The age of the Graphical User Interface, or GUI, has provided the cornerstone of human-computer-interaction in digital devices for nearly three decades. A GUI allows users to easily adapt to new methods of data interaction because the interface, at its most basic level, was designed as a digital implementation of physical objects with which all users are familiar. Over time, as the interfaces improved, the correlation became more clear and direct. Operating systems allow users to drag items onto a digital trash can to delete. Word Processing programs present users with a digital sheet of paper on which they can edit their content neatly and efficiently. Flash applications and web ‘pages’ simulate page turns by allowing the user to click and/or drag the corner of a page to move forward/back.

We’re entering a new age once again: now that our digital devices prominently feature touch interfaces, the ways of interacting with the devices and the content they present have begun to displace the methods of interaction made popular via traditional methods of human-computer interaction, most notably the monitor-mouse-keyboard setup. The interactions that went from physical to digital in the late 70s and early 80s are now merging – tapping, flicking and turning our digital devices allows us to physically interact with our digital content in ways not possible before now. Furthermore, these new levels and forms of interaction allow (and perhaps require) us to re-imagine the way we produce and deliver digital content.

Some producers are already well on their way, the most prevalent example perhaps being the Wired Magazine iPhone/iPad application. This app combines the best features of both the print and digital worlds – users can swipe through pages or use a high-level table of contents/navigation to jump to specific articles, and the physical construction of the iPad gives users the tactile experience they are used to with magazines. In addition, in-page interactive elements like playable video and rotating 3D models provide a much richer experience than possible with traditional print media. 

So what does this mean for the producers and developers of digital content, practically speaking? We need to be thinking beyond the traditional desktop browsing and interactive experiences when creating digital media in order to enable our sites and applications to take advantage of touch interfaces where possible. For example: sites like CNN have reworked their content delivery mechanisms to allow users on mobile touch devices to play video right in the page thanks to HTML5; and ESPN delivers content via an alternate interface for mobile touch devices, which allow users to expand and collapse menus and navigation items rather than relying on hovering, which these devices do not allow.

But this isn’t all about simply accommodating the restrictions or basic features of touch devices; it is also about opening up new possibilities. Google has reworked its image search results page to allow iPhone and other mobile touch users to swipe left and right to switch between images; websites and applications developed for the iPad and other tablet devices take advantage of the multiple orientations to provide various content areas and navigational elements based on the way that the user prefers to hold their physical device. Now we’re beginning to explore and see what’s possible with digital collateral kits, sales tools and other traditionally print-only pieces that are being transformed into intuitive and interactive digital experiences.

To learn about the role touch interfaces can play in your marketing initiatives, give us a call at 617.338.8922 or get in touch.