Users often don’t complete an activity in one sitting or through a single channel. Sometimes users are interrupted, sometimes it is more appropriate to switch device, or they move from the digital world to the physical world—and vice versa—by choice or necessity. For these reasons, it’s important to offer a seamless experience as users move from channel to channel to complete activities. The continuity of experience will become increasingly important as the line between the digital and physical worlds continues to blur. This talk will give practical advice for cross device design for users, and the important mobile technology plays in the role of seamless experiences.

1. DESIGNING FOR
CROSS-CHANNEL USER EXPERIENCE
Chrissy Welsh
Lead & Principal UX Consultant

2. DESIGNING FORTHE ENTIRE JOURNEY,
NOT A SINGLE INTERACTION

3. “In the coming post-desktop era, we must reach
across disciplines and think more holistically to
produce not just a single, self-sufficient user
interface, but to deliver context-aware
experiences across multiple channels.”

4. CROSS CHANNEL EXPERIENCE IS NOT
RESPONSIVE DESIGN
* even if it’s pretty

5. OK, so what is it?

6. 4 KEY ELEMENTS OF A USABLE
CROSS-CHANNEL EXPERIENCE:

7. CONSISTENT
People should be able to move from channel to
channel without having to relearn how to
complete activities.

8. SEAMLESS
It should be possible to complete a task across
multiple channels, if desired.

9. AVAILABLE
Users should be able to complete their desired
activities regardless of the channel.

10. CONTEXT SPECIFIC
The experience should be optimised for
the channel.

11. Real life example time…
(Amazon Prime)

13. Now let’s look at how the experience of
reading has changed…

15. UNDERSTANDTHE CONTEXT
OF CHOOSING A CHANNEL

18. “Seamless, cross-channel experiences are the way of
the future, as technology fades into the background
and the personal, physical, and social context
determine the methods we use to interact
with information.”

19. SUPPORT USERS ASTHEY MOVE FROMTHE
DIGITAL WORLDTOTHE PHYSICAL WORLD
• NEED
The experience requires them to transition from the digital world to
the physical world, or vice-versa. (e.g. movie tickets)
• CHOICE
They want to move from the digital world to the physical world, or
vice versa. (e.g. shoe shopping)

20. EXPERIENCESTHAT NEED USERSTO
MOVE FROMTHE DIGITAL WORLDTO
THE PHYSICAL WORLD

21. Real life example time…
(California Pizza Kitchen)

23. MOVING FROMTHE DIGITAL WORLD
TOTHE PHYSICAL WORLD BY CHOICE

24. Real life example time…
(Home Depot)

27. We understand that experiences go beyond
interfaces; we understand we move between devices
in context… but did you know experiences go
beyond singular devices at the same time?

28. WELCOMETO MULTI-SCREENING

29. THERE ARETWO MAIN MODES
OF MULTI-SCREENING:

30. WE ALSO MULTI-SCREEN BY USING MORE
THAN ONE DEVICE SIMULTANEOUSLY

31. CONSUMERSTAKE A MULTI-DEVICE PATH
TO PURCHASE

32. So what now?

33. KNOWYOUR USERS’ JOURNEY - NOT
JUSTTHE POINTSTHEY USE A DEVICE
* in the example of taking a trip

34. EMBRACETHAT MAPPINGTHE
EXPERIENCE MIGHT NOT RESULT IN A
STRAIGHT LINE

36. HELPING USERS RECOVER FROM
INTERRUPTIONS

37. DOING IT RIGHT REQUIRES
CROSS-DISCIPLINE COLLABORATION
“Effective cross-channel experiences demand
strategic leadership and multidisciplinary
cooperation.”

38. DESIGN FORTHE EXPERIENCE,
NOTTHE CHANNEL
We are no longer just designing for the web.

39. “Your brand is as good as my last
poor experience with you.”

40. Chrissy Welsh
Lead & Principal UX Consultant
@chrissywelsh