US technology institutes are developing intelligent systems under the “things that think” principle. As technology becomes less visible, interfaces become increasingly important, says Berlin researcher Norbert Bolz. “The more complex our world becomes, the more important the user interface is. Intelligent design tells customers to forget the technology. It must translate credibility into form because few consumers can judge the technical facts. They want to remain on a friendly interface.”
Few drivers now open the bonnet when a car breaks down on the motorway. Details must stop somewhere. “That is not a practical deficit but a necessary coarse-graining,” Bolz says.
Anyone buying a video device, phone or camera can see the importance of self-explanatory menus in daily and professional use, says Voice Days spokesperson Bernhard Steimel. “It would be much better if you could simply tell a new device what you want from it, in the same way you speak to another person.”
Technology manufacturer Bizerba combines its systems with current graphical interfaces. “We adapt the design and collect information from operating staff,” says Werner Sauter, responsible for worldwide product and application management. “We also work with designers to make operation as intuitive as possible. Nobody has time to wrestle with technology. Training should not be required merely to operate a device. Retail staff need to concentrate on the sales process.”
Marketing specialist Günter Greff argues that many developers ignore the keep-it-simple principle. “I have preached this for more than twenty years. There is no value in continuously invoking new technology trends when customers cannot use their existing devices.
“The IT industry’s gurus should be less strident and restrain the buzzwords. Immature devices enter the market every year, fail to work with other technologies and require hours of study with badly translated manuals.” Spiegel Online editor Konrad Lischka adds: “The malicious Caps Lock key forces permanent capitalisation, every digital camera wants its own USB cable, and lifts stop at every pointless intermediate floor. When engineers are careless, millions suffer.”
USB appeared in 1996 promising one standard, universal, practical and fast computer connection. “Looking at the various USB cables for digital cameras, phones, MP3 players and navigation systems, that promise is only half fulfilled,” Lischka says. “Every cable fits every USB port at the computer end. At the device end, the situation is different: far from every USB cable fits every USB device.”
Greff regards simplicity as a decisive selling point. “People respond to technologies that make life easier without thick manuals.
“Apple demonstrates this: the iPod or iPhone can be used after a short time without instructions. Product design should therefore not be left to technical engineers alone,” Greff says. He points to John Maeda, a media artist and graphic designer, leading the Simplicity research project at MIT.
