Design Tip #3 for Creating Multi-Touch Experiences - Attract Attention

After years of enabling our customers to build interactive content, we've identified what we formally call "10 Things You Need To Know When Creating Multi-Touch Experiences". Informally, each tip represents an area of focus whose insight can make the difference between a successful and a failed deployment.

Design Tip #3 - Attract Attention

Building for a public place? Don’t forget you have to capture the attention of all pass by. The greatest touch-first experience is useless if no one engages with your hard work.

Create an attract loop

An attract loop is a video or effect designed to run endlessly when your installation is unattended with the goal of attracting attention. We can't always place carnival barkers at each display, so you'll need the content itself to do the hard work. A looping video can do the trick. Even better is to make it obvious that your screen is meant to be touched. Display messages like "Touch me!" or graphics indicating that poking fingers are welcome.

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Anticipate and elegantly address transitions from one user to another

Minimally, insert a timeout after which your experience will reset to the attract loop. Pick a length of time you believe won't end a session prematurely for a visitor. (If you have a three minute video, your timeout length should be at least three minutes and one second.) Also consider adding a "Start Over" button so folks can reset the experience themselves. Keep in mind, this isn't just about your next user, it's about protecting the privacy of the previous user.

Take the environment into consideration

Want to use sounds/music to get attention? Not if your installation is in a loud place! On the other hand, a little "Psst!" message in a museum could do the trick. Just be sure to balance effective with annoying. You want your content to be a pleasant surprise, not something to be avoided.

Consider installation look and feel

The enclosure and/or mount should aid your efforts to be noticed. For example, in the image below, there's a big red sign high above the store's inventory. Sure, it's old school - but it works. Just make sure your color and font selections fit the ambiance and serve the demographics well.

Think about presence detection

For example, IntuiFace can use services like Quividi or devices like Phidgets to sense when people are close to the screen. Proximity detection becomes a trigger for on-screen actions. That'll really get your audience's attention!

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