This is a guest post by our dear friend and colleague Caroline Di Diego, known to most of us as CASUDI. She is a brilliant film producer and has been involved in web design since 1997.
It’s Not About Being on the Same Page; It’s About Being on the Same Screen!
Have you ever thought about how different your intentions are when digesting information on an HDTV screen at a trade show, versus on your smartphone on the go?
Do you still use a desktop or laptop, or are you now tethered to a pad or tablet, or only a smartphone?
As a designer or marketer if you don’t consider HOW, WHERE and WHEN your information is consumed on your audiences’ devices, you may not really be reaching your audience and customers! You maybe invisible!
It’s not just about installing those responsive web templates (as many still hope) which re-orients/rearranges content for your screen. It’s more about understanding user expectations when focusing on any specific device That’s equally true for smartphone, tablet or big screen.
In particular, the mobile mindset is driven by constant interface with our mobile devices; they’re with us everywhere, all the time. We often use them while doing something else; cooking, watching TV, sports, exercise…. sometimes difficult viewing conditions, usually distractions.
We all have different behaviors and priorities while using our mobile devices. They’ve given us a whole new sense of freedom and control, and we’re using it!
Mobile devices have fundamentally changed user expectations. It’s therefore extremely important that we, as designers, follow a user-centered design process to arrive at our solutions.
Screen size and bandwidth considerations dictate designs optimized for loading time and reduced data requirements. We need the content structures to be simpler and smaller.
Content/context has to be quick to access and use. It has to relate easily to what we want and need now. It has to have precisely the context that will instantly “gratify” us.
On larger screens we have higher resolution and more available screen real estate. We expect to see more content and more functionality on larger screens. We decide to focus, which allows for a more complex on-screen scenario in trade show or corporate presentations, or entertainment viewing.
As content designers/producers, we must consider not only how layout, aesthetics, proportions, and controls are applied to the larger canvas for navigation, but commands or points of interactivity need to be placed predictably and intuitively. The interactivity ingredient, which has ramped up in recent years (games), is now gaining major momentum for all messaging.
WHY, WHAT, and HOW does the viewer want to interact? Beyond scrolling, pinching and tapping, new generations of UI products such as leap motion and prime sense are enabling screen control with gestures or signals. A whole other set of challenges/opportunities for designers and users, not limited to one screen!
A seamless message wherever you are engaging.
As marketers we analyze and understand the different intent & behaviors of our customers, and as designers it allows us to work better with our developers to configure the most comprehensive and effective user experience for your customers. This includes not only interactively with your screen, but also between the screens themselves! (more on that another time)
Companies need to focus on providing a seamless message and experience to customers. If the customer engages via mobile, focus on the mobile experience.
If customers engage across all three screens; consistent design, adaptive and responsive layouts are needed; which dynamically change and adapt to different screen sizes, and the right amount of content to fill the space according to the rules of the layout, size of the screen, and the technology involved. All this effort has no value unless intent and behavior is analyzed and understood beforehand in order to communicate the appropriate message, wherever the customers engage!
Today: “same screen” trumps “same page”.
By Caroline Di Diego (CASUDI)
ONE3Screen
ONE3Screen are experienced producers of films for movie screens, multi media corporate presentations for tradeshows & corporate meetings, and video for television; we long ago jumped into web design (1997) We’ve been adapting to ever-changing screens and UI’s for years, and mobile is the latest iteration. Multiple screens rule!
