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Wireless device connection problems and design solutions

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Abstract

Users, especially the non-expert users, commonly experience problems when connecting multiple devices with interoperability. While studies on multiple device connections are mostly concentrated on spontaneous device association techniques with a focus on security aspects, the research on user interaction for device connection is still limited. More research into understanding people is needed for designers to devise usable techniques. This research applies the Research-through-Design method and studies the non-expert users’ interactions in establishing wireless connections between devices. The “Learning from Examples” concept is adopted to develop a study focus line by learning from the expert users’ interaction with devices. This focus line is then used for guiding researchers to explore the non-expert users’ difficulties at each stage of the focus line. Finally, the Research-through-Design approach is used to understand the users’ difficulties, gain insights to design problems and suggest usable solutions. When connecting a device, the user is required to manage not only the device's functionality but also the interaction between devices. Based on learning from failures, an important insight is found that the existing design approach to improve single-device interaction issues, such as improvements to graphical user interfaces or computer guidance, cannot help users to handle problems between multiple devices. This study finally proposes a desirable user-device interaction in which images of two devices function together with a system image to provide the user with feedback on the status of the connection, which allows them to infer any required actions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK

    Ji-Won Song

  2. The Design Lab, University of California, San Diego, 92093, USA

    Donald Norman

  3. Department of Industrial Design, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, South Korea

    Tek-Jin Nam

  4. Department of Design, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK

    Shengfeng Qin

Authors
  1. Ji-Won Song
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  2. Donald Norman
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  3. Tek-Jin Nam
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  4. Shengfeng Qin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shengfeng Qin.

Additional information

SONG Ji-Won, born in 1972, is currently a part-time lecturer at Kyungsung University, South Korea. She received her PhD degree from Brunel University London, UK, in 2015, and this research has been conducted at Brunel University London. Her research interests include user interaction design, user experience design, and design research methods.

NORMAN Donald is a professor and the Director of the Design Lab at the University of California, San Diego (USA). He is also an honorary professor and advisor to the College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University, China and was a Distinguished professor at KAIST, South Korea. He is a member of the American National Academy of Engineering and author of numerous books on design, including Design of Everyday Things.

NAM Tek-Jin is a professor at Department of Industrial Design, KAIST, South Korea. His research interests lie at the intersection of industrial design and design-oriented human–computer interaction. The focus is on creating people-centric values of future products and services and structured approaches to creative design and innovation.

QIN Shengfeng, born in 1962, is a professor at School of Design, Northumbria University, UK. His main research interests include digital design and manufacturing, design innovation and interaction design.

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Song, JW., Norman, D., Nam, TJ. et al. Wireless device connection problems and design solutions. Chin. J. Mech. Eng. 29, 1145–1155 (2016). https://doi.org/10.3901/CJME.2016.0715.081

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.3901/CJME.2016.0715.081

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