1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,130 [Dan Gorgone] With the popularity and success of mobile devices, 2 00:00:03,540 --> 00:00:06,140 more and more people want information and features 3 00:00:06,210 --> 00:00:08,930 that specifically tie into their location. 4 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:12,860 Mobile sites and apps can take advantage of location information 5 00:00:13,150 --> 00:00:16,149 to provide content before the user even asks for it. 6 00:00:16,990 --> 00:00:19,410 If you've been looking for ways to improve the usability of your site, 7 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:23,680 tying into location-based content is one great way to do it. 8 00:00:24,890 --> 00:00:28,720 For example, browsing a retail site on a laptop at home 9 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:32,259 might offer lots of information, including a locations link 10 00:00:32,259 --> 00:00:35,800 and a form where you can enter your zip code or address 11 00:00:36,090 --> 00:00:38,400 and then you get a list of stores that you can find nearby. 12 00:00:39,210 --> 00:00:42,840 However, if a user visits the same site from a mobile device, 13 00:00:43,670 --> 00:00:46,910 one can assume they're already looking for the location 14 00:00:46,910 --> 00:00:49,570 while they're out shopping, perhaps driving around. 15 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:53,430 Mobile devices can take usability a step further— 16 00:00:53,790 --> 00:00:59,140 simply using the device's location information and bringing up the content for you. 17 00:00:59,960 --> 00:01:06,050 Reducing the number of steps to this content is a great way to improve usability and user satisfaction. 18 00:01:06,890 --> 00:01:09,280 Some apps can offer even more information, 19 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:14,070 combining locations and time data to tell you where their locations are 20 00:01:14,430 --> 00:01:16,670 and if they're open at that given time. 21 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:20,500 [Amit Bijlani] I would define personally usability as 22 00:01:21,050 --> 00:01:25,150 the ability to make the most out of an app 23 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:28,650 and the contextual surroundings. 24 00:01:28,870 --> 00:01:32,560 For example, you have an app—a store locator— 25 00:01:33,620 --> 00:01:37,400 and you're asking the user to enter a zip code. 26 00:01:37,940 --> 00:01:42,300 Now, that's not good usability because you can already get that information out of the device, 27 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:45,670 so why not get the location information from the device 28 00:01:45,810 --> 00:01:50,090 and just get the user's permission to access that location data. 29 00:01:50,700 --> 00:01:53,740 Now, you can automatically show the user 30 00:01:53,740 --> 00:01:56,110 the locations closer to the user. 31 00:01:56,480 --> 00:02:00,940 Not only that—you might also want to show them the locations that are open 32 00:02:01,110 --> 00:02:04,520 because you know the date and time, or the day and time, 33 00:02:05,030 --> 00:02:06,790 and you know their location, so you can show them, 34 00:02:06,790 --> 00:02:10,630 here are the 5 locations that are closest to you that are open right now. 35 00:02:11,450 --> 00:02:13,450 So, that's what usability means to me— 36 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:19,860 you have this mobile environment where you're getting contextual information where and when the user is 37 00:02:20,270 --> 00:02:27,160 and you're providing them information or the most usable way to consume that information on the go. 38 00:02:27,900 --> 00:02:31,370 [Gorgone] Therefore, consider how you can save your user steps 39 00:02:31,370 --> 00:02:33,470 and give them the content they're looking for 40 00:02:33,580 --> 00:02:36,720 by anticipating their needs from a device perspective. 41 00:02:37,550 --> 00:02:40,790 User goals are not the same from the laptop to the mobile device, 42 00:02:41,420 --> 00:02:44,130 so when you're designing for mobile or building your app, 43 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:49,780 figure out what your users want before they ask for it and you efforts will pay off.