Leveraging the context of use in mobile service design

Abstract

User-centered design for mobile devices and services is becoming increasingly difficult. Not only do the devices have inherent usability constraints and widely divergent characteristics, but also the mere mobile context of use presents an array of design challenges. Besides challenges, the mobile context of use also offers opportunities for truly helping people accomplishing their goals more effectively. In this paper we discuss the value of understanding the mobile context of use and propose a structured approach to improve the design of, what is ultimately an user’s “ecosystem of connected terminals”. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2002.