Running with my idea of creating a more intuitive e-reading experience (see my project proposal), I have thought about the main steps of the interaction.
Key Frames
Key frames are the main anchoring events of the proposed experience. Below are what I envision my key frames being:
- User has something to read (book, article, magazine, etc.)
- User opens the reading app
- User loads their reading into the app
- User reads their reading
- User marks up the text as desired, using natural markup gestures and tools
- User saves markup (by clicking a button? auto save? on app close?)
- User deletes markup
- User closes the app
- User reopens the app to continue reading
- User sees markup from before
Extreme Characters
One of the main experiences missing from these key frames is the actual markup tool itself. With my previous project escribo, I really wanted to focus on the familiar interaction one has with analog writing devices, like a pen or highlighter. I want to translate this experience more literally into the digital realm, so my idea is to create a pen extension that could be attached to a pen and used directly with an e-reader. In discussing my concept with my classmates, we came to realize that people have attachments with their pen. Exploring extreme characters would help me identify users’ connections with their writing devices and create tools that enhance their beloved devices. Below are some extreme characters I want to focus on and prototype tools for.
- Computer/Tech Geek: finger? stylus?
- Chinese People (who are scalping iPad 2s): calligraphy brush?
- Business executive: fancy pen
- The Pope: quill pen?
- Drug dealer (aka Snoop Dog): cocaine bullet? gun? switch blade?
- Teenage Girl: bejeweled pen
Potential Steps:
- Creating tools (physical)
- Creating a simple interface (digital)
- Creating a “beyond pen and paper” interface (digital)
Immediate Next Steps:
- Identify extreme characters
- Explore materials and prototypes for tools
- Explore the concepts of ubiquitous computing vs. personal computing