MobiSpa: 12/10/06

"I'd like to share some of my experiences on this project and hope that this helps encourage others to share experiences about products they've worked on.I no longer work for Motorola (the parting was amicable, and I had a fantastic time working in their Beijing studio. I'd recommend CXD at Motorola as a great place to work, and China rocks), and the following views are mine and not Motorola's. Second, I'd like to make sure that Richard Schatzberger gets due credit as the creative lead on the UIfor this project."

Motorola has done a few interesting things with MotoFone:

Worked to create a product that specifically targets the unconnected poor in developing countries.
Used an innovative set of technologies in the device (specifically an "EPD" or "electronic ink" display)
Brought "high end" design to a "low end" product

A lot about delivering on 1 was focussed on designing a product that provides only essential functionality and doing away with many of the things that are just cruft. Focussing on the essentials meant that we were able to provide the best possible experience on core features(sounds simple, but it becomes a compelling mantra). Fewer features means less possibility for error - there's simply less that you can do with the device. This makes mastery much easier for the unconnected and inexperienced. There was lots we learned in research and testing about opportunities for confusion, and simplification (especially around the "flat" UI) just made things a hell of lot easier. The "iconic" UI and voice prompts are part of that package.

The EPD is a fantastic piece of technology because: the display is damn huge, the numbers are insanely huge, and it's high contrast in full sunlight. It's so easy to read the display when you're dialling and in a call, and it's so easy to read the display when it's outside.These humble attributes are beyond fantastic.

While designing a phone for people who may not be literate posed a significant number of challenges, one other challenge around doing the IxD on this product was cost. The constraints of making a phone for such a low manufacturing cost are not to be underestimated. For a device like this 1 cent is a lot of money on the bottom line with the projected sales volumes. The UI design/ hardware engineering / SW engineering teams were all co-located in a Beijing skunkworks and worked hand in hand, which helped no end. This might sound kind of straight-forward, but in a global company like Motorola this is in itself a feat.

Motorola has taken a serious leap in bringing its high end design language to a "low end" product. Normally you pay more for the high end design and the cheap-skates get the design offcuts. Not with this product, and it's really great to see an aspirational product that'saccessible to all.

I want to make sure that I don't paint this design as completely rosy.There are some risks that Motorola is taking with this project, andI'm sure that you'll be able to identify areas that may have questionsaround them (and which product is without risk?). That said, though, I think that in almost every situation the product team made decisions that best supports the target customers' needs.

Now to some of the specific questions that have been raised:

Josh Viney- I don't understand why mobile phone manufacturers insist on either integrating the headphone jack with the power jack or putting them so close together that it's almost impossible to have both attached at the same time. When the two functions use the same jack it prevents users from using their own headphones (on mobile devices that have stereo music capabilities), and prevents users without Bluetooth headsets from using the phone w/ a headset while it is charging.

GABE: Cost. When you're comparing the LEDs that cost 1c and the LEDsthat cost 1.2c, you know you're in for a long night.

David Malouf- How come only the Industrial designers have faces and have something to say? Can you give us a report from your perspective?

GABE: I should have a face soon. I left the day before the photoshoot, but a pic of me should be there shortly (and the observant will notice that the photo will have given me a sex change).Motorola is an engineering company that is transforming into a company that values design. Significant advances have been made on this, and things are continually getting better. Transformation isn't instant -things have come a long way and will continue to improve. The UI teams and industrial design teams are work much closer for each new product.As UI and ID merge, close collaboration is a prerequisite.

Joshua Seiden- Maybe I'm missing something, but there is almost no discussion of the way the software behaves. (A small nod to flat navigation.) Motorola is starting to pimp design, but as always with Moto, it's just about the static elements. Hardware, icons, even sound get their own shout-outs. Where's the love? More importantly, isn't this just moreof the same?

GABE: Good point. I guess it just reaffirms that communication is a critical part of design. The UI team had unprecedented access and leverage in this project. The product, engineering and design teams defined this product together. We also had direct access to and buy-in at senior VP level. Everyone understood that the UI was critical.

David Malouf- Why is it IxDers are so focused on software? The keyboard, the display, the sound. These are the primary interaction points and while I do think it would be important to add the software side, (Gabriel,can you do something about that?) I think there is a lot to learn in this presentation about doing broad research for consumer electronics across different cultures.

GABE: We were able to do some fantastic research (like the quote that you mention illustrates) before, during and after design. I've learned some pretty amazing stuff about researching in developing countries. Like bringing a whole design testing roadshow to a rural Indian village without power (note to self: make sure your generators have enough grunt otherwise you'll need to wait 4 hours for a new one). Andsome amazing insights about people's perceptions and experience oftechnology (logical hierarchies, bah!).

Josh Viney- I agree that it looks like a cool phone, but what makes it really different from any other phone? It's great that they took the time to research the mobile phone experience around the world, but I'm very skeptical about whether coming up with a new display, menus, and "universal icons" is really worth anything. Check the specs. There are no new features, and it looks like they might be missing a couple.There's no MMS, WAP, Web browser, email, camera, edge, Bluetooth, music player and the list goes on.

GABE: For people in developed countries, I think you have an arguable point. For the primary target market of this phone it's a different story. No, the phone's not revolutionary. But it provides an experience that's sufficiently different to the current offerings to make it more relevant to the people who will be using the product.It's great for the fact that it DOESN'T have features.

David Malouf- A lot of the buzz around this phone from the blogsphere has been metwith "When can we get it?" There are many people in Western Markets who are sick of the "do everything" phone. They are looking for a"phone" . not much else. Cameras, GPS, internet, etc. are not items they care about.

GABE: While the phone was designed for emerging markets, I think you're right. This phone has a lot of potential for people who just want a phone, and so could be a bit of a dark horse in developed countries. Also, I'd love a sexy super-thin phone for when I go out ona bender on the weekend (who cares if I lose it?!).

Read more about Motorola motofone User experience

The main mobile data service that people use is SMS (90.2% in 2002, 96.2% in 2006), ringtones and icons (52.5%–53.7%) routine banking (18.5%–16.3%).

Search services become the second most used service in 2004 with 62.8% using their mobile phones to find out phone numbers and addresses. By 2006, 68.3% say that they use mobile search services. SMS is the leader year after year. But the number two spot was claimed in 2002 by banking, in 2003 by email, and in 2004–2006 by search services.

The third most popular “would use” service was GPS in 2002, timetables in 2003, email in 2004, MMS in 2005, and email again in 2006.

It is no wonder that 84.9% of the surveyed people responded this year that they would not be willing to acquire a new mobile subscription in order to get a bundled 3G mobile phone. People felt that they had no need for a 3G phone, they were not interested at the moment, they were satisfied with their existing mobile data service and that the phones include unnecessary features.

Source:mobilemonday