More than one thing to contextualize
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The idea of context-aware mobile computing — wherein a device (such as a smartphone or computer) is aware of a user’s state and surroundings and uses that information to adapt its behavior — has been around for awhile now. However, despite the proliferation of smart-phones and other mobile devices, we are still far from realizing the vision of true context-aware services. The reason I believe is two-fold: on one hand, the use of sensor-capable technology is just catching on, as witnessed by the amount of location- based applications and services. Secondly, the design of these services will need to go through several iterations and data-gathering before the ‘intelligence’ is developed.
True context-aware services need to consider more than just location; situational data that can also discern whom we are with (social context), what our status is/what we are doing (based on different event triggers), and even what services are available, should also come into play. We have access to these kinds of data sources now, utilizing existing smartphone features — microphones, cameras, accelerometers and social network data, etc. The future is suddenly much closer at hand.
Large companies like Cisco Systems are beginning to introduce context-awareness for businesses, wherein smartphones can utilize myriad data inputs including that from the network to adapt to a user’s environment. This can be as simple but useful as detecting status — am I available, or on a call, or in a meeting. If I’m in a meeting for example, the device then knows to automatically update my status on the network, set any mobile device to vibrate mode, etc. A pared-down hypothetical example, but this sort of scenario is but one illustration of the types of time-savers and efficiencies that have CIOs interested.
The other side to the equation is user experience. In a very short amount of time, interaction designers have gone from web-based, mostly static GUIs to now having to map multiple additional inputs like voice, touch, and gestures with a situation-aware matrix, in such a way as to maintain a seamless, intuitive user experience. The design of context-aware experiences is truly about making the complexity disappear and presenting the user with a system that “reads your mind”.
In my youth, I was an avid orienteering competitor. We would often train by running while reading a comic book or a magazine, in order to get practice disseminating information on-the-go, hopefully without running into a tree or off a cliff. The obvious observation was that this is difficult to do, one of the reasons it is a sport I imagine. While it is hard reading a full map while walking, reading a map on a small mobile screen while bouncing around is nearly impossible.
In a perfect world — or at least, in the one we are trying to build now — the map interface would recognize that I’m in motion, and would adapt to this new situational context by automatically providing me with an alternate view of the information I need — one that is easier to view and comprehend on the fly. Parsing multiple considerations, and the balance of letting the user stay in control while still making “decisions” for them — this is our challenge as UX designers, and it’s no easy task.
Illustration: Mobile Map walking directions; adaptive UI for when the user is in motion. (Which is better? Up for discussion.)
Taking all of this into account, it’s no wonder that greater context-aware services are slow to be introduced to a wider audience. However, given the wide range of possibilities and advantages, and the fact that we have the technology to begin to do it now, we should be pushing the envelope to heighten the user experience. It’s a complicated challenge, but the rewards are potentially great.
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