Chai

Categorising Handhelds based on actions & interface complexity

  • 19 Mar 2024
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  • 3 min read

Table Contents

This blog is related to DICE blog and it is recommended to read it before reading this blog.

When I starting to wonder which topics my master’s thesis should be, I starting to be more and more interested in handheld devices, but not the most smartphones but the most specialized, proffesional handheld devices. Tangibility of those devices make my curiosity bigger, how they create those physical layouts, packing so many functionalities into less than a dozen of buttons or other Interaction Elements,

Before starting the categorisation of handheld devices, it is important to differenciate between simple and complex actions and interfaces. A simple

1. SASI

Simple Actions within a Simple Interface are Usually are simple device that only have few functions, like a garage or fan remote.

  1. Garage door remote - 2 buttons
  2. Tamagotchi - 3 buttons
  3. My First Sony Walkman - 4 buttons

2. SACI

Simple Actions within a Complex Interface.

Usually having more control elements, buttons in which only have one option, which, a really easy to understand. Take the computer keyboard as an example of SACI, a myriad of buttons formed a keyboard, all the keys have the same type of interaction, you press and it clicks.

  1. Computers Keyboards
  2. Traditional TV, car, AC remotes
  3. Traditional piano
  4. Modern Sony Walkman
  5. Braun Calculator: it is so simple action that it even have separate buttons for turning it on and off, btw an interesting short video of Dieter Rams - 27 buttons = 25buttons + on button + off button

3. CASI

Complex Actions within a Simple Interface.

A complex action include the use of multiple fingers, having multiple types of interaction elements or control elements in varying directions. Typically encountered in compact and sophisticated devices, such as small multimedia devices. For instance, volume knobs and mode dials on cameras “simplify” the complexity in navigating such interfaces. Sometimes, even require users to engage with multiple controls simultaneously or sequentially.

4. CACI

Complex Actions within a Complex Interface.