Trigger::Interaction::Resolution

I have been focused upon posting to two other blogs, one which is my annotated bibliography (seek previous post). In the latest post to annotatedBib I have made a connection between an explication of interaction design by Bill Verplank of Ivrea and Stanford, and an explication of experience design by August de los Reyes. These can be summed up in the following diagrams based upon originals.

Interaction Design: Bill Verplank

Experience Design: August de los Reyes

I see there is a correlation between these two concepts that help to describe the interaction experienced by a user.

For every interaction there is a trigger to set it off. This results in a resolution to the interaction. This resolution in turn sparks off another trigger and so the cycle continues.

Mapping this experience cycle onto Verplank's diagram the user must first know what the trigger is and then do something to set it off. The interaction is communicated by a combination of aural, visual and/or tactile feedback leading to the final resolution.

This resolution can be experienced emotionally, physically, sensory, cognitively and intellectually. The user then feels that something has happened and the interactive cycle can continue until the desired task has been achieved.

By mapping the experience to the interactive cycle it is possible to understand the process of designing a successful interface. After all, as Verplank puts it "It is the responsibility of the designer to help people understand what is happening!"

References
de los Reyes, A. (2002) Flash Design for Mobile Devices, Hungry Minds Inc. p36