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Leena Piponius

As end users of mobile devices we are all familiar with the frustration of being denied access to on-line services or, worse still, being thrown out of a service just before completing a transaction. Equally annoying can be the long time taken to find a desired function in the device, no matter how fancy the user interface is.

The possibilities of today’s technologies to produce unique and striking products and services are endless. In the midst of increasing technological complexity, the focus is rightfully returning back to the end user. The ultimate goal of devices and services is to generate good user experiences, in simple terms to have satisfied customers who find continuing pleasure in using the device or service.

This seemingly simple goal can become challenging in the highly fragmented and specialized industry characterized by strong dependencies and sometimes even conflicting interests of parties involved. Yet, each detail in the technological design and manufacturing process must seamlessly contribute to a positive user experience.

This issue of Context Switch focuses on the user experience related challenges from the perspective of both hardware manufacturers and software companies. The conceptual framework in which these challenges are presented is the User Experience Value Chain.

In the following articles, experts in user experience technologies provide some insight to the challenges facing the whole value chain and present possible solutions to these challenges. We hope that this issue of Context Switch will provide you fresh and inspiring perspectives for your business!

Enjoy the read!

Leena Piponius
Marketing and Communications

The New Value Chain Challenge

The New Value Chain Challenge

How to Build Desired User Experiences in a Coordinated Manner

By Konsta Hansson

Everyone and their dog are now in agreement about the importance of overall User Experience quality. Most of them have at least a hunch what that means. Many even know that the User Experience is a sum of parts, not a standalone entity. Some even understand that User Experience is not just a pretty User Interface on a touch screen...Read More »
What does it Take for a Device Manufacturer to Create a Good User Interface?

What does it Take for a Device Manufacturer to Create a Good User Interface?

Increasing Cost-efficiency by Software Implementation Skills

By Konsta Hansson

Being able to predict everything that is needed for creating a good User Experience is one thing, and in many ways falls upon the silicon and middleware vendors to solve. After all, the components are what make up the whole, and the silicon manufacturers are important aggregators of the different technologies. Their platforms make the devices possible (in consumer electronics anyway)...Read More »
Hardware Drivers can make a Significant Difference in Quality of User Experience

Hardware Drivers can make a Significant Difference in Quality of User Experience

dEQP Offers a Testing Toolkit to Detect Costly Low-level Software Stack Problems

By Panu Wilska

Working on a smoke & stability testing may not sound exciting; however there is a clear need in the market – ensuring good user experience requires an uncompromised functionality of the lowest level components in graphics software stack. Traditional graphics benchmarking solutions typically test raw performance, either graphics output in triangles, pixels, or frame rate. They will give you an indication of processing power, but they will not uncover any reliable information regarding quality...Read More »
Understanding Mobile Graphics Performance

Understanding Mobile Graphics Performance

By Laszlo Kishonti

Mobile graphics technology is developing rapidly behind the scenes. Choosing and implementing the appropriate graphics solution can make or break the success of new handsets.

When Kishonti Informatics started benchmarking mobile graphics at the end of 2002 it had only a couple of programmable mobile phones available, most of them supporting only the MIDP 1.0 Java Me specification with very limited graphics capabilities. Many of the LCD screens were black and white only with a resolution less than Quarter-QVGA...Read More »
Launching New web-based services - How to prepare for success?

Launching New Web-based Services - How to Prepare for Success?

Proper Performance Testing is a Key Contributor to Positive User Experiences

By Tero Takalo

Launching a new mobile service is tricky. You have already invested a decent amount of money developing a killer-service for masses of consumers; there’s an attractive user interface with all the bells and whistles and of course the appealing service content that will make a difference in millions of users' lives. Then there's the sizable amount spent on advertising campaigns convincing your target markets that this is what they have always needed...Read More »
Discovering Usability Issues

Discovering Usability Issues

The Mobile World after iPhone

By Lauri Niskanen

The concept of User Experience is something that’s on the lips of all service providers and device manufacturers, partly thanks to the breakthrough of Apple’s iPhone and service portfolio. Two years since launching the iPhone there are still no significant challengers in sight. What makes it so hard?...Read More »