User research for the challenges of convergence On designing next generat I on TVs

1. User research for the challenges of convergence On designing next generatIon TVs Aybike Tamer, ZeynepKarapars, EvrenAkar, Ali EmreBerkman UTRLAB User Testing and Research, Turkey Sultan KaygınSel VestelElectronics,Turkey

3. Outline • State of the art technologies in TVs • Why user centered design is needed • Analysis of home context and work context • Things that are carried from work context to TVs • Findings from field study • How TVs are used in real life , implications for design • New requirements for a successful and engaging user experience design for TV interfaces based on • Benchmarking studies on the existing TVs and interfaces that set a trend in the new era.

4. State of the art technologies in TVs Info Media player Photos Music Videos... Internet Hard drive integration & recording DLNA connection

5. Addition of many functions to TVs: Some have no clear use context Some originally designed for work Need coherent design: UCD is a method for this purpose

6. Starting the UCD process: what is the use context of TVs • Design requirements for work context are implicitly carried to TVs • TVs are used with remote control devices, but most new functions were originally designed for computers (also developed for workplace) (e.g. WIMP style interaction) • A distinction need to be made between home and work context

7. Role of user • Home • Work • User skills and experience is highly variable • User have no training • User is defined i.t.o skills& experience • User have training

8. Nature of environment • Home • Work • Relaxed , cozy • People recover, take refuge • Design for well-being • Pleasure of doing, no stress • Development is valued • Means over ends • Effectiveness and efficiency • People compete, take risks • Design for doing tasks • Deadlines, stress • Achievement is valued • Ends over means

9. Product characteristics • Home • Work • Technology diffused into daily activities • Aim to satisfy emotional needs and functional needs • Technology on desktop or control panel • Aim to satisfy only functional needs

10. Field study In order to base the designs on knowledge about users, a field study is made in Ankara, Turkey Method 15 home visits Interviews Interface walkthroughs Users of the new generation TVs Mainly families

11. Preliminary results of field study “the user” is the family as a unit • Products usually have one user at a time, TV has simultaneously multiple users • Single person usage is temporary activity • Everything regarding the TV is negotiated within the family • Blurred borders between public /private • Applications carried from computer is obsolete. Facebook or Familybook?

12. Preliminary results of field study Intrafamily interactions through TV • TV is the activity center of the home, even if there are more than one TVs • Relationship of family members are mirrored in TV usage • Technical capability to operate TV unbalances power structure in the family • “Leaving the TV” to a family member is like giving a gift • As functions in a TV increases, there will be struggle in family (e.g. banking functions)

13. Preliminary results of field study Interfamily interactions through TV • Gift giving between families through TV-related activites (e.g. ‘bride’ brings MP3 to mother-in-law) • TV used for hospitality: “Would you like some TV with your tea?” • Families visit the families with best TVs • Showing family photos to guests via TV is popular • Sharing data between TVs might be a design opportunity

14. Preliminary results of field study Extreme Users for same product • There are “levels” of users: • Basic users can turn TV on/off, and zap channel only • Advanced users like the TV to adapt to their preferences • A TV needs to accommodate both extremes simultaneously • Varying users : children/elderly, technofobics/technolovers, businesspeople/homemakers, computer literates/illeterates….. • Hard to design different TV models for different users ; as in a family all users are present. • For TVs; • Increased functionality = increased UCD challenge

15. TV Interface Design Challenges for TV Interface Design • The use of MENU gains a central role with the convergence of several applications • MENU is not used only for TV settings anymore but for also connecting to the Internet , starting media players and games, reaching internal and xxternal data storage devices, etc... • The number of branches and nodes on the interface increases. More crowded navigation structures emerge. • Interface consistency among the look&feel of sub menus become an issue. Company based standards are need to ensure the consistency. • The use of Icons become crticial. Therefore, graphical assets have to be developed.

16. TV Interface Design Challenges for TV Interface Design • The interface trends brought about by devices such as Iphone, Wii and Game consoles increase the expectations of TV users about new TV interfaces. • The UI technologies came along with these new devices such as the implementation of animations, advanced sound and ambience design should somehow be followed by TV producers. • The new TVs have to support broadcasting types such as sattellite, terrestrial and analog&digital cable. The differentiation between these types should not hamper the intergrity of the TV

17. TV Interface Design Challenges for TV Remote Controls • The existing remote controls are based on the channel navigation. However, they have to be redesigned for MENU type navigation. • Organization of files and folders becomes an issue. For instance, since drag and drop functionality does not exist on TV interfaces, remote controls should be designed in a way to smooth the process of file and folder organizations. • Browsing on the Internet , file&folder management, creation of lists, etc. requires alphanumeric input. Remote controls should ease this process.

18. TV Interface Design Challenges for TV Interface Designers • Interface designers are accustomed to desktop applications. • Although TVs acquire a different character the convergence brings along with similar applications to desktop devices. • Therefore designers should take into account long and detailed user inputs. • Also designers should pay attention to readability on the Interface. • Designers have to pay attention to the differences between users (i.e. novice and expert users)