INTERACTION DESIGN PRINCIPLES FOR INTERACTIVE ...

(a) (b)
Figure 5.7 The L Word (a) and (b)
As the broadcast of The L Word progresses, the enhanced application pauses
automatically at several points to present viewers with multiple-choice questions. As we
can see in Figure 5.7 (a), however, the application takes the viewer away from the
primary screen of the video, disrupting the dramatic flow of the show. This model of
interaction is too interruptive and intrusive, interjecting interaction at the expense of
removing viewers from the primary world of the program.
The procedural aspect of digital television (the processing of program data) and
the participatory aspect (allowing users control over what and how they watch television)
combine to give viewers an increased sense of agency (Murray, 1997). In the case of the
Extreme Rides example, the system enables viewers not only to participate, but also to
become active creators of original, personalized content. In the design of iTV
programming, interactivity should be conceived in order to give viewers a satisfying
sense of agency.
Principle: Allow viewers to customize their viewing experiences
Customizability is one of the core functional affordances of the digital medium.
With increased control and agency comes the ability to allow viewers to customize their
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