Escape the mobile IP gold rush by selling shovels

It is worrying to think about the impact that all this IP wrangling will have on product development in mobile and information and communications tech (ICT) in general. Sneaky portfolio acquisitions, tit-for-tat bickering over who can sell what phone in Australia or Germany, make it harder than ever to innovate on mass market products, while none of this benefits the end user. Meanwhile, there has been a noticeable shift in the behaviour of users around the world towards increased experimentation with technology. This is an observation rather than an empirical finding, but here's why I believe it to be true:

• Throughout history when product categories have matured to a certain point, society begins to shape its own uses and meanings for the technology. This has been the case in mobile for a while.
• The barriers that have previously restricted experimentation with ICT componentry are lifting thanks to modular kits like Arduino and Bug Labs or open source devices such as Open Moko that move invention from the lab to the bedroom, classroom or shed.
• The ability to experiment with technology (creative hacking) has become more aspirational and widespread in society and the commercial world, with tech-forward consultancies like BERG prospering.
• In a recession, the incentives for individual entrepreneurial activity are high.

A great example of hackable technology is Microsoft's motion capture device, Kinect for XBox.  The "fastest selling device of all time". Since it was released, the device has been adapted for hundreds of experiments, art installations, flying robots and performances on YouTube.  I don't know if Microsoft expected this level of engagement with the Kinect, but they have certainly embraced it:

Rather than trying to "own" the consumer, Microsoft has provided an accessible tool with which people can build their own products and experiences that bridge the divide between physical and digital. With modular products such as Arduino or Lego's MindStorms and accessible programming applications like Google/MIT's App Inventor, or even Stencyl's game making platform, I believe these variations of co-creation will have a growing impact on all aspects of life, including education, retail, healthcare and even energy management. Remember that old saying: "in a gold rush it's the people who sell the spades who make the money first", I think now is a good time to get into providing these tools for creation. Profit from the long tail of small-scale product development rather than dredging the river-bed for margins in the mass market.
I would love to hear your opinions on these issues – get in touch on Twitter or in the comments below.

Big noisy favour (((o)))

Dear all,

I have a big favour to ask. I'm looking for sounds that are meaningful in people's lives. These might be sounds that immediately conjure up a memory, like the beep of your grandma's hearing aid when its battery is low; sounds that have changed in meaning, like that playful pop song that you used as an alarm and now it chills you to your core! It's for a workshop I'm running for MEX into the role of sound in the mobile user experience.

It would be awesome if you could record and send the sound, or a link to youtube, or just a description of it to me at amw@pmn.co.uk or a tweet to @muirface, explaining why it is meaningful.

Thanks - I look forward to hearing your soundz.

Mobiles for creation rather than consumption?

Just received my Glif in the mail (taking advantage of a new UK warehouse and a limited time free delivery offer), I totally recommend getting one. This elegant iPhone 4 tripod mount was featured on the MEX site a while back. It's an inspiring design success story where a couple of guys with a good idea managed to acquire the funding to tool and distribute their product to a global market. This tiny piece of plastic opens up the potential of the iPhone 4's impressive camera for time lapse, stop motion and standard filming. I'm just blown away by the variety of content that you can produce with a mobile now - and you've always got it with you. Although this does mean that the future holds even more strange and pointless media...

MEX Event Nov 30th - Dec 1st 2010

I'm speaking at the MEX event this year on the topic of new form factors, and the ubiquity of the slate. See you there! (sorry for the short notice)

I met the inventor of the mobile!!

Mobile Phones for the Senior Market

Yesterday I was at this conference, organised by Simon Rockman. It was an interesting day of talks by business and academic experts, and a compelling argument to focus more attention on developing mobile devices for the aging population. Opening talks came from wireless legend Arlene Harris of Jitterbug and Dyna LLC, and Chris Cowpe from Age Concern Enterprises (formerly Chief Exec of DDB advertisers). Arlene's husband, Martin Cooper (the dude in the picture), inventor of the mobile phone, was also in attendance, but not speaking.

