At From Business to Buttons Golden Krishna spoke about the idea that the best interface is no interface. Golden wants us to solve the real problems and not routinely think of a screen-based interface as the best solution.
The answer to a design problem is not to make an app. To be innovative is not to slap a screen on something. UX design is not the same as UI design. Golden Krishnas talk at From Business to Buttons was one of the most appreciated.
Golden shared 3 principles for designing solutions that doesn’t depend on screens:
1. Embrace typical processes instead of screens
2. Leverage computers instead of serving them
3. Adapt to individuals
In his talk Golden gives different examples for his principles. For example he refers to a door-opening app to prove his first principle. When all needless interactions have been reduced it ends up to be a back pocket app that unlocks the door while the phone is still in the pocket. Nothing else...
I really enjoyed Golden’s talk; it’s full of humour and at the same time it was very inspiring. He got a lot of laughs for example when he showed how our screen based thinking also has found it’s way outside actual screens: 3D tooth paste, 3D chips and sunglasses with HD vision(?). I also like how he used his book to read out parts that points out some of the design absurdness our screen-based thinking leads to.
But Golden is still hopeful, and thinks that the no-screen interface will be a non-isssue in the future. He has great hope that we won’t be drowning in screens that will take our attention away from what really matters. Instead he wants all design aims to solve real problems in the smartest and most effective way, where the user doesn’t have to be bothered with needless decisions and/or screens.