User Experience Practice

• 15Jul

  MyFord Touch Provides Mixed Bag of Changes to Speech Interface

  Uncategorized, Automotive Consumer Insights 5 Comments

  Ford today announced improvements to their speech recognition software in SYNC in MyFord Touch (the speech recognition software is provided by Nuance). These improvements are intended to increase usability, decrease the learning curve for new users, and reduce driver distraction. These enhancements include a larger vocabulary at the top level, and allows for a more natural interaction by providing multiple commands to perform the same function (e.g. you can say “Play song” or “Play track”).

  Ford has also released a video which demonstrates these enhancements. Allowing a more natural interaction by allowing for multiple commands for the same function will improve usability, as users will not need to memorize a specific grammar list, and the commands chosen by Nuance on the surface appear intuitive.

  I do foresee some usability issues that will come from these enhancements. First, previous versions of SYNC only recognized about 100 words. In MyFord Touch, that is increased to nearly 10,000 words. While on the surface this seems a great improvement, increasing the grammar to that extent can easily decrease the accuracy of the system. Errors in speech commands not only increase time to complete a task and user frustration, but the cognitive load of recovering from errors can increase driver distraction.

  Another “improvement” struck me as curious. Sync can be used to adjust the climate controls in the vehicle, but I don’t understand how performing that task by voice can be more user-friendly or decrease driver distraction. Typically, adjusting the temperature in the vehicle requires a quick glance and a brief button press or turn of a knob. With sync, it requires a button press, a verbal command, and a visual glance to the center console to make sure that the command was recognized, as the only apparent audio feedback is a tone. Additionally, each one-degree increase in temperature requires an additional voice command! Speech is useful for complex tasks, but as recommended in our best practices for speech interfaces (Voice HMI: Connected Car Opportunities and UX Best Practices) should not be used for simple tasks which can be done in fewer steps manually.

  There also appears to be some inconsistency in the system with regards to what is available from the top menu. One example is with radio. The user can say “101.1 HD2” and the HD radio will change stations. However, if you want to listen to Sirius, there is an additional step as you first have to say “Sirius” and after another prompt, say the channel you wish to listen to. These types of inconsistencies will make it more difficult for new users to feel confident in using SYNC.

  Overall, I applaud Ford and Nuance for trying to improve the usability of speech recognition. Speech is the input method of choice if we are to see more connected services in the vehicle. These improvements are a small step, but there still is a long way to go.

  Chris Schreiner

  Strategy Analytics’ Automotive Consumer Insights service will be conducting a user experience study of the Ford MyTouch this summer.

  
  

  Posted by Chris Schreiner @ 2:12 pm

• 12Jul

  World Cup Scores a Success Across Multiple Screens

  Digital Home Observatory, Wireless Media Lab 1 Comment

  So another World Cup is over. 64 games broadcast around the world. And with games being played at various times throughout the working day, this meant alternative ways were required to view them.

  First up for me was streaming online. I watched a number of games whilst in the office, and my experience was pretty good. I can probably count on one hand the number of times the stream buffered for the opening game, while I have no complaints over the quality of viewing. I particularly liked the BBC coverage, providing short clips of important action I missed while involved on a conference call!

  I did manage to see the England v Slovenia game on television, so was not one of the record-breaking 800,000 concurrent streams, but having spoken to several people who were unfortunate (or fortunate) not to be able to get out of the office, the experience sounds somewhat mixed in terms of quality.

  For one week of the World Cup I was over in the US benchmarking a number of mobile video solutions – one of which happened to be Sprint TV on the new HTC Evo (its large 4.3” display and fold out stand make this a great device for consuming video content). I was very impressed with ESPN Mobile’s coverage of the World Cup. Aside from a few glitches (e.g. temporarily showing the commentary for Nigeria v South Korea but pictures from Argentina v Greece), it was easy to follow the game. The picture was about 7 seconds behind television coverage, but I don’t remember a single instance of buffering – and I wasn’t even in one of Sprint’s few areas of WIMAX coverage.

  So while congratulations go to Spain for winning the World Cup, I must also say congratulations to those who made the World Cup a successful experience viewing over multiple screens.

