Boxes and Arrows: Comments by Ross Howard

Ross Howard — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:53:02 GMT

NB: I put a link to my credentials, because I don’t see much point in posting the story before it has been published.

Ross Howard — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:53:05 GMT

Tokyo’s rail system plays unique audio melodies at each station whenever a train arrives. This construction of an audible landscape and pathway, whilst not overtly apparent to passengers, does give them context of location, and journey progress (amongst other things).

I am not suggesting using audio on the web, but more the concept of ‘ambient signifiers’ as part of a wayfinding system. In a web context this allows us to imply and communicate useful information to the user, including things such as status, personalisation, and path usage patterns.

My story explores this in greater detail, from what exactly is going on with these ‘ambient signifiers’ and how we can use them to communicate meaningful information to users in new and interesting ways.

Please let me know if you want further details. I can go on, and on… ;-)

Ross Howard — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:53:06 GMT

Could someone explain to me the process of submitting a story to B&A?

I was assuming I’d write the idea here, and someone from B&A would say ‘no’ or ‘let’s have a look at what you have written’. How do I know that incorporating the feedback here into the work will actually be worthwhile in terms of the article getting published on B&A?

Or am I missing something? :-)

Ross Howard — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:53:08 GMT

Great :)

Masood, could you explain further what you mean? As the concept of ‘Ambient Signifiers’ is still at the conception phase, I was considering focussing more on developing ideas and approaches first. Then I would carry out some quantative research as a second phase, after the story had been open to public discussion, collaboration and feedback.

Ross Howard — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:53:09 GMT

Hi Gagan,

Certainly sounds like a good idea. Flick me an email from http://www.abitcloser.com/portfolio and we can have a bit of a chat.

Cheers,

Ross

Ross Howard — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:53:19 GMT

I would like to thank everyone who read this article, and also the people who have taken time to write comments and feedback.

I’d like to re-iterate that this article is not about using sounds on the web (not that I am always opposed to that idea). It merely uses the Tokyo rail network’s adoption of melodies as an example of ambient signifiers.

I agree that ambient signifiers may become even more effective if they form and adopt conventions. I suspect these patterns will emerge through further research and maturation.

My use of the word ‘frequency’ was a little too ambiguous. Ambient signifiers tend to be constant throughout the session – essentially occurring only once per signifier (but persisting). High frequency elements such as icons and textual data tend to be physically smaller and independently repeated (with a high occurrence/recurrence).

My examples are merely there to demonstrate possible uses for ambient signifiers. They are not intended to define appropriate adoption or utilisation. One could debate the morality of editorially controlled content, but this is another topic in itself – albeit an interesting one.

I was aware that the BBC’s “patina” was no longer in use. I would be interested to see any research and user testing that was done into its original goal and subsequent results. Personally I think that whilst it may not have been a particularly successful implementation (who knows?) this does not preclude the use of ambient signifiers in general. But clearly more research and evaluation needs to occur.

Ross Howard — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:23:17 GMT

An interesting article, not sure I am on-board with all of it. But allow me to join in the existentialist banter and note the following:

“When all three perspectives (do, say, make) are explored together, we are able to realize the experience spectrum of the “normal” user/customer we are working for.”

Actually, there is another (and arguably) more important perspective and that is how a user *feels*.

I’d also be careful with the cleaving off of design and planning. Design has always been about experience, visual design is just a part of it. Design vs Planning is another interesting discussion that would be worth exploring.