Understanding impacts of hidden interfaces on mobile phone user experience

Abstract

This paper describes hidden interfaces as an important feature of touch screen based mobile phones and explores their impacts in user experience. Six sessions of focus group study were conducted to identify some patterns of how people explore and use hidden interfaces of mobile phones depending on their motivations---either passive or active. Then values of the hidden interfaces were further discussed from utilitarian (efficient control at cost of low cognitive load), emotional (engagement and attachment), and social perspectives (elatedness & sense of community). We expect these findings to contribute to understanding the impacts of hidden interfaces more systematically to be applied to design of interactive products.