Short answer
When designing for cross-platform products, explicitly define and evaluate usability and user experience considering the entire user journey across all intended platforms.
- Field
- User-Centred Design
- Source
- Academic Publication (2015)
- Method
- Literature Review and Theoretical Development
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Traditional definitions of usability and user experience are insufficient for evaluating cross-platform interactive systems, necessitating a broader conceptual framework. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2015 study published in Academic Publication. Using Literature review and theoretical development, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing for cross-platform products, explicitly define and evaluate usability and user experience considering the entire user journey across all intended platforms.
Cross-Platform Usability Requires Expanded Definitions
Traditional definitions of usability and user experience are insufficient for evaluating cross-platform interactive systems, necessitating a broader conceptual framework.
Academic Publication · 2015
Key Findings
- 01Existing definitions of usability and user experience do not adequately address the complexities of cross-platform interactive systems.
- 02New, expanded definitions are required to conceptualize and evaluate cross-platform usability and user experience effectively.
Application
Design takeaway
When designing for cross-platform products, explicitly define and evaluate usability and user experience considering the entire user journey across all intended platforms.
How to apply
When commencing a cross-platform design project, begin by establishing clear, expanded definitions for usability and user experience that encompass the unique challenges and opportunities of multi-platform interaction.
Project actions
- 01When evaluating your cross-platform design, consider how users move between devices and if the experience feels consistent.
- 02Think about what 'easy to use' means when a user might start on a mobile app and finish on a desktop website.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Provides a strong theoretical foundation for a critical design challenge.
- +Identifies a clear gap in existing research and practice.
Limitations
It can be challenging to find participants who regularly use the exact combination of devices and platforms your design targets.
Reliability & validity
The reliability of the findings would depend on the consistency of the literature review process. Validity is enhanced by drawing on established HCI theories but is limited by the lack of empirical testing of the proposed definitions.
Think critically
To what extent do the proposed expanded definitions for cross-platform usability and user experience account for the diverse range of user behaviours and technological contexts encountered in real-world multi-platform usage?
Design Principles
"Cross-platform design requires a holistic approach to usability and user experience, acknowledging the impact of inter-platform transitions on user perception and interaction."
As digital products and services increasingly span multiple devices and platforms, designers must consider how user interactions and overall satisfaction are affected by these transitions. A nuanced understanding of cross-platform usability is crucial for creating seamless and effective user journeys.
What This Means for Your Design
When you design something that works on a phone and a computer, you can't just test it like it's only for one device. You need new ways to think about if it's easy to use and enjoyable across all the devices.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use the paper's argument to justify the need for a tailored evaluation framework for your cross-platform design project, rather than relying on generic usability metrics.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
The evaluation of cross-platform interactive systems necessitates an expanded understanding of usability and user experience beyond traditional single-platform definitions. This research highlights the inadequacy of existing frameworks and advocates for the development of new conceptual foundations to accurately assess user interaction and satisfaction across diverse devices and interfaces, a critical consideration for any design project involving multi-platform deployment.
Source
Academic Publication
Multiple User Interfaces and Crossplatform User Experience : Theoretical Foundations
journal · 2015
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about cross-platform usability requires expanded definitions?
- When designing for cross-platform products, explicitly define and evaluate usability and user experience considering the entire user journey across all intended platforms. Evidence: Academic Publication (2015).
- Why does "Cross-Platform Usability Requires Expanded Definitions" matter for design?
- As digital products and services increasingly span multiple devices and platforms, designers must consider how user interactions and overall satisfaction are affected by these transitions. A nuanced understanding of cross-platform usability is crucial for creating seamless and effective user journeys.
- How can designers apply this research?
- When designing for cross-platform products, explicitly define and evaluate usability and user experience considering the entire user journey across all intended platforms.
- What were the main findings?
- Existing definitions of usability and user experience do not adequately address the complexities of cross-platform interactive systems.. New, expanded definitions are required to conceptualize and evaluate cross-platform usability and user experience effectively.
- What research method was used?
- Literature Review and Theoretical Development.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2015 journal from Academic Publication.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When commencing a cross-platform design project, begin by establishing clear, expanded definitions for usability and user experience that encompass the unique challenges and opportunities of multi-platform interaction.
- What are the limitations?
- The paper focuses on theoretical foundations and does not present empirical validation of the proposed definitions.