Tutorial

2D barcodes are all the rage in Japan, and they have been for a couple of years; yet a large proportion of potential users do not know how to use the service. While walking around Shimo-Kitazawa, I have noticed the poster below. I like how elegantly the tutorial has been integrated to the ad. Technology company/engineers/designers often neglect to teach users how to interact with their new killer product.

Similarly mobile phones have been widely available for 10+ years, and S60 OS for 5 years or so, yet the Smartphone 360 study shows that people fall into the 20/80 pattern. In order to improve the user experience (and ARPU), Nokia is taking a similar approach than the Japanese advertisers. The Nokia N80 is introducing a Tutorial application which is designed as an interactive guide to help the user familiarize himself with his new phone/applications. Unlike this ad, the application is introduced to the user IMHO at the wrong time - during the first startup; and then buried into Applications>Tools>Tutorial. Introducing or bringing up to "the surface" at the right time for the user such application or feature is one of unsolved challenge for interaction designers. Since most attempts happened to be very disruptive and annoying (Microsoft/Apple), it may just be impossible.

Technorati: advertisement, barcode, design, interaction, mobilephones, Nokia, S60, startup, tokyo, tutorial