ME has obtained an exclusive preview of PMN's annual user experience challenge to the mobile industry.
The Manifesto raises ten critical mobile user experience issues to the top of the industry's agenda, provoking debate and challenging the mobile business to think differently.PMN are inviting anyone with a view to share before the event to respond through the MEX web-site.
This dialogue culminates in the 4th annual MEX conference, a two-day strategy forum in London on May 27th-28th 2008, where 100 of the brightest minds in mobile come together to learn, network and discuss their response to the Manifesto.
Mobile Entertainment magazine is a premiere media partner for MEX. As such, readers can get a 10 per cent early-bird discount by registering here before January 11th.
The 2008 MEX Manifesto in full:
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1. Content itself will be the interface of the future
Icons are dead and the content itself is the new interface. By stripping away the confusion and clutter of traditional interface elements like menus and scroll bars we can put photos, music and video at the heart of the user experience.
2. Handsets are no longer just for the hand
The role of the mobile device is expanding beyond the hand. In fact, handsets are spending less time in our palms and instead finding a role at the centre of the room. This trend represents a major new user experience challenge and will require us to think of new ways to interact with mobile devices.
3. Fragmentation is the enemy of innovation
The structure of the mobile industry is killing application developers. There is a tidal wave of innovative content and services waiting to be unleashed if we can build a business environment which enables new companies to make money from mobile.
4. Fashion is a stronger motivator than functionality
Fashion is a stronger motivator than features. Colour, shape, texture and packaging play a bigger role in influencing mobile purchasing decisions than the specification list. The highest margins in the handset business are achieved by devices which lag the technology curve but invest in brand partnerships and a boutique retail experience.
5. The developing world is the new frontier for mobile user experience
The developing world is the new frontier for mobile user experience. It is the industry's responsibility to deliver voice communication and internet connectivity to the disconnected in ways which are locally relevant, useable and cost-effective.
6. Search requires a radically different approach in the mobile environment
To find the answers they are looking for in the time they have available, mobile users need access to the widest range of search techniques, yet these must be provided within a highly constrained interface.
7. Intelligent contact lists are the future centres of the user interface
Presence and IP-based messaging change the dynamics of mobile communication. The natural focal point for next generation user interfaces is an intelligent, presence-enabled contact list. Enhancing the information and services which can be shared through people-centric networks is the best way to encourage usage of voice, messaging and data.
8. Mobile payments herald the next generational shift
Mobile payment applications will lead the next major leap in wireless communications, when our interactions with machines start to outnumber our interactions with people. Using our mobile phones to pay for goods and services in the physical world requires an interaction model and user interface of breath-taking simplicity. Cash and credit cards represent a singularly impressive benchmark - only when we deliver unique benefit above and beyond these existing solutions will mobile payments explode.
9. Users as individuals: uniquely complex and contradictory
Customers cannot be defined by numbers or segments or demographics. Every user is uniquely complex and contradictory. If we are to design experiences which recognise customers as individuals, we must develop research tools and analysis techniques which allow us to live and breath the world as users see it.
10. The potential of smart voice
The industry's love affair with all things '2.0' is blinding us to the reality that customers are spending more time than ever making basic voice calls. There are a wealth of potentially valuable smart voice features, ranging from conference calling and call waiting to texting to decline calls, which are failing because of poor user experience.
The full version of the Manifesto and details of how to respond can be downloaded here.
The founder of the conference, Marek Pawlowski, said: "If we as an industry are to inspire consumers to do more with their mobiles we must become better at seeing the world through the customer's eyes. Too many products still reach the market with impressive technical specifications only to be rendered unuseable by poor experience."
William Clement, European marketing head at Nuance Mobile, added: "With Nuance now at the heart of user experience from the call centre through to the mobile handset, the MEX conference is the natural forum for us to interact with key industry leaders and experts."
