User interfaces that have voices

mailbox

Just came across this picture of an ambient mailbox. Not sure about you, but I’d like a mailbox like this. The idea of a rapidly filling inbox screaming at me, makes me uneasy. Action me, action me!

How could we design sites and web applications that are cognescient of action and reaction from users? Interfaces that not only tell us things, but tell us in a particular sort of voice.

Think about for minute. How many mails do receive every day? Wouldn’t it be interesting if you could set boundaries or rules for the display of those mails. Not a simple rule that reroutes a mail to folder and marks it as read, but rather a rule or some plugged-in intelligence (like a profile) that could modify the display of a mailbox. An intelligent skin.

I could define a rule turning my mailbox turn from light grey to progressively red for every unread mail item past an acceptable threshold. Perhaps, I’d like to highlight certain mail threads because of keywords, senders or titles by changing their default color or size (from line item to full item preview).

Most emailers are used to the idea of setting up rules to sort mail, how about rules to define mail display?

Photo by Jessamyn. Licenced under CC.

July 15th, 2009 at 1:59 pm • Filed in Design, Geekery



Comments

2 Comments to “User interfaces that have voices”

  1. Michael Says:
    July 15th, 2009 at 3:58 pm

    Spec it up, persuade some coders to hack it out, and rise in the ranks to be the next Julie Lar.

    :)



  2. Alexia Says:
    July 15th, 2009 at 4:07 pm

    Julie who? :)



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