Don't Build a Power Glove: Talk to Your Users!
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RJ Owen's presentation highlights the failures of the Power Glove, emphasizing the importance of talking to users during product development. The talk outlines the engineering and design challenges faced while implementing new technologies and the necessity of understanding user experiences and contexts. Ultimately, Owen advocates for a user-centered approach to avoid past mistakes and foster innovation in gaming technology.
Don't Build a Power Glove: Talk to Your Users!
- 1. RJ Owen SXSWi 2012 Don’t Build a Power Glove @rjowen #SXNoPwrGlv Talk to Your Users Thursday, March 15, 12
- 2. About me RJ Owen Experience Planner EffectiveUI @rjowen rj.owen@effectiveui.com Thursday, March 15, 12
- 3. @rjowen #SXNoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 4. @rjowen #SXNoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 5. @rjowen #SXNoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
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- 12. @rjowen #SXNoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 13. @rjowen #SXNoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 14. what happened? 7th worst video game controller of all time (IGN) sold $88M US (that’s a failure) Japanese producer declared bankruptcy @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
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- 16. product development process • NASA technology, VPL data glove -> consumer device • Huge engineering and design challenges • "This was a total fire drill," says Gentile of the AGE team. "We were doing design concepts, software, and hardware design—all parallel." @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 17. perspectives technology business users @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 18. perspectives: most companies how technology why business users who @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 19. perspectives: the Power Glove why technology who business users how @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 20. perspectives how technology who business users why @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 21. Every project starts with people. @rjowen #SXNoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 22. Generate and Evaluate the two sides of new product development Finding the Right Problem Solving the Problem in the 1 to Solve 2 Right Way Who is it for? How should it work? What do they need? Does it solve the need? Why do they need it? Is it useful? How does it work today? Is it usable? What should it do? Is it desirable? Explore Refine Question Answer Generate Evaluate Thursday, March 15, 12
- 23. Finding the right problem. @rjowen #SXNoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 24. My study. @rjowen #SXNoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 25. Guerrilla Research • small sample sizes (5-7) • qualitative, not quantitative • get the designer out of her / his head • Three activities: • Observed playing games • Controller discussion - which games good for which? • Family conversation @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
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- 28. @rjowen #SXNoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 29. Findings. @rjowen #SXNoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 30. motion and gaming massive overhand golf-swing @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 31. physical context couches basement laying down @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 32. cords physical context basement storage room tv precariously perched @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 33. social context • direct manipulation is better with friends • kids more willing to move with others present @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 34. distractions vengeful Jedi Also: babies, little sisters @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 35. where would the glove be valuable? • throwing • punching • pushing • picking up • “forcing things” • all hand motions @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 36. where are other controllers better? • racing games (joystick, thumbsticks, tilt-controllers) • complicated games - users want more buttons (multi-button controller) • sports games that focus on feet (multi-button controller) • shooting games (gun controller) @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 37. wall-mounted revisiting Lucas Barton TV? In 1989? sun room? empty room; no furniture drinking 1-player fountain? no distractions @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 38. the right problem in 1989 • direct manipulation is great, but boil it down to 1 action • provide good constraint, margin for errors • clear link between action and game • make it a social activity @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 39. fixing Lucas: location • put him in a comfortable space, where real people play video games. @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 40. fixing Lucas: friends • Friends are player 2 practicing Super Glove Ball, which is now multiplayer player 1 @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 41. fixing Lucas: the game • Lucas shows off with a game that demonstrates punching, like Punch Out @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 42. getting it right @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 43. the right problem in 2012 • taking cartridges and disks out of the equation • owning the casual multi-player game space • owning online game reputations for casual gaming • re-inventing wearable controllers @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 44. Don’t build a Power Glove. Talk to your users! @rjowen #SXNoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 45. take the next step books Guerrilla UX Research Methods, Unger and Warfel Sketching User Experiences, Buxton Design Research: Methods and Perspectives, Laurel Lean UX, Gothelf training 1-2 day workshops Customer Insight / Research talks at SXSWi @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12
- 46. Thanks! Any Questions? Thanks to my RJ Owen Research Assistants: Experience Planner Kelly Downing Angela Craven EffectiveUI Brad Umbaugh @rjowen Julia Houck-Whitaker rj.owen@effectiveui.com Tricia Leahy Meyer @rjowen #NoPwrGlv Thursday, March 15, 12