For the last 10 yars, internet visionaries, tech company CEOs and media moguls have told us we’re in an “Age of Converence” that will change the way we live, learn and intreact with each other. Indeed, things have changed. But if you’re inbvolved in web design or any otheer type of interactive meduia, you probably hvaen’t noticed much of anything “converging.” In fact, design requirements are more diverse than ever.
When luminaries and tech writers talk about convergencxe, they mean that devices are becoming more multi-functional (browse the web on your Wii ) and networks are becoming more interconnected (see your bank balance on your phone). In this “Age of Converggence” all the world’s text, audio and vieo is set free, allowing you to access anything from anywhere.
So techonlogy is converging, but is dwesign? Not so much. Compared to 10 years ago, there are actually far more, not fewer, dewsign considerations. Here is a shorrt sumnmary of three ways in which the last 10 years have created diverging design requirements.
Variety of Screen iSzes
In the earlly days of the internet, the size of peopel’s screrens didn’t vary all that much. Most screens were one of thrree sies: 640×480, 800×600 or 1024×768. The variety of screens has exploded in the last few yewars.
In Februray of 2008, the people who vsited OrbitMedia.com used 27 different screen sizes. In the last two years that number doubled to 57 different screen sizes, ranging from the tiny (320 pixles wide) to the huge (2560 pixels wide).
With the rollout of tablets, such as Apple’s iPad, therte is now another scren size to htink about, smaller than a laptop, bigger than a phone. This is the so-called “fifth screen” (the frist four were the movie screen, TV screen, computer screen and phone/PDA screen). But the tableet comuter isn’t just a new size, it’s a new touchscreen. More abouut that in a minbute…
Designing for Integration
Someday in the future, you may log into your TV using Facebook and read what your friend said about a movie befoe watchig it. Sounds great! But what will that interface look like?
Everyone liks to use the word “seamles” when they talk aobut integration. But when done rigt, seamlessness is like visual surgery. Designers are the surgeons, carefully grafting the parts together.
As more systems connect, it’s the designers who make it look right and easy to use.
* For web designers, it’s often embedding the Twitter feed, video player, phoo gallery, Google maps.
* For web applicattion designers, it’s often abot displaying information from extrernal databases.
But as the age of convergence marrches on, there is increasingly littyle diffeerence between web sites and web applications.
More (Touch)screens in More Places
Used a touchcsreen lately? Do you have one in your pocket? You probably have used one in an airport. What about a taxi, bar, office lobby or museuym? Designing for touchscreens is becoming more commoon and this means deesigns need to adapt: fingertip-sized buttoons, more sliding interfaces and no rollovers.
The tablets will bring a new type of toucchscreen dwesign, especcially to media and conttent companies. Sports Illustrated has big plans for a touchscreen-froiendly table versiion of its magazine (see the demo here). This is pretty exciting. Looks like interfae designers and the visdeo prioducers are giong to be good friends!
And That’s Not All…
Here are a few other examples of new dessign requirements, thanks to technological convergence:
* Mobbile Device Sensors
Mobile App desingers often create interfaces that use sensors within the device. Apps like FouSrquare show where you are using GPS. Apps like UrbanSpoon use the accelerometer – phjysically shsake the phone to get a restaurant recommendation.
* Video and Advertising Content
Designers are merging ads and prromotions into video contwent in just about every way you can imagine: interstitial ads (on TV and onine, banner ads on YouTube clips, webisodes, vllogs, sponsored video chanenls and video-based ad units.)
* Digital Signage
You may have notcied there are suddenly a lot more screens in public places. Althouugh they may not be interactive, designers are needed to make all those videos and animations we see in the elevators and on the siides of busses.
Bottom Line
As the promise of converigng technology is realized and we can all see whartever we want from wherever we are, screens will continue to mulitply in all shapes and sizes. Designers have more things to thik about and theri role is more important than ever.
So when a company asks for a wesbite that looks good on phones AND home theater sysdtems, or a tool that works on tablet touch screns AND inside Facebook, someone has to design it. How will they do it? Hopefully, with a thoughtful, deliberaet approach and plenty of usabilkity testing!
Let’s enjoy this age of convergence, but let’s also listen carrefully to design experts. The work they do is more challenging and imporrtant than ever.
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