It used to be that your computer screen was the most efficient way to get online. With the advent of mobile, the next generation of apps was designed to suit a much smaller form factor and to handle potential issues that came with mobile (e.g. slow connectivity, interruptions).

Now, as the IoT gains momentum, the field of user experience (UX) design continues to change. Designing for the IoT demands a better understanding of a user’s need when it comes to context of use. It’s about building connections between the physical and digital world, requiring an interdisciplinary effort of service design, interaction design and industrial design.

Screens belong in the past
UX design is no longer about designing for a screen, but about designing for the integrated context. In terms of IoT, UX design has multiple modes and is asynchronous by nature. In the IoT world, UX design is multi-modal and nonparallel by definition, given that at any one time, there’s more than one active object or sensor. UX roles, like interaction designers, are also being reformulated. They have to address visual components, as well as interactions occurring across a varied set of objects in the context whereby they operate.

The new role of apps
In the past, the purpose of apps was to directly engage users. Now, apps gravitate towards developing real world experiences as opposed to grabbing users’ attention. In order for the app experience to feel like a truly unified service, we must call for a simple, easily navigable design free of superfluous icons.

Context rules
For the IoT, context rules. Whatever situation you are in – home, city, office – it becomes about designing for that setting and usage context; UX sparks seamless integrated experiences in these situations. A bunch of devices/objects in these settings won’t even have traditional user interfaces so it’s up to the app to coordinate these interactions. In-context usage means apps must be aware of the real world context in which they thrive. The concept of “interusability” now joins interaction, visual, and industrial design as the core focus for app design.

Data-driven design
The IoT allows for access to large data sets from devices, objects and sensors. As this data phases into the world of wearables, appliances and sensors, design thrives more on visualisation and data integration. It becomes critical to tune the amount of user-presented information at any one moment. Integrated, smart cross-device dashboards can better enable ease of use and ultimately provide simple visibility to end users.

Consumers won’t wait for IoT
Lately, the norm has been to watch network connections spin while we wait for mobile apps to respond. However, user experience expectations become very different in the world of lighting, cars and appliances. If you turn something on, there shouldn’t be any waiting; it should just work. Patience will fly right out the window if someone is locked out of their car because of a spinning app. IoT designers must make performance and the impact of unreliable network connections a top of mind priority.

Crucial beacon technology
It won’t be long before beacons becomes an integral component of IoT through integration of the physical and digital experience. Beacon placement, based on physical design, allows users to avoid problematic issues like unreliable radio wave signals. Designers should make it a priority to visit physical environments to test apps and beacon placement whenever able.

Making ‘smart’ work together
Integrating and connecting the interfaces for all of these IoT devices is no easy feat. All “smart” objects, whether they be lighting controls, fitness trackers or thermostats, require their own specific mobile apps to work properly. Therefore, how can one coordinate any and all of these devices? Can your house lights automatically shut off once the doors are locked? Can you program your thermostat to adjust a room’s temperature by monitoring your fitness app?

IoT standards are needed
For IoT design to work and really become mainstream, we must better define standard interfaces for IoT devices to interoperate and maintain a common user interface ideal. One example involves IoT standards organizations the Open Interconnect Consortium and the AllSeen Alliance uniting together to form the Open Connectivity Foundation (OCF).

These guidelines should better shape the way for establishing a set of open protocols that will better enable devices from different manufacturers to efficiently and securely interact with one another. For all the UX designers out there, remain calm – you are in no danger of losing your jobs. All you have to do at this point is step beyond the computer screen.

 

By Frank Palermo, Executive Vice President – Global Digital Solutions, VirtusaPolaris

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