Cross-Device Interfaces: Existing Research, Current Tools, Outlook

Abstract

In this tutorial, I will describe key technical and design challenges of developing cross-device interfaces, which are not only able to adapt to a wide variety of device characteristics and user preferences, but can actually migrate a user's tasks from one device to another and even distribute the interface between multiple devices jointly used by one or more users. Starting with a review of the cross-device design concepts, authoring tools and interaction techniques presented in the ISS and larger HCI literature, I will give a comprehensive overview of the state of the art. I will then analyze the current tools for design and development of cross-device interfaces, and present one of these tools, XDBrowser, in detail. Participants will get hands-on experience with designing cross-device versions of existing interfaces using such authoring tools created for non-technical users. Finally, I will discuss open issues and provide an outlook based on the results from recent cross-device workshops I co-organized or participated in at CHI, EICS, and DIS.