Making mobile TV a success: what current services do right and wrong

Serco Usability Services has been investigating how users react to this first generation of mobile television products, and is offering a one-day workshop to discuss this new field. The workshop will reveal the results of this research, and explore methods for designing and conducting user research for emerging technologies such as mobile TV.

The design and development of mobile TV services involves unique user research and usability challenges. While best practice for digital iTV and mobile interfaces is well established, mobile television ties these fields together, and in doing so presents new issues. How can designers harness the potential of these new integrated technologies to provide products and services that are both usable and useful? What are users’ expectations of mobile TV, and how are current services measuring up?

On 21st June 2006 Serco Usability Services will run a pioneering hands-on workshop which looks in detail at the emerging technology of mobile TV, the usability issues for current mobile TV services, and best practice advice on how organisations can maximise the potential of new technologies through a user-centred approach.

The course brings together the findings of a recent independent research studies carried out by Serco’s consultants. The course was developed by Andrew Swartz and Kate McCluskey.

Kate McCluskey says, “Studying emerging technologies requires techniques not only to capture how users react to their first glimpse of a new product, but also to expose how their needs are likely to evolve as the product becomes more familiar. The course explores techniques for understanding how the product can be developed for both existing users and the many potential users who have yet to experience mobile TV, and who may even be ignorant of its existence”.

Andrew Swartz adds, “There’s no doubt that there are elements of current services which need improvement from the user’s perspective, such as the need for an effective programme browsing function. In this course we try to look beyond identifying the usability problems, to offer best practice advice on how organisations can employ user-centred techniques effectively when developing and introducing emerging technologies. Through coupling our methodological experience with our independent research, we’ve produced a course which is not only insightful but also offers practical lessons to take away.”

Anyone interested in finding out more about the course should contact gemma.wisdom@serco.com.

About Serco Usability Services
Serco Usability Services has a 30-year history. It is the most experienced company in the UK usability industry and one of the most experienced in international usability. Serco Usability Services provides consulting, support and training services to both public and private sector clients and across websites, mobile applications, interactive TV and appliances. We employ world-recognised experts in usability and accessibility who regularly appear at industry events and remain at the cutting edge of best practice and research.

The company is a subsidiary of Serco Group (www.serco.com), an international services company. Serco Group is a FTSE 250 company whose turnover was £2,260m for the year ending 31 December 2005.

For more information or to arrange a press interview please contact:

Gemma Wisdom, Marketing Manager
Serco Usability Services
T: 020 7421 6499
E: gemma.wisdom@serco.com
www.serco.com/usability