IKONA ABSTRACT

The IKONA is a communication product that provides

close friends with a shared emotional and environ-

mental experience. Our device is exclusively targeted

at one-on-one communication, focused on young

adults between the age of 18-25. Friends can

communicate through expressive iconic symbols and

a subtle ambient glow. The device is carried with you

at all times–on a key chain or in a pocket. The IKONA

is non-intrusive, and provides cues of information

about your intimate friend, showing whether they

are at home, work, or away. Initial feedback from our

evaluations suggest that this quick non-conventional

form of communication is perceived by potential

users to be fun and has the potential to build a feel-

ing of closeness amongst friends.

COLLABORATIVE PLAY PROJECT

The Collaborative Play Project intended to develop

a way to actively engage with friends at a distance.

The idea for the project came from Media Lab Europe,

who created a system in which two remotely located

participants can play soccer against each other. The

exertion interface “makes you tired and sweaty and

supports you in bringing you closer to old friends.”

The project was in collaboration with Dutch

interaction design students. This allowed the student

teams from the Netherlands and Carnegie Mellon

University to engage in long distance communication.

This fostered an environment both of cooperation

and feedback.

PROCESS

Stage 1 research and design direction hypothesis

Brainstorm ideas about product context and users and

technologies that might be used to support interaction.

Stage 2 research and research analysis

Conduct research according to the plan developed

Stage 1. Explore alternative contexts or situations.

Summarize the research and highlight of specific

important details as well as a set of design

implications or framework.

Stage 3 construct - concept development

Develop a wide range of concepts that respond to the

design implications or framework.

Stage 4 refine - user testing

Revise and improve the first iteration of the final

product. ‘Expert’ interviews, paper prototype and other

forms of evaluating the product will be conducted with

product concepts and real users.

Stage 5 reflect - final product

discovery user research concept development user testing refinementprototype

TYPES OF RESEARCH

Surveys on-line

Daily journal

Observation

Face to face interview

Direct storytelling

Once research data was collected, we sorted

the findings using a method of information

mapping (shown below). From the group-

ings it was apparent that friendship activities

ranged from emotional to physical, and from

outdoor to indoor. This grouping led to the

idea of a “balance of needs” in a relationship.

Individuals want both emotional and physical

activities to maintain a relationship.

ANALYSIS OF RESEARCH

The information gathered from the research is

captured and analyzed in formats such as

diagrams, photographs, and videotape. After

each phase of research, the results are

discussed in team meetings. We determine

what the findings are, why they are important,

and the implications of those findings on

future iterations of development.

We also found that close friends are not inter-

ested in playing a physical game together, but

rather feeling emotionally connected.

“When I’m doing something like sports, it’s more

like creating memories like laughing and joking

about... The moments make me feel most connect

to friends are just literally talking about things are

important to us. Having long conversations that is

more meaningful .“

Adventure Driven Sport Driven

Game DrivenCommunication Driven

emotional physical

outdoor

indoor

Through the research analysis,

our targeted users are defined

as in the ‘communication driven’

group. They value communica-

tion as a tool connecting to their

friends and enjoy activities that

are conducive to talking.

PERSONASMelani is 21 year old, a college

student. Communication is

important to her, not play.

She maintains relationship with

friends and boyfriend at a distance.

She wants to feel private, comfort-

able and emotional interaction is

important.

Her life goals are to avoid loneli-

ness, to be happy, and to maintain

relationship with several close

friends. Her experience goals are

feeling of togetherness, and

having fun. Her end goals are to

keep in touch successfully, to make

effective use of time, to maintain

desired level of interaction, and

to keep friends updated on her

activities.

hanging out in a nice environmentroad tripamusement parkshopping...

extreme sports(bunge jump, sky diving)professional sporting event...

instant messengerface to face talkscreating memoriesliterally talking...

chess, card gameroller coastervirtual mini golfroller coaster simulator...

FINDINGSThe sorting of research information led to several

key findings that helped to form the concept for this

project.

TIME

The age group we are targeting does not have

enough time to allot to friends–especially not friends

at a distance. Through surveying we found that

young adults spend 2-3 hours per day communicat-

ing with close-by friends and only communicate with

friends at a distance once a week. This dramatic drop

in communication proves that an efficient and con-

venient form of communication would be useful in

maintaining long distance relationships.

TALKING

Friends enjoy activities that are conducive to talking.

This is not necessarily true of sports. In most cases,

sports are engaging and allow friends to create mem-

ories, however the physical nature of sports prevents

emotional communication. Young adults would prefer

to build emotionally on existing friendships rather

than ‘getting physical.’

NOT TECHNOLOGY BASED

Some people are not technology based. Interviews

indicated that users would much rather have technol-

ogy represented through a form with which they are

comfortable. Our communication device should take

the form of something that could easily become an

everyday object.

SPECIAL FRIENDS

People only maintain really close friends. It’s true

of young adults that the friends they keep in touch

with are only their really close friends, as opposed to

acquaintances. Through direct storytelling, it became

evident that users did not want a “Buddy List™,”

however an intimate object to create a feeling of

closeness with one special friend.

