INTERACTION DESIGN PRINCIPLES FOR INTERACTIVE ...

Jakob Nielsen notes that users are increasingly making rapid choices when faced
with new interfaces: “they will immediately discard any interface that looks boring,
obsolete, or too confusing. Think of home users flipping through 500 channels of cable
TV and then multiply by a factor of several thousands to match the smorgasbord of
options on the Internet, commercial subscription services, and major corporate nets…
Each of these applications would at best have a minute or two in which to seduce the
customer” (1995). Referring to their research on the dynamics of seductive interfaces,
Skelly, et al, note that “Seductive interfaces encourage temporary mental disengagement
from the ‘real world’ by presenting the mind with alternate, engaging activity. What
conditions are necessary to produce this mental state? The first of these is a clear cut
goal. The next condition is closure, or feedback – abundant, fast and easy to discern –
that lets the participant know whether they are attaining those goals. Finally participants
must feel challenged but also feel that their skills are equal to the challenge being
presented (1994). In the previous section we discussed how C.S.I. Interactive allowed
viewers to dive deeper into an alternate, engaging activity through the iTV application;
the application would not have been as successful, however, had the interface design of
the application not been so seamlessly and accurately crafted to reflect the world and
mood of the show.
Regardless of the platform, basic graphic design guidelines apply when we are
talking about designing effective interfaces. If a design is too cluttered, for example,
viewers are less likely to approach it with interest. In chapter four, I provided a
comprehensive survey of information on layout grids, colors, grouping patterns, viewing
patterns, and other important factors to keep in mind while designing the interface of an
iTV application.
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