The researchers conducted a study depriving participants of PC internet access for 4 days and only allowing mobile internet access to understand needs and identify design implications for the mobile web. Two key findings emerged: 1) the mobile experience favors predictability over exploration due to form factors and users want information, not web pages due to usability issues on mobile. The researchers recommend designing for partial attention, interruptibility and privileging information delivery over traditional web pages.

1. They call it “surfing” for a reason: Identifying mobile Internet needs through PC deprivation. Rachel Hinman [email_address] Mirjana Spasojevic mirjana . [email_address] .com Pekka Isomursu pekka . [email_address] .com

3. Deprivation as a methodology A lot has changed in a year…. Android Release: November 5, 2007 iPhone Release June 29, 2007

4. Deprivation as a methodology Spring 2007, few people were using the mobile web… Source: Forrester’s Consumer Technographics, Q4, 2006

5. Deprivation as a methodology There were, and continue to be many barriers to use Obstacles to mobile internet use: - phone’s interface makes it difficult to enter URL - text input through keys - network speed/latency - network reception - small screen size - perception of cost (perceived value) - lack of cost transparency - sites are not optimized for mobile phones Carriers are the set-point Few people stray from the walled garden of the carrier deck. What’s outside of it is hard to get to get to and not always worth the effort.

6. Deprivation as a methodology Mobile internet… meet your competition 73% of all American homes have in-home internet access Source: Pew Internet: Internet Penetration and Impact. April 26, 2006

7. Low engagement

8. How do we ensure engagement?

9. Deprivation as a methodology Inspiration from a PC deprivation study http://webevents.broadcast.com/yahoo/disconnected/index.html

10. Deprivation as a methodology Eight users, four days, nothing but a mobile phone for Internet access … The goal of our study was to identify the needs of the Mobile Internet users in the U.S. in order to improve the mobile internet experience. • 8 individuals (US - San Francisco) • 4 days of PC internet deprivation Data Collection • 1-hour contextual interview before the study • 2-hour contextual interview after the study • Online diary tool (Revelation) • PC Internet vouchers Data Analysis • Narrative analysis • Affinity clustering N-series phones: four N80 and four N93. Both types of phones were equipped with a T9 keypad, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi network capability, 3 megapixel camera, 176x144 pixel resolution color screen and Internet browsing functions and capabilities.

11. Implication One: Design for partial attention and interruption

12. Emerging Insight User’s mobile internet expectations and requirements are different than on a PC “ They call it surfing for a reason..” - Gabriella While most users communicated that internet access on their mobile device was a useful feature, they expressed fundamental differences in the experiences.

13. Emerging Insight Form factor, environmental factors and visual cues of the PC internet experience facilitate exploration… Form and Environmental factors of the PC experience: - usually seated (stationary) - controlled environment - large screen - keyboard and mouse Typical visual cues of the PC experience: - layers are visually represented - visual representations of paths and options are apparent at all times A large screen with easy-to-use input devices in a controlled environment encourages multi-tasking and exploration. } Exploration

14. Emerging Insight Form factors, environmental factors and visual cues of the mobile internet experience facilitate predictability… Predictability Form and Environmental factors of the mobile experience: - standing, walking, seated… - highly variable environment - small screen - limited input Typical visual cues of the mobile experience: - options are not always apparent - open application consumes screen - one view at a time A small screen with limited input in a highly variable environment requires focus and attention. }

15. Emerging Insight Accessing the internet on a PC is like scuba diving; accessing the internet on a mobile phone is like snorkeling Deep Dives - The “action” is inside the screen - Can be immersive - Invites exploration and discovery - Multi-tasking is easier than on a mobile device Skimming the Surface - Attention is divided - dipping in and dipping out - Difficult to get totally immersed - Often highly task or goal directed, you often know what you will find.

16. Implication Design for partial attention and interruption Design with interruption in mind Understand the limitations of content consumption on a mobile device. Users can be interrupted at any time by the physical environment, a text message from a friend or an important call. Design for “skimming the surface” Valuable mobile experiences are not immersive, they respect the variability of the mobile environment. Map content to the variability of the mobile environment and deliver it in appropriate forms that are predictable.

17. Implication Two: People want information, not URLs

18. Emerging Insight The page metaphor is a brittle organizing principle on mobile devices

19. Emerging Insight Remember the mix tape?

20. Emerging Insight Music consumption and delivery use to be a complex system… Music Labels Before iTunes, the delivery of music content was a complex system that didn’t reflect what people value most about music… a song. Organizing Principle = Album Portable CD Players Record Stores Music Artists

21. Emerging Insight Apple provided a flexible organizing principle for music

22. Emerging Insight Apple reframed the organizing principle to align with how people think about music Music Labels Organizing Principle = Song Portable CD Players Apple iPod Record Stores Apple iTunes Store Music Artists

23. Emerging Insight When people access the web, the organizing principle is web pages, or web sites -- but they really want the information Maps Organizing Principle = Web Page Music News Messages Photos & Video Information

24. Emerging Insight When people access the web, the organizing principle is web pages, or web sites -- but they really want the information Maps Organizing Principle = Web Page Music News Messages Photos & Video Information A web page is like an album A piece of information is like a song

25. Implication Two People want information, not URLs Boulders to Pebbles: Privilege XML over HTML The promise of information convergence depends on liberating data from current forms and the ability to prism internet data through various devices. The data is the building block, not the format it is held in. Focus on the presentation layer The browser metaphor and web pages are strongly tied to the current PC internet experience. Creating a new presentation layer for information through interfaces like widgets and RSS present an opportunity to define a new way of interacting with internet content through a mobile device.

26. Deprivation as a methodology - Was it a good idea? [+] Ensured engagement for 7 of the 8 users [+] Delivered visceral stories about what was wrong with the interaction model [+] Delivered better insight on desired content and format preferences. [-] VERY Labor intensive Further Study - What are other instances when deprivation is an appropriate methodology? - What metaphors and mental models from the PC experience need to be redefined for the mobile experience? Conclusions and Further Study

27. Thank You Nokia: Pekka Isomursu pekka . [email_address] .com Mirjana Spasojevic mirjana . [email_address] .com Nokia Adaptive Path: Alexa Andrezejewski [email_address] Sebastian Heycke [email_address] Kim Lenox [email_address] Dan Saffer [email_address]

28. Questions?