TINK - sketching product experiences of connected objects

98 - TINK
6.1 Main contributions
What follows is a point to point evaluation
on the program of requirements presented
at the conclusion of chapter 3.
provides crucial insights that will inform
the design process.
1)TINK provides a structure to organize
and represent system diagrams.
System diagrams are well known, and
necessary tools to engineers and software
developers, at the same time, because of
their graphical appeal, can easily be drawn
by interaction designers. Tink serves as a
base for cross-expertise discussion between
designers and developers, Its robust
technical components adequately serve
the needs of developers while the graphic
appeal speaks to the design community.
3)TINK combines all the features needed
for developing connected object in a
single platform
TINK is a complete platform; designers
won’t have to switch between different
tools in order to build their experiential
prototype of connected objects.
Other existing platforms aren’t as allemcompassing.
TINK combines functions
of several different programs into a single,
stream-lined platform and process.
2)TINK is for all stages of the design
process
TINK supports the designer throughout
the entire process of creating a connected
object.
It supports the early exploration and
sketching phases, and also allows
interaction designers to make informed
decisions, refine and modify the initial
idea, all the way up until an experiential
prototype of the final product is made.
TINK supports quick iterations and testing:
the behaviours of the system can be
modified on the fly and tested. Moreover,
it allows the tracking of data from the
beginning of the design process; which
4)TINK support designers in structuring
the code.
Code is structured and hidden inside
TINK making it reusable and easy to
write. Even interaction designers with no
coding experience can access TINK basics
functionalities, make use of the building
block library, and draw system diagrams.
Typically interaction designers writing
Arduino code rely on using code found
from other sources (be it on the Internet or
from an example folder) and copying and
pasting it into their project. However, this
collage of different snippets of pre-formed
code from multiple sources tends to create
conflicts and can not easily be tailored to
individual projects.