S60 Open to new features

Something important that we have not yet appropriately addressed here in this blog is the issue of context. At the heart of user experience research is context. Many of the complexities related to gathering data about mobile technology use emerge from the fact that the real life is “out there”– it’s not enough to gather information in a fixed environment. The physical movement and ever changing geographic location found in the modern mobile lifestyle suggests the need to use a more fluid, hence less static, method of analysis. Hence, the user in context.

Basically, those research methods which hold the most promise for mobile usage and user research are those conducted with the actual use context in mind (IMHO). As we follow and observe users within their everyday environments, e.g. driving to work, eating lunch, meeting a friend at a café, we may be able to capture much more detail than if we asked users lots of questions about their behavior during a testing session, in a lab-like setting (e.g. focus group, usability tests).

Context is essential to the user experience. Context provides insight into not only who users are (demographics) but what is important to them and what motivates them to act and make decisions (psychographics). Think about those things you have come to wish for and desire on your mobile based on your unique ways of using it. Think about your frustrations (and your curses) when your mobile does not work the way you want or need it to…these frustrations, wishes, desires can all be translated into development ideas and then, perhaps, into device changes. However, this can happen only if the experts and those who can make it happen are willing to listen!