“Ooh, ah, that’s how it always starts. But then later there’s running and screaming.”
– Ian Malcolm, Jurassic Park
Touchscreen wall. Interactive wall. Multi-touch control. The Minority Report experience. No matter what you call it, you can’t overstate the WOW factor of touch-enabled video walls. Proper execution means starting at the root of the user experience.
Touch-Control Changes the User Experience
Let’s use Angry Birds as the control variable for our user experience. With 500 million downloads and 400 billion birds shot, there’s a strong chance you’ve played it. The concept is simple enough for a phone: touch your finger to the screen, drag a bird back, aim, release finger. Now imagine scaling this up across a 20′ x 6′ touchscreen video wall. Launching birds becomes a full-body experience requiring arm extensions and knee bending!
Let’s trade out Angry Birds for a spreadsheet. Excel’s user experience, designed around keyboard & mouse control, won’t pair well with 20′ x 6′ touchscreen. Running back and forth like Vanna White is not the ideal workflow for Monday meetings. Everyday applications designed for touchscreens scale more easily to video walls over task-specific ones intended for desktops.
Plan it Out First
So, where does this leave us? Purpose-driven applications translate into better user experiences and should be researched and considered in early planning for a large touchscreen wall. Platforms like ThinkHub provide collaborative tool-sets great for meeting rooms. Taking things a step further, a group like SpinTouch can develop custom brand experiences for guest immersion. Having your team agree on the overall goal for interactive walls can set expectations and ensures ease of use for any user.
Technical concerns aside, addressing the user experience first can avoid a Jurassic Park level disaster. Matters regarding line of sight, scaling, and ergonomics are worth consultation by those with industry expertise. Don’t put the cart before the horse. Know what your needs are before looking for a solution so the experts can better deliver on those needs with custom designs tailored just for you.