Microsoft Surface tips

  

 

The usual #Surface suspects have been posting their Microsoft Surface tips on Twitter.  To avoid losing these design recommendations for this interaction paradigm in to the twittersphere I have collated the first 20 tips below.  

If anyone wants to suggest further tips then please use the hashtag #Surfacetip and I'll continue to post them in batches of 20.

 

@wandster Microsoft Surface tip 1: ensure the project team share the same vision of a Surface experience to minimize risk of a paradigm face-off

 

@wandster Microsoft Surface tip 2: for optimal experience keep features trim & create a focused experience which contributes to a single purpose

 

@wandster  Microsoft Surface tip 3: playfulness is a must in the spirit of a Surface experience as this new breed of app has an enjoyment factor

@stevedawson agreed, playfulness is important for #Surface - the best experiences balance playfulness with accessibility

 

@wandster  Surface tip no.4: Don't do it just cos' you can. Only use object recognition where it adds to the experience. Avoid gimmickry...

@stevedawson Yea, that is a tough one - especially when object recognition is a core #Surface tenant and differentiator vs. other multi-touch

@stevedawson Fortunately, I think most experiences can benefit from object recognition - so it's not just about the "magic"

@wandster it's about using it well to add to the experience - the concierge app is a great #Surface app that doesn't use obj recognition

@lhamilton objects should insinuate user expectations of the exp & reinforce behavior & interactions; its a huge differentiator for #Surface

@lhamilton OR is the power of #Surface, it brings the analogue and digital together. Yes, some are butchering, but that's why we have jobs!

 

@wandster MS Surface tip no.5: Engineer the #Surface interface to 'encourage' social interaction.

@lhamilton Agreed, it should be the catalyst

 

 @stevedawson Tip No. 6: No, you should NOT try and mount #Surface on a wall :) - we get the question all the time.

@wandster  am surprised no-one has youtube'd what does happens you wall mount a Microsoft Surface unit!

@stevedawson I'm sure #surface on a wall will happen eventually - the whole "gravity" thing wouldn't mesh well with object recognition

 

@lhamilton MS #Surface Tip no.7: the best gestural interfaces need to be discoverable, except when they're used in a point-of-sale process

 

@lhamilton MS #Surface Tip no.8: If it needs instruction, there's room for UI improvement; surprises are good but exp should not be dependent on them

@wandster absolutely - #Surface experiences should be immediately learnable. However, enterprise apps can afford some cost of setup

 

@lhamilton MS #Surface Tip no.9: its not what's just on screen, the environment is key to user engagement and attraction affordances

 

@lhamilton MS #Surface Tip no.10: i think @odannyboy said it best, the complexity of the gesture should match the complexity of the task

 

@lhamilton MS #Surface Tip no.11: visual and auditory responses are key to reinforcing successful user interactions and building trust w/ the user

 

@lhamilton MS #Surface Tip 12: vision-based systems measure both location of a touch & its direction; utilize the user(s) orientation to enrich the XD

 

@lhamilton: MS #Surface Tip 13: Surface unit's make great work-space heaters in the winter time, however they do not make hot chocolate

@phenomblue so true!

 

@lhamilton MS #Surface Tip 14: avoid putting vital features/info, like labels, below interface items that can be touched, the user's hand could hide it

 

@swervinerv MS #Surface Tip 15: UI orientation should be 360 degrees and/or easily interchangeable based on user direction/interaction

 

@wandster Microsoft #Surface tip no.16: Use audio to i) complement the interaction and visual design, and ii) to enhance the users sensory experience

 

@joshblake #SurfaceTip #17 Both #Surface and real life are continuous experiences. Design a continuous UX: smoothly animate every visual change.

 

@wandster #Surfacetip No.18: Check the room lighting before you install your #surface unit - light spill is your enemy.

 

@joshblake #SurfaceTip #19: When you think of a cool application idea, also consider: "Would anyone actually pay money for it?"

 

@meekalbajaj: #Surfacetip 20: Design for different interaction durations. Applications should cater to interaction times of 2, 10 & 30 min