Understanding the roles of users and their behavior on specific types of devices is essential to developing a web strategy that transcends products.
Anticipating the Future
There are a lot of predictions floating around about the iPad, and whether it will successfully bridge the gap between mobile devices and PCs. Although the anticipated success or failure of the device remains to be seen, what is undeniable is that it is an enormous step forward in the evolution of how we interact with information.
Despite the buzz surrounding the iPad, it's not the first device of its type on the market, and many more are sure to follow. These devices are typically referred to as slates or tablets. Although their feature sets vary, what they all have in common is that they are touchscreen devices designed for consuming and interacting with media.
Don't Believe the Hype
Truth be told, all the predictions and hype don't really matter. People will still buy the iPad. Even critics of the not-yet-released device would be hard pressed to deny that we are crossing into the next generation of personal computing. Whether it's the iPad, whose reputation already precedes it, or a tablet from another manufacturer, the potential seems limitless, and the transition to this format is inevitable. So while the different platforms battle in the marketplace, and tech guys hash it out in the blogosphere about which product is superior, savvy web developers and site owners can get a head start on preparing content optimized for a new class of device.
All your Eggs in One Basket
Most web site owners strive to get their content out in front of the widest audience possible. If you target any one specific device, you are putting all your eggs in one basket, and you rely on the success and adoption of that one device in order to achieve on return on your development investment. A better strategy involves targeting types of users instead. By understanding the contexts in which people will be accessing your content, and preparing it accordingly, you set yourself up with a solid web strategy that transcends platforms.
Know Your Role!
There is a reason why the laptop did not replace the desktop pc, and the iPhone didn't replace the laptop. It's because different classes of device have specific roles, and fulfill different user needs. So instead of putting the device first, lets focus on the user instead. This is user-centered design.
Lets take a look at some different user roles and their behaviors.
Desk dude.
Desk dude spends large chunks of his time working in front of a computer. He is probably multi-tasking. And by multi-tasking I mean actively trying to do something productive, while passively undermining his productivity with a number of social media apps and other distractions running in the background. He's working on a document, listening to music, surfing the web, getting bugged by other people, checking Facebook and posting to twitter. What's great is he is probably also on the clock.
Now consider his attention span, and how much time and attention he will (or won't) spend focusing on any one site or task. How will his behavior affect the amount of time he spends searching for or reading information on your web site?
Mobile Mama
Well, obviously this type of user does not have to be a mama, but consider the role of the mobile user. The mobile user is most likely preoccupied with another task. We can assume that this person is using a device with a small screen, fluctuating internet connectivity and speed, and may likely be under the restraints of time or location. This is the stick and move user. She wants to access specific information quickly and easily. Consider not only the types of information that she wants to access quickly, but also the different constraints of device and environment that affect her behavior. What types of applications and interfaces appeal to this user?
Casual Carl
Casual Carl is the envy of desk dude. Desk dude enjoys being online, but also wants to be on the couch relaxing. Casual Carl believes in the best of both worlds. He is not at a desk, and he is not on the clock. He is in a relaxed state of mind, and ready to absorb information. This could be a book or a movie, a website or even a game. Because he is not "working", he doesn't have a million distractions. Casual Carl is more likely to spend longer amounts of time browsing or focusing on one immersive task.
It is worth noting that the iPad deliberately does not allow its users to run multiple applications simultaneously (multi-tasking).
Consider when and where Casual Carl will use his iPad... on the couch, while commuting, at the coffee shop, etc. What types of media and interactive touch screen applications will best appeal to Casual Carl and his context?
Optimizing Your Web Strategy
Let's look at some ways that we can plan a web strategy that is optimized for each of our friends above:
- Develop your website with best practices and adhere to web standards. This will help ensure that your content displays accurately across multiple platforms and devices.
- If you have a ton of content online, consider delivering a scaled back version, or one optimized for people accessing it from a mobile handheld device. This is content adaptation, and it involves taking your existing content and porting parts of it into a new interface designed for different classes of device.
- Some tablet PCs support Flash, and others (like the iPad), will not. Keep this in mind and always provide alternate content that will display when the Flash* plug-in absent. (You should be doing this anyway.)
- Use Javascript to create an enhanced experience for people accessing your content from a touch screen device. There are a lot of ways to customize your web content to respond to different types of touch interaction. You can also javascript to target different types of device behavior, such as triggering an iPhone to beep or vibrate.
- Build a downloadable application that will make your online content available to your audience even when they offline.
- Consider web-based applications over device specific applications whenever possible. Web based apps can be programmed once and delivered across multiple devices and platforms such as the Android, iPhone, iPad and others. This maximizes the reach of your content, and minimizes the need to rebuild and re-strategize each time a new device is released. Services like Phone Gap allow you to package up your web applications and deliver them as native device application. It also opens up access to device specific APIs.
A Blank Slate
The potential of the iPad and other tablet PCs is in many ways only limited by our imagination. So many articles and posts criticize specific devices, by calling out their features, or by identifying certain features that they lack. But features are the wrong thing to be focusing on. What is being overlooked is how the touch format will revolutionize how we think about interacting with information.
The key to a successful web strategy is not in preparing and optimizing content for each new device that comes onto the market. A successful strategy relies on understanding the different ways that users may want to access your content, and planning for that.
Other links of interest
* Flash is still ridiculously cool, and despite internet rumors, is not going anywhere. Additionally, most tablets and mobile handhelds (aside from the iPad and iPhone) support it. Leave Flash alone, haters!