One other note I want to clear out is a Mobile Lifestyle Manifesto I fancied writing. I kinda never finished it, though its been kicking around for a very long time.
So I thought in true Lazy Web style, I’d ask folks to add to it or point to similar ones so that we can create one that we all want to believe in.
Mobile Lifestyle Manifesto
- We are 3 billion strong, respect us – you serve us, you help us.
- We are not consumers, but active participants in our lives.
- We want to actively connect and communicate with others, not passively receive.
- Content is not the end point, but also the start and the middle, too – a catalyst for conversation.
- Don’t let technology interfere, we want to do things that just work, not fiddle, even if we know what we need to fiddle with.
- Keep us happy, or we will look for happiness elsewhere.
- My life is hyperconnected – a lot of stuff coming in and a lot going out. I have no problem with this, so don’t mess my flow, but be a part of it.
- Keep everything I do smooth, easy, beautiful, and simple.
- Show me the seams: Don’t obscure things either by making them too complex or too simple.
- Help me when I’m mobile. Help me when I’m not. Give me the right metaphors for the right moments – don’t mix them up.
Please feel free to add to this.
Trouble ahead
Nokia has a vision for our mobile future. They have divided us up into 4 groups. Earlier they divided us up into 6 archetypes: Communicators, Balancers, etc. Kind of strange that we are only 4 now, since handsets are diverging.
It is space and freedom of movement that I need
Well done Charlie. Well done.
A few of us here in NY (Semapedia, area/code, Socialight, and Winksite) have been intermittingly kicking around the idea of a Mobile Bill of Rights and planned on discussing it at MobileBarCamp on the 19th (http://barcamp.pbwiki.com/MobileCampNYC).
I’ve been trying to sort out my own thoughts as to where to begin…
…and then your post!
I’ve also been reflecting of late on Adam Greenfield’s ethical guidelines for user experience in ubiquitous-computing settings”.
Adam provided some general principles for us to observe, as designers and developers for ubiquitous (mobile) systems.
Principle 0, is, of course, first, do no harm.
Principle 1. Default to harmlessness. Ubiquitous systems must default to a mode that ensures their users’ (physical, psychic and financial) safety.
Principle 2. Be self-disclosing. Ubiquitous systems must contain provisions for immediate and transparent querying of their ownership, use, capabilities, etc., such that human beings encountering them are empowered to make informed decisions regarding exposure to same.
Principle 3. Be conservative of face. Ubiquitous systems are always already social systems, and must contain provisions such that wherever possible they not unnecessarily embarrass, humiliate, or shame their users.
Principle 4. Be conservative of time. Ubiquitous systems must not introduce undue complications into ordinary operations.
Principle 5. Be deniable. Ubiquitous systems must offer users the ability to opt out, always and at any point.
The underlining theme behind both your Mobile Lifestyle Manifesto and Adam’s principles – “People First”.
Hmmmm.
People First.
Perhaps some of I’ve posted on my site will provoke further development along the lines of “bills” and “democracy”, mainly my proposal, “Re-Configuring the Global Organisms’Operating System Through Mobile Democracy”.
http://mobile-democracy.net
Also, an interesting example of mobile tech versus repressive regimes like in Zimbabwe(Mugabe) is this:
http://www.smartmobs.com/archive/2007/02/16/news_into_160_c….html
And I plan on attending the MobileCamp this Saturday…