tap is the new click

(((How will we read, see and interact with stories when the devices that show them are based on interaction through gesture?)))

designing interfaces for gestures

Even though the technology has been around for decades, only now are we starting to see mass production and adoption of touchscreen and gestural devices for the public… the launches of Nintendo’s Wii, Apple’s iPhone, and Microsoft Surface, have announced a new era of interaction design, one where gestures in space and touches on a screen will be as prominent as pointing and clicking.

But how do you create products for this new paradigm? While most of us know how to design desktop and web applications, what do you need to know to design for interactive gestures?

…usability and ergonomics; a brief history of the technology; some elemental patterns of use; prototyping and documenting; and how to communicate that a gestural interface is present to users.