The first stimulus talk of unsheffield 2009 has just started. Jay Cousins, the compere for the event, waits patiently for the crowd to settle. The room is packed and competition for seating is intense. The traditional call for mobile phone silence has the entire room shuffling – as you might expect. He then introduces the theme – Future Users of Cool Technology, and explains how the stimulus talks are to kick off ideas for the rest of the event. The stimulus lineup is introduced, a quick mention for the University of Sheffield who are kindly sponsoring the event, and we’re into the first talk.

Saul asks what cool technology is. New is not cool… useful is cool. That’s what the user wants. Think of Sat-Nav, iPlayer, low carbon vehicles – and then the Sinclair C5 as maybe not so useful.

We should find the users first, under-represented users, people like self-employed people. They are constantly moving and have needs to keep in touch on the move – “A plumber can’t stop to take a new appointment while he’s fixing the sink.”

These people are mobile. What do they need. Consider that their office is their car. Power, authentication, entertainment – technology that can be subverted. A car iPod interface can be used as a docking station. A Sat Nav can be hacked to provide more and relevant functionality.

Mobile isn’t just personal mobile.

“Don’t think cool. Don’t think technology. Think Users.”

Saul finishes twenty seconds to spare, and the crowd goes wild, making a fantastic start to the event.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.