  - Paul Brown

  ESPN coverage on the HTC Evo
  

  
  

  Posted by Paul Brown @ 4:29 pm

• 18Jun

  No glasses required: Nintendo 3DS sets new 3D standard for devices

  Wireless Media Lab 1 Comment

  The newly unveiled handheld console, 3DS, has once again demonstrated Nintendo’s innovation in hardware, and it could be showing mobile phone manufacturers the way forwards. Let’s look at Nintendo’s history of innovation in controls:

  • The “D-Pad” (first appeared on the NES console, 1983)
  • Wireless controllers (NES, 1989)
  • Vibration feedback ( N64, 1997)
  • Touch control (Nintendo DS, 2002)
  • Motion sensor controls (Wii, 2006)

  Nintendo did not necessarily invent all of these technologies, but it certainly popularized them, and every single one of these features are now commonplace in both games hardware and mobile phones.
  Nintendo does not innovate for the sake of innovation – these controls were created with the user experience in mind, and were always released with new titles (“apps” to use the mobile buzzword du jour) which used the feature to add to the experience, such as the Wii controller and the feeling of playing “real” sports.

  So, what has Nintendo done with its new handheld, the 3DS?
  

  • There’s a 3D screen which does not require glasses
  • There are not one but two external cameras. Why? Because with 2 cameras you can shoot 3D video
  • There’s automatic data exchange (cloud based computing) and an accelerometer which are new features for Nintendo handhelds but old news for mobile phones, and of course the touch screen of the original Nintendo DS remains

  Really it’s the 3D that sets this apart. The 3D screen does not require glasses, although it does require the user to sit at a particular angle to view the 3D effect. On a TV with a roomful of people watching, this is a problem, but for a handheld personal device, this is not an issue. Expect to see this in phones in the next 2-3 years.

  Shooting 3D video is really something quite remarkable. Due to the size of the device, the cameras are by necessity rather close together, so the 3D effect may not be terribly noticeable. However, the 3DS should retail at sub-$300, and likely will come down to a sub-$200 price point during its lifespan. Price points for current 3D camera setups are not even in the right ballpark for consumer products today, so the 3DS is something of a revolution. Yet again, Nintendo has shown us the way and in the near future we could all be shooting 3D video with our phones.

  The 3D viewing revolution is coming, and it’s being orchestrated by a plumber.

  - David MacQueen

  David MacQueen is a Director within Strategy Analytics’ Global Wireless Practice. This article was originally posted in our Global Wireless Blog

  
  

  Posted by dmacqueen @ 12:44 pm

• 28May

  Google TV needs more content than just YouTube

  Digital Home Observatory No Comments

  On May 20, 2010, Google announced the launch of Google TV – an Android-based set-top box solution that enables users to consume web content on their TV screens. While the concept of internet TV is not new, based on information gleaned from the official Google TV site, Strategy Analytics believes that Google’s approach meets many of the needs of consumers who are interested in adopting such technology.

  Our observations of Connected Media Consumers in the US and Europe, identified consumer demand for a more personalized viewing experience, based on access to preferred content, scheduled for their convenience and with more relevant advertising/payment options.

  • By providing a streamlined, one-box solution to the problem of accessing internet content on a TV, Google TV offers a simple approach that will appeal to mainstream segments who are interested, but who have a very low tolerance for technical complexity.
  • An Apps-based menu system will provide a familiar interface structure that consumers will find easy to learn and use, while an ecosystem of applications or widgets will provide value-added innovative elements and aid the discovery of new content sources.
  • Google has stated that all Google TV input devices will have a QWERTY keypad as well as a D-PAD and pointer. This meets the demands that we have consistently heard from consumers for a more appropriate human-machine interface to support easier searching for content.
  • Also, convergence over multiple Android devices could provide the type of seamless placeshifing opportunities (both within the home and beyond) that consumers desire, such as the ability to consume content in bed via a smartphone or tablet.

  However, while these innovations may be useful to consumers, SA believes that for Google TV to provide a truly compelling experience, it must provide access to all of a user’s preferred content.

  Mass market consumers want a simple, one-stop shop where they can find all of their familiar content. Having a good quality sit-back experience with YouTube is nice to have, but consumers won’t pay simply for the extra convenience when they can access the same content on a laptop for free.

  Our research has found that mass market consumers are motivated to adopt digital media technology primarily for the convenience of being able to time-shift and configure their viewing around their lives. This fundamentally depends on them being able to manage access to their favorite content. They will not adopt unless all of their favorite shows are on the platform.

  Having an ecosystem of applications and the ability (potentially) to place-shift their content onto other compatible Android devices, are interesting innovations, but do not in themselves represent a viable value proposition without a broad range of familiar content.