CONCEPTThe key research findings shaped the IKONA

concept. The device should bring together aspects

of environment, emotion, and communication to

create a new language with which to communicate.

By creating the same mood, we can suggest a feel-

ing of togetherness. Within the device, ambient

lighting will share cues of information. Additionally,

the device must be easily accessible and portable;

allow users to communicate both physically and

emotionally; and find an intimate way for really

close friends to interact one-on-one. This can be

achieved by developing a portable, handheld device

that allows friends to communicate through

expressive iconic symbols.

PROCESS SKETCHESTo develop a device to portray the concept,

sketches were produced to reflect the

portability, shape, and feel.

INITIAL PROTOTYPEOur initial prototype is a artifact in a form of

keychain, a small form to place on desk, or a

small accessary that is wearable. Friends

communicate feelings and activities through

icons on screen.

USER TESTINGThe final device was highly influenced by user test-

ing. The various methods utilized were paper proto-

typing, think aloud method, on-screen prototyping,

color surveys, and expert interviews. The testing was

performed in two sessions, the first sessions tested

3 individuals. After reviewing the data collected from

users, the initial ideas were refined, and a second

session was conducted.

To test the device form and shape, models created

of clay represented a range of handheld sizes. Users

preferred a circular shape, claiming it was more or-

ganic and human-like. Of the various sizes tested, the

form that was two inches in diameter was most popu-

lar. Next color was tested with face-to-face question-

ing. There was no clear majority in color choice,

suggesting a need for customizable ambient glow.

Ease of use and navigation was assessed with paper

prototyping. For initial IKONA setup, a web configura-

tion was necessary. A paper prototype followed by

a online prototype led to the refinements needed for

clear navigation.

worthy - unique

clear - soft

soft - pure

smooth - glowing

As for materiality of the device, users seemed

to prefer a precious, glowing material, with a

smooth feel.

FINAL PROTOTYPEThe device took its final form following refinements

after user testing. Above is the IKONA, with ambient

indicating the friend is at work, home, or away

(respectively). On the left is the final Basic Icon Set.

Additional icon sets can be purchased on the inter-

net.

NAVIGATIONThe image shown depicts the features of the IKONA

and how to use the device. The navigation works

through hotspots on the interactive touch screen.

Cardinal points navigate UP, DOWN, LEFT, and RIGHT.

To send a message to a friend, one would first navi-

gate left and right to select an icon set (the Basic Icon

Set is the default, however additional sets can be

purchased). Next, navigating up and down through

that icon set reveals expressive icons to send to a

friend. To select an icon simply tap on the center of

the screen.

HOW TO USE YOUR IKONA

ON / OFFHold bottom screen ‘hotspot’ in for five seconds.

NAVIGATE LEFT / RIGHTTouch ‘hotspot’ points on the left and right of the screen. This will select your Ikon sets.

NAVIGATE UP / DOWNSelect the message you would like to send by pressing the ‘hotspots’ on the top and bottom of the screen.

TO SELECTSimply tap on the center of the

screen to select your set or Ikon.

CELLULAR NETWORKThe IKONA will work through an existing cellular

network. Enabled with GPS, the IKONA will send its

GPS coordinates through the cellular network, allow-

ing the IKONAs to track the location of one another.

Any web information–for instance, if a new icon set

is purchased on the internet–will also be sent

through the cellular network and to both IKONAs.

SCENARIOBy creating user scenarios, the range of situations for

IKONA use are addressed. Above is one such scenario

which takes Mel, a recent college graduate, and

illustrates a situation in which she interacts with the

IKONA. In this case, the IKONA is showing that Mel’s

boyfriend, Derek is home from work and she reacts

by giving him a call.

The start of Derek’s work day

Derek recently graduated from col-lege and is adjusting to his life as a young professionals. He misses his girlfriend Mel. She is still attending university. While thinking about Mel, he takes out his IKONA and decides to send a message.

Using touch screen cardinal points, Derek navigates up and down to select ‘I love you’ icon. Derek sends an icon to Mel for her to find when she wakes up.

Mel wakes at 8:30 a.m. Time to get ready for a busy school day. Mel no-tices she received a message on her IKONA. It’s a message from Derek symbolizing, ‘I Love You.’She is happy and goes to class.

Evening 7 p.m. Derek is home from work. Derek sees Mel is home that his IKONA is glowing blue. Mel also sees that Derek is home. Derek de-cides to give her a call. They have a nice conversation after a long day.

Mel sends Derek a ‘Good Night’ icon. She navigates up and down to select it.

They feel closer together even though they are apart. Derek and Mel go to bed happy.

CONCLUSIONThrough initial research, idea development and user

testing, emerged an innovative device for the commu-

nication field. The IKONA is not only a new language

with which to communicate, but also a way to feel

the presence of a friend. By quickly and easily send-

ing icons, friends receive cues of information about

one another. Furthermore, the ambient lighting of the

device represents the location of the friend, whether

he/she is at home, work, or away. This is a non-con-

ventional fun way to have a feeling of togetherness

and maintain an important relationship with a friend

at a distance.