Caught in the Consumer Hurricane
We have been trained to be consumers, to be swept up by the hurricane and follow where it goes.
How might we design technology that first and foremost helps people achieve their goals, instead of being consumers of other people’s content?
Today, our devices have trained us to be consumers. It’s second nature to open up a device, and immediately tap or click through to look at content. To consume. Notifications made it even easier to consume by bringing you a smorgasbord of tempting content morsels to consume — you don’t even need to open the menu to pick what you want to consume first! It’s only a tap away to open up a (social) media feed and start swiping through.
How might we change our personal devices to prioritize helping us achieve our goals instead of being consumers?
It’s a harder path to open up a device with the intent to create. There are literally more steps to take. There’s never a notification inviting you to capture what’s on your mind. To nudge you towards your goals.
- How might we help people not get pulled into unintended rabbit holes when they open their device?
- How might we put people back in control of their own behavior with their personal devices?
- How might we open a device and have it be easier to transfer thoughts from your mind into the device than it is to consume other people’s content?
Is calm tech the solution?
Calm tech is about how you design technology that becomes a part of a user’s life and not a distraction from it. I encourage you to check out Amber Case’s Calm Technology book if you want to learn more.
We could all use more calm tech in our lives. I believe that a personal device that we use everyday should behave more like an empty canvas than a casino. Calm, not chaotic. Then we can regain control over our own behavior while still using technology to improve our lives.
Saara Kamppari-Miller
Design Strategy, User Experience Design, Interaction Design
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