Challenges involved in designing multi-modal voice- and touch-interactive user experiences in the car

By Karen Kaushansky

Guest contributor Karen Kaushansky organized the “My Car is Talking But What’s it Saying?’ panel at this year’s SXSW Interactive. Karen is a User Experience Designer at Tellme, a Microsoft subsidiary that specializes in telephone-based applications. In January the company announced its first automotive engagement; Tellme is providing voice technology for Ford Motor Company’s new Sync Traffic, Directions and Information service.

Designing interactions for the car is different than designing for anywhere else. Sure, designing instrumentation and car bodies exist and continue to evolve but within the last decade there’s been an emerging focus on vehicle telematics, defined in part on Wikipedia as “the convergence of telecommunications and information processing,” which refers to things like built-in GPS navigation and Personal Navigation Devices, integrated hands-free cell phones and automatic driving-assistance systems.

SmartGauge with EcoGuide is a new instrument cluster that provides provides real-time information to help hybrid drivers achieve maximum fuel efficiency. Mike Jones, a “My Car is Talking, But What’s it Saying?” panelist, was the lead interaction designer on the Smart Design team for the recently launched instrument cluster, which will be available in 2010 Ford and Mercury hybrid sedans.

When I started looking at this space, I found very few resources to guide and validate the way to design these types of interactions in the car. For example, the balance of audio and visual feedback when making a phone call or providing real-time personalized traffic. Because of the current state of the design of some of these systems that do not adhere to even the most basic design principles, it is clear there is a need to invest in design and share related information in the industry. Some of this information exists, I am sure, within the automotive or OEM companies, but might be guarded and proprietary.

I went looking for designers and insight at Telematics Detroit in 2008 and heard Gartner’s Thilo Koslowski talk about high-level successful strategies for designing “Vehicle-Centric Information & Communication Technologies.” He explained how better interactions would create better experiences, that the HMI (human machine interface) needs to be easy to use, and that in the future the UI/HMI/usability will be a requirement for differentiation. This was a start.

And so was born the My Car is Talking But What’s it Saying panel at SXSW Interactive — a way to dig deeper into the current design issues in the car with folks with similar interests. For 60 minutes we shared rich and diverse experiences and viewpoints,  exploring some of the challenges, research and principles of in-car design and discussing  the vehicle of the future. It was the tip of the iceberg, as was made evident when one audience member said that he wished the panel was a full-day discussion. I too am still looking for a way to continue the conversation.

The My Car is Talking But What’s it Saying? panel consisted of:
Mary S. Butler, Senior Content Strategist, Razorfish
Mike Jones, Senior Interaction Designer,  Smart Design
Karen Kaushansky, User Experience Designer, Tellme A Microsoft Subsidiary
David Kidd, third-year doctoral student, George Mason University
Jason Kriese, UX Program Manager, Microsoft

Related links:

• Telematics entry on Wikipedia
• Telematics Detroit
• Gartner Analyst Profile: Thilo Koslowski
• My Car is Talking But What’s it Saying presentation on SlideShare
• Razorfish, Automotive Case Studies
• Smart Design
• Tellme
• George Mason University, Arch Lab
• Microsoft Auto

Image credit:
SmartGauge with EcoGuide instrument panel in the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid photo appears courtesy of Wieck Media

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