I'm proud to say that the best slide presentations came from the Cambridge lads. Prof John Clarkson explained the astonishing demographic shift that has been occurring over the last few decades, the number of seniors just keeps on growing, yet this wealthy segment is constantly failed by poor design. Ian Hosking then later explained how designing for older consumers is so much more than "big buttons" - they are a sophisticated, multi-segmented, proud, intelligent group of individuals, yet specialist mobile product offerings often miss the point - stigmatising or patronising instead of simplifying and including.

The other presentations were interesting, but badly delivered, with presenters reading out bullet points from slides that looked like they were from 1996. I got tired of squinting at badly labeled graphs or tables and cringing at lo-res stock photos, clip-art and slide transitions. In order to be taken seriously, this domain is in dire need of a bit of graphic design and/or public speaking classes. That seems superficial, but a modern, professional standard is really necessary if this opportunity is to be convincingly pitched to the networks.

There are a number of other obstacles to overcome before networks and retailers will commit to taking on the senior segment. In the UK with the abundance of subsidised phones (e.g. free on contract) and the narrow margins available in talk and text, it is a challenge to convince consumers to pay extra for a specialist device. Furthermore, the networks will be reluctant to fork out on extra support services for what is typically a low-usage category.

If somebody can nail this market, then they will not only make a lot of money, but also enable older people to connect with their families and friends - everyone wins! The answer lies in designing the complete user experience, from initial awareness of the product through to purchase, usage and support, to disposal or replacement - every aspect should be simple, intuitive, even enjoyable. The beauty of inclusive design is that learning from older or impaired people can lead to solutions that benefit all users. I personally think that a great solution might inadvertently appear sideways from another usage category - perhaps an outdoors or youth product - or perhaps it will happen the other way round.

Vodafone and mobile evolution

Last Thursday I gave a little interactive presentation to a couple of user experience guys at Vodafone in Paddington. It was so interactive that we only got halfway through my slides before the hour was up and they both had to head off to other meetings. However, I got loads of great insight and feedback in that time - these interviews and presentations are helping me to build a very rich picture of the evolution of the mobile phone from a diverse range of perspectives.

Of particular interest was a discussion on whether on an abstract level, the evolution of the mobile product category could be compared to that of the bicycle, and if so, what is the equivalent stage or product in the bike category that could be compared to the current maturity of the mobile. The answer was not clear cut - depending of the level of abstraction, different parallels could be drawn. One problem is that mobiles don't stand alone, there are so many external factors acting on them from networks, subsidisation, operating systems and their homogenisation with other products and functionalities. This is an area that I will need to explore in more detail in my thesis (which I'd better get back to).

Orange Design Group

Last Thursday I presented my mobile research to Orange's Group Design and User Experience team in Paddington. It was a great experience - really good to share my ideas with some experts in the industry, learn from their insight/heckling, and get some feedback on where I might take it next. It was particularly interesting to hear from the perspective of a mobile service provider, a different view from the designers, user experience experts, technology strategists and journalists I've spoken to so far.

This Friday I will be presenting to Samsung's European design group in Farringdon, I'm looking forward to meeting the group and hearing what they have to say about my work. The feedback from this presentation will hopefully move me closer to having a complete picture of form evolution in the mobile product category, which takes care of a couple of chapters of the thesis!

I'm going to be speaking at MEX User Experience Conference in May - you should come!!

The 5th annual MEX Mobile User Experience Conference & Awards
19th - 20th May 2009, WallaceSpace, London
www.pmn.co.uk/mex/

MEX is the two day strategy forum for the leading minds in mobile telecoms. At the heart of the conference is our 8 point manifesto for enhancing the mobile user experience. This is a blueprint for delivering better mobile products through a deeper understanding of customer requirements. You'll hear from the industry's most inspiring and provocative speakers and then work side-by-side with talented and creative individuals to define the user experience agenda for the next 12 months.

Delegate places are priced at GBP 1499. For further information and to book, please contact Marek Pawlowski at marekpawlowski@pmn.co.uk / +44 (0)7767 622957 or visit www.pmn.co.uk/mex/.

Matt Lewis - Arcchart

Just had a great little meeting with Matt near Liverpool Street station. He is the director of research and consulting at ARCchart - experts in the wireless industries. We talked through my mobile phone form study and he gave me a great deal of insight into the industry and the forces that act on mobile handset developers and influence the eventual form of their products.

The sudoku on the train back was less successful.