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.