focus on real needs, the computer will serve you.

The door unlocks as you approach the car, the TV turns on the channel you want to watch, your alarm is set automatically, and even awakens you at the right time, even if the car is notified of the presence (Youtube video).

When we give up the idea of ​​interface-based, purely to the needs of people as the design. After all, a good experience design is not a good interface, it is about a good user experience.

Principle 3: Create a system for people

I know that you are outstanding.

You are a unique and surprisingly complex individual, full of your own interests and desires.

So designing a good user interface for you is very difficult. This requires enlightened leadership, excellent research, and superior knowledge ... That is to say, this is a challenging job.

So why do companies spend millions of dollars just to make the otherwise unnatural interface feel natural? And what's even more puzzling is why they continue to do so when user interface rates of return decrease.

Think back when you first signed up for Gmail. You get a huge boost when you discover innovative features like conversation views. But over time, the rate of return has been reduced. The interface has become obsolete.

Sadly, to make you feel fresh again, the obvious way for Google to take is to get designers and engineers to spend an incredible amount of time and effort redesigning an interface. When they do, users will face the pain of learning to interact with the new interface, some will work better for you, and others will bother you.

In addition, no user interface system focuses on people. Not only are these systems not constrained by screen constraints, they can be quickly and organically developed to suit the needs of people.

For example, let's talk about the Trunk Club, a stylish database.

They consider themselves a service company, not a software company or an application maker. This is an important thinking, which is lacking in many newly-started companies. This means they serve people, not interfaces.

I think if we want to talk about men's apparel must mention some of his competing companies are: Bombfell, Unscruff, Swag of the Month and ManPacks.

After registering a men's clothing custom network, you have an introductory talk with the stylist. Then they send you the first box of clothes. Which of your favorite clothes, left. The clothes you do not like are sent back. Depending on what clothes you send back and keep, the Trunk Club learns more and more about you and offers you better and better service every time.

Eliminating the problem of diminishing returns over time, on the contrary, is getting more and more in return.

Without the bulky user interface, it's easier to get more relevant. For fashion, the best interface is no interface.

Another company that specializes in adapting to people's needs is Nest.

When I first saw Nest, I think they just made an interface on the thermometer, called it "innovation." With the passage of time, the need to use Nest user interface weakened. (Source: YouTube video)

But the Nest thermostat has some special features: It does not want to have a user interface. Nest researcher. It can be tracked when you wake up. What temperature do you like during the day? By knowing you, Nest strives to eliminate the need for a user interface.

I have not heard of it?

The foundation for a non-user interface has been laid by countless members of the design community.

Mark Weiser, of Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center, wrote "Ubiquitous Computing," in 1988 as part of his summary of Calm Technology in 1995.

"The power of technology will increase tenfold because it is embedded in everyday life.With more and more embedding and invisibility of technology, it removes the annoyance while maintaining the connection between us and the really important things Safe our lives. "

In 1998, Donald Norman wrote The Invisible Computer.

"Norman explains why a computer is so hard to use and why its complexity is fundamental to what Norman says the only answer is to start over and develop informative applications that fit people's needs and lives "

In 1999, Kevin Ashton published "The Internet of Things." He said:

"If we have computers so we know everything - using the information they collect does not require any help from us - we will be able to track and count everything and dramatically reduce waste, loss and cost"

Today, we finally have the technology to achieve many goals, and we can do much with just some of the basic tools available.