One of the challenges facing interaction designers today is understanding different contexts of use. Our designs are being used in constantly changing environments, with emergent behaviour creating new, unexpected solutions. Mobile devices provide unique opportunities to address context, but come with a range of constraints – as simple as the amount of ambient light or as complex as integration between local hardware and remote services.

How can interaction designers identify and address the impact of context, especially when key areas may be outside their influence or responsibility? Is it possible to identify the elements of context which are critical to a design succeeding? What design opportunities can understanding context bring to interactions?

This presentation will help interaction designers understand the implications of contexts of use, and how it can improve their design deliverables. It will cover tools and techniques for identifying context, with examples from mobile hardware, software and service interactions.

Miles Rochford has been designing interactive experiences for more than fifteen years. As an information architect, he has worked on projects for government, non-profit, corporate and startup clients based in the US, Europe and Australia. He specialises in service design, spatial data and mobile delivery – from systems to map toilets across Australia to keeping track of scientific vessels in the Antarctic. He is now at Nokia Design, based in London, where he is a Design Specialist in the Service and UI Design team, developing service and interface concepts for future Nokia products and services.