  Available demonstrations suggest that Google TV will incorporate details of broadcast programs and content stored on the user’s DVR into its search results, thereby potentially providing a single point of access to all of the user’s content, whatever the source.

  While such integration is certainly a step in the right direction, we believe the critical question is whether Google TV will interface directly with broadcasters’ catch-up services. Doing so would provide a solution that meets the most important requirement of potential adopters – i.e. the ability to access all of their favorite content in one place at any time.

  See “Profiling the Connected Media Consumer: a Contextual Study”

  Kevin Nolan

  
  

  Posted by Kevin Nolan @ 6:41 pm

• 11May

  Can Apple Match US iPad Sales Globally?

  Wireless Device Lab 1 Comment

  Apple recently announced that they have sold 1 million iPads in just 28 days. This high demand in the US meant Apple had to delay launches around the rest of the world.

  From 28th May customers in nine countries around the world will be able to purchase an iPad, while pre-orders began yesterday. In the UK, prices will start at £429 including tax for the 16GB WiFi only model, and will rise to £699 for the 64GB WiFi + 3G version (with data charges extra).

  It will be interesting to see how successful the iPad launch is in the UK. A recent Strategy Analytics survey found that one-third of respondents in the UK were interested in purchasing an iPad compared to over half of respondents in the US.

  

  When price was factored in, the model respondents were most interested in was the 16GB WiFi only version, but less than 1 in 5 respondents were interested. In the US, price had little influence on respondents interest.

  As the launch of the iPhone demonstrated, when it comes to mobile devices, consumers in the UK are more price-sensitive that their US counterparts and fewer consider the Apple brand to be compelling. Our data suggests that this will be the case for the iPad too.

  One thing Apple always does well is produce compelling advertising campaigns, and I have no doubt this will help to create a further buzz around the iPad in the UK, and I will be watching with interest to see how long it takes Apple to sell its first million iPads outside the US.

  - Paul

  Clients of Strategy Analytics can read the following iPad related reports:

  iPad Interest Higher in US than UK: Web Browsing Most Desired Feature

  User Evaluation: Apple iPad

  
  

  Posted by Paul Brown @ 6:48 pm

• 22Apr

  Amazon Kindle has increasing functionality, but can it compete with tablets?

  Digital Home Observatory, Wireless Device Lab No Comments

  Last week Strategy Analytics undertook an end user benchmark of the Amazon Kindle DX. As well as assessing the ‘traditional’ features of what the Kindle is known for (reading books), we also looked at some of the ‘experimental’ features Amazon are trialling – a basic web browser, music player and text-to-speech.

  Web Browser
  The Kindle comes with an Experimental application called Basic Web, which is a Web browser optimized to read websites that are primarily text-based. Participants were very interested in this feature, which they felt would be extremely useful to receive real-time updates. However, this could potentially put subscriptions to newspapers and magazines that the Kindle offers at risk.

  

  Music Player
  Users can transfer MP3 files to their Kindle via USB and then use it as a music player. However, it has no music player application – all users can currently do is play/pause music and skip tracks. As well as currently offering limited functionality, most participants felt that they would not want to listen to music at the same time as reading as it is a distraction.

  Text-to-speech
  Where allowed by the rights holder, the Kindle can read books, newspapers, magazines and documents aloud. Improvements are needed to make it sound naturalistic, but participants felt it had potential, especially for catching up on daily news while driving to work.

  ===

  One potential barrier to the uptake of a number of Kindle features (including web browsing and magazines) is the current lack of colour display. While participants were in agreement that e-ink provides a superior reading experience compared to a device like the Apple iPad, most participants would prefer to purchase an iPad for its much greater functionality (video, browsing experience, application stores etc), especially given that the 16GB WiFi only version of the iPad costs only $10 more than the Kindle DX.

  Full evaluations of both the Amazon Kindle DX and Apple iPad will be available to Wireless Device Lab subscribers soon.

  - Paul

  
  

  Posted by Paul Brown @ 8:26 pm

• 25Mar

  Swype Compelling, but Will Need to Help Users Overcome Learning Curve

  Wireless Device Lab 2 Comments

  Samsung is touting the new Swype technology on its mobile devices, and even went so far as to create an advert showing a Swype intern breaking the Guinness World Record for texting. While perusing the exhibits at CTIA 2010 in Las Vegas, I made it a point to drop by the Samsung exhibit to try it out for myself.

