Well, I have used my iPhone now since August. It is becoming more clear all the time that it is a great design for me. It is so nice to use. Of course, I have realized some things that I miss, but I am convinced that those functions will be there soon. The most interesting observation is that some people show me or try to convince me that there are other phones with the same or even more functionality, and I know that is true. But the overall experience of the iPhone makes those comparisons quite uninteresting. The overall interactive gestalt of the iPhone is what makes it unique. To me the iPhone as a design shows that design is about the whole and the relations between details and the whole. It is a design that shows that less functionality (or what some would call compromises) does not have to be a negative thing if it is designerly composed into the whole and fits the overall design.
Interaction Design, HCI, Philosophy of Design, Technology and Society
Comments
I agree, the notion of interaction gestalt is a promising one and is a key concept in some of the research I am involved in at the moment. what are the constitutive elements is a good question, and something we are working on. Still it is a bit early but we have some preliminary ideas presented in for instance our paper "Interaction Gestalt and the Design of Aesthetic Interactions"
Best
Erik
Btw, thanks for letting me play with it on christmas. Take care!