Designing Multi-Device Experiences

Chapter 2. The Consistent Design Approach

This chapter introduces the first of the 3Cs framework—the consistent approach to multi-device design. We’ll see how this approach, by which the same core experience is ported across devices (with some adjustments per device), sets the stage for multi-device design. It is, however, only Act One.

To lay the groundwork for the upcoming discussion of the three design approaches in operation, I’ll first focus on each one in isolation, provide examples of how it is employed in existing products, and extract important design takeaways. In later chapters, I’ll discuss how the different approaches coexist and intertwine to construct a richer ecosystem experience, composed of a broader set of contexts and meeting broader user needs. With this foundation, we’ll be able to spread our wings even wider into the world of the Internet of Things (IoT). We will analyze the new opportunities a fully connected world introduces, the challenges that go along with them, and how we can overcome those hurdles and create even more innovative, creative, and successful experiences.

By learning to identify and incorporate these multi-device approaches into your design process and design thinking, you will be able to build better experiences for your users—experiences that span across space and time, devices and things, and the digital and physical, but that still remain true to the core essence of UX: people. If you focus on people, put their needs and goals in the center, ...