  With no instruction whatsoever (which will be the case for most users), I started using Swype. I did not find it immediately intuitive, and wasn’t sure how to handle entering the same letter consecutively. I don’t have much patience for things that don’t work right away, so I put it down and left with a negative impression of the technology.

  Later, I was persuaded to give it a second chance, and received a very short demonstration with a few key tips. Then, I started swiping (or Swyping). Of course I had to challenge the technology in front of those giving me the demo, so I went as quickly as I could to enter an extremely long message using uncommon words without even looking to check for accuracy. To my amazement, it was 100% accurate, and I had the impression that in no way would I have been able to type that quickly (or at least that quickly while being accurate) on a typical QWERTY keyboard, and wondered if I could somehow get it for my own device.

  The key for adoption for Swype will be this learning curve, and what the developers of Swype do in order to help users overcome it. Consumers will not tolerate something that at first shot provides a poorer experience to what they are accustomed, which for many is what will happen with Swype. Those consumers will abandon it, and won’t be as lucky as I was to have Swype experts show them the way. I remembered the first iPhone commercials and how some of the less intuitive touch gestures like pinch-to-zoom were demonstrated up front, and thought that Swype and its partners will need to learn those lessons to help it live up to its early online buzz.

  - Chris Schreiner

  
  

  Posted by Chris Schreiner @ 3:21 pm

• 16Mar

  BBC Introduces ‘Share by SMS’ – If only I could remember people’s phone numbers!

  Wireless Media Lab No Comments

  Every now and then I read something online that I want to share with other people. The BBC is one of the websites I visit most using my mobile, so I was quite excited when reading an article I noticed the option to share it via SMS.

  

  Thinking this was a great little feature, I decided to give it a go, and clicked on the ‘SMS’ icon. Unfortunately I was disappointed at what greeted me. In order to share the article, I was taken to another webpage, where I needed to enter my friend’s number.

  

  Suddenly, sharing this story got a little complicated. I don’t know about you, but the days of remembering people’s phone numbers are long gone for me. I wasn’t compelled enough to go and look up their number in my phone book, write it down, and return to the webpage, so I just gave up.

  What I would have liked was to see some kind of integration between the browser and my SMS application, where clicking on ‘SMS’ opened up a new text message with the link to the story, and then I could just send the message to my friend (or friends) who I thought would be interested.

  So while I have to give credit to the BBC for introducing this initiative, my engagement will be minimal unless it is integrated with other phone applications, or I can start remembering people’s phone numbers…

  - Paul Brown

  
  

  Posted by Paul Brown @ 3:14 pm

• 11Mar

  Sony Ericsson and Windows Phone 7 Series Catch Your Eye at MWC 2010

  Polls, Wireless Device Lab 4 Comments

  Thank you to everyone who voted in our recent poll asking for your device highlights from MWC. The results are now in…and it appears that Sony Ericsson captured your imagination. 30% of you said that the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 pro was your highlight, while 24% of you also chose the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini. Windows Phone 7 Series was also up there, also gaining 24% of your votes.

  

  Thanks again to everyone who took part and voted.

  - Paul Brown

  
  

  Posted by Paul Brown @ 1:02 pm

• 02Mar

  Unlike England, Rugby in 3D Impresses

  Digital Home Observatory No Comments

  This weekend I went along to see the England v Ireland Rugby game in 3D. Sponsored by O2, this was the second game to be broadcast in around 40 cinemas across the UK.

  Despite all the hype around Avatar and other films this was the first time I had been to see anything in 3D. It was also the first time for watching a live sports event in the cinema, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised. From a technical point of view, I couldn’t fault what I saw - at times, it felt like I was actually inside Twickenham.

  

  Watching the game in a cinema did not quite create the same atmosphere as watching it in a pub – there were a few cheers when England scored, and even more groans when Ireland scored, but no chanting. Maybe the banning of alcohol inside was to blame here! Also, if you are in a pub you can move away from the annoying person standing next to you – something not possible with allocated seating in a cinema!

  So, while I left disappointed by the final result, I can definitely see the potential for viewing live sport in 3D to enhance the user experience, provided it is broadcast in the appropriate context - traditionally at home or in a pub (as BSkyB recently offered with Premier League Football).

  - Paul

  
  

  Posted by Paul Brown @ 6:45 pm

« Previous Entries