To Press or to Tap, That Is the Question

During the second session, a predictable issue quickly became apparent. Gerry was using the "press and hold" gesture instead of using the correct "tap" gesture. My 80-year-old father makes the same mistake and that got me thinking.

Gerry and my dad understand mechanical interactions. In the physical world, objects Gerry wants to interact with give her physical cues. Let’s take the example of Gerry typing on a keyboard. She has physical keys that help orient her fingers where to press and require a certain degree of force to successfully type the letter “A.” A touch screen is a smooth sheet of glass and the same amount of physical force is not needed to initiate actions. Taking that into consideration, it makes sense that Gerry is defaulting to Press and Hold.

I demonstrated the difference between a tap and a press on Gerry's arm for her to feel the difference. It took her a few tries to get the correct amount of force on the tap. What was fun was when I pointed out some other standard gestures. She was tickled pink with the pinch/zoom gesture for opening up photos and being able to zooming in on her great-grandchild's face covered in birthday cake.

She was able to navigate pretty well in the photo app, starting to enjoy navigating around. She got somewhat confused over when to scroll up and when to scroll down. I could see why -- depending on where you were in the app, lists shifted from chronological order to reverse chronological order. I also started noticing just how complicated the iOS photo app has gotten.

Teaching her has been very rewarding. She has expressed real joy after the lessons. She has been feeling a bit left behind, is excited to see for herself what all the fuss is about, and is pleased to be a part of the things we enjoy. Her excitement reminds me of the time when I picked up an iPod at a local Target for the first time. I remember the sheer delight of interacting with something so clever, a step beyond any other MP3 player I had seen before.

Photo by Fabian Albert on Unsplash

The "Hail Mary Button" - Observations From the First Session

Gerry has a general understanding of what the home screen looks like.  I am grateful that we are using a 7 Plus because it still has the mechanical button that you can access no matter where you are. I started to describe the button as the "Hail Mary” button:  when Gerry got completely turned around and flustered, she could go back to the home screen and start again. When there was cognitive overload, the Hail Mary Button helped to reset and start over.

The photos app was a good place to start. Like all great-grandmothers, she can spend hours admiring her great grandchild as he pronounces his name for the first time or helps his parents vacuum. One stumbling block was her unfamiliarity with basic iOS iconography -- things the younger generation takes for granted. Once she understood that (x) meant close/cancel, that the magnifier meant search, and that the upper left arrow meant back, she was able to navigate relatively well through the app.

It was interesting to break down for her how the search bar interacted with the keyboard. Once she selected the search icon on the lower right, I brought her eye to the search input field. I let her know that tapping on it activates it and brings up the keyboard and the blinking blue line lets you know where you are typing. One thing I observed is that she is so consumed with her typing that she doesn't notice that autocomplete had already found what she was looking for and she could have stopped typing.

Next up - gestures!

Teaching a 93-Year-Old How to Use Her iPhone

The pandemic has been hard on everyone. It has been especially difficult on the house-bound elderly. I am seeing this first hand with my boyfriend's 93-year-old mother Gerry. My boyfriend and I moved into Gerry's home at the beginning of the lockdown and took over the duties of the caretakers and cleaning people, enabling her to stay in the home that she has been living in for 63 years.

Gerry has an iPhone 7 Plus that she rarely uses. Since we have moved in, she has been watching us on our devices and has started wanting to join in on the fun.

There is a lot to be said about technology bridging the gap as everyone socially isolates. Staying in touch via text, being involved in a fun text chain, and admiring the latest photos of the great-grandchild whenever one likes are all advantages that an iPhone can offer the house-bound.

As the lockdown has continued, she has become frustrated trying to use her phone on a more regular basis.

I considered what I could do to help that would be rewarding for both of us. I framed it as a UX experiment, hypothesizing that small doses over time would allow the biggest chance of success. I could sit with her once a week for about 40 minutes, allowing me to get an understanding of what she doesn't know and adjust accordingly. It wouldn't overwhelm the student, it would allow the teaching to sink in, and it wouldn't frustrate the hell out the tutor. Plenty of patience would be needed.

Wish me luck! Another installment coming soon!

Photo by Manny Becerra on Unsplash

Intersection of Three: Public Speaking, Meditation & Writing

What happens when you leave your comfort zone?

Sunday morning, while browsing on my phone, I came across 10 Uncomfortable Deeds That Will Make You Far More Successful by Travis Bradberry. While reading, I was pleasantly surprised to see I was doing two deeds on his list: public speaking and meditation. One challenge of mine the past year has been to get out of my comfort zone and find the dream job I have always wanted.

Public Speaking: In November of 2015, I joined the Hoboken MileSquare Toastmasters. Toastmasters is a non-profit that teaches public speaking through locally organized clubs. Yup, it is a dorky, old-fashioned name but it works. I go every week and make myself participate. Getting up on stage every time is a small step forward, slowly building confidence through doing. It is progress not perfection. I have gotten a great feeling of connection with other people as I share some of myself with my audience. Taking the time to focus on improving yourself pays for itself in ways you’re not aware of.

Meditation: Last year, I went through a nerve-racking time; I had left my full-time job, enrolled in a demanding 10-week class and started freelancing. I found myself juggling a lot of emotions along with the work. I started feeling overwhelmed — working long hours and not feeling like I was doing my best. I had read about the monkey mind, a buddhist term for unsettled thoughts, and oh boy, mine were kicking up a storm. I decided to start paying some attention to these trouble makers with meditation. I started meditating for 15 minutes every day and have maintained it over the past year. I did miss a few sessions here and there, but I didn’t let that stop me. Pausing and taking some time for myself helps me feel less stressed and more grounded.

Writing: A new objective outside my comfort zone is to establish a writing habit. My goals are to clarify my thoughts and build connection with myself and others. I write unendingly in my notes app. I now aim to write on a regular basis and share my thoughts with the outside world, not just with my iPhone. Not knowing where I am going and convoluted writing be damned. Too bad SIRI isn’t a writing coach.

“Noticed you have been doing a lot of writing in your notes app, why don’t you share that with someone?” — SIRI

I hope this intersection of three, public speaking, mediation and writing, will help me better understand myself. These three will require some commitment and perseverance. I will keep the mantra “progress, not perfection” near at hand when the frustration monkey pops up and starts chattering.

Originally published on Medium.com