Deconstruct an Interaction: The Touchpad

Desiree Beaubien . Joshua Frechette . Laila Siddiqui . Bradley Crystal
Project One
Deconstruct and Interaction

The Touchpad


Ethnographic Research

Why is this interaction necessary?
To interact with the computer, calling on specific actions to take place based on the input provided using the touchpad.

What are the items of interaction?
The touchable and sensitive surface combined with the button.

Where and when does the interaction start and finish?
Once the user has decide to perform an action, the mouse pointer must be moved by the touchpad and the interaction begins. When the user has completed the desired action, the mouse pointer is stopped by removing the hand from the touchpad.

What are the tasks performed in the interaction?
Which are critical?
Moving the mouse pointer using the touchable surface and making a selection by either depressing the button or tapping the touchable surface. Both tasks are critical for the successful function
of the touchpad.

What are the goals of the people in the interaction?
How are these goals met or not met by the system?
To move the mouse pointer to the required location on the screen in the most efficient way to successfully navigate the application in use. The use of a touchpad involves becoming accustom to its sensitivity and unique shortcut gestures, requiring a new system to be understood to use each touchpad 
model efficiently.



Trends

• Every user’s unused fingers were held hovering over the touchpad.
• Many users allowed their thumb to rest on the side surface of the laptop.
• Initial orientation and finding the mouse pointer required extra effort for some users.

Gestalt's Principles of Perception
The principle of common fate is apparent in the touchpad because the physical movement of each task in virtually replicated on the screen. The unique features of each touchpad model create an interference effect until the user becomes accustom to the new model. By using a high contrast, highlighting allows the user to more easily find the location of the mouse pointer. The proximity of the button to the touchable surface indicates that the two work in tandem.

Feedback
The instant feedback provided by the touchpad makes it very easy for the user to determine if they are using the device correctly. Depressing the button to click makes a “click” sound as well as physically moves down to indicate to the user that a successful click has occurred. Moving a finger across the touchable surface provides feedback by moving the mouse pointer on the screen.

Mapping
The touchable surface of the touchpad is designed to represent the screen you are looking at. Moving your finger in a certain direction and to a certain place on that surface corresponds to where the mouse pointer is located on the screen.

Maps & Diagrams



Opportunities for Improvement

• Universal standard for finger gestures making it easy to move from one device to another.
• Sensor to track accuracy and increase/decrease the sensitivity of the touchable surface automatically, allowing the user to move the mouse pointer most efficiently.
• Place an second button on the side surface of the laptop for use by the thumb.
• Place a soft, grip surface on either side of the touchable surface to place unused fingers comfortably.
• Integrate button into entire touchable surface *

* This feature has been already integrated into new Apple laptops