Chapter 9. Non-visible output

 

This chapter covers

  • Allowing for output beyond what’s shown onscreen
  • Creating output for other apps and hardware
  • Creating effective notifications
  • Using different channels to give output

If we think of the use of an app as a conversation with the person operating it, input is what the person says, and output is what the app says and does. Just as a conversation between two people involves more than words, a conversation with an app can involve more than displaying things on a screen.

Imagine you and I are talking in person. If I spoke in a monotone voice without moving or showing emotion or any facial expressions, it’d be odd and disconcerting. This is like an app that only outputs to a screen. Now consider a conversation where I’m visibly and audibly engaged and enthusiastic about what you’re saying, and I later come back with further questions and information about what you’ve been talking about. It would be a more pleasant conversation, and you’d see I’m keen to engage with you. That’s the conversational equivalent of an app that considers output beyond what’s shown onscreen.

9.1. Physical and audio output support changes onscreen

9.2. Output to other apps and devices

9.3. Communicating from your backend

9.4. Communication via channels beyond the app

Summary