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Thoughtspace: The Final Frontier

Thoughtspace. The Final Frontier. Looking into the blackness of space, we see only the possibilities of discovery. Or so the metaphor goes. Creating a computer screen environment demands the visual design of film, the space that print media provides, and the engagement of the theatre audience. Combined, these three bring a viewpoint that is developed on the actions and viewpoints of the audience. What we are designing is a thoughtspace that the audience will express.

But why don't we design space in the WWW and multimedia? Not the kind of exploration of the universe, but of the universe of the audience's mind. They are the ones entering our environments, looking for the promise of point of view, of being in control and interacting with their own choices. With all this promise, we bury them in 3-D imagery, buttons, and complex backgrounds that enforce our viewpoint and control of the audience. Tricks are nice, but they grow tiring after awhile. We have to surrender to the audience.

We run into a problem shared since people began scratching symbols on cave walls to share stories. The goal is communication and sharing, not forcing someone to understand your viewpoint. So while the background has its place and the pictures are nice, it's missing the one opening that gives the audience a chance: space.

Space is a print metaphor for design. All text and graphics are worked around the white space on paper, the openings. Reading between lines is not just a term, it's the place where the reader can relax and form a unique perspective. Without space the experience is passive, controlled by the designer. Buttons and metaphors and backgrounds do not make interactivity; we have to give the audience space to express themselves.

Expression on the Web and in multimedia is often construed to be strictly a spatial ideal, one of movement and the short attention span theatre approach where jumping back and forth is synonymous with interactivity. Interactivity also comes in the silence of spaces, passages where the eye is allowed to relax. Space provides a way to get out of the point of view of the creator and become the creator. It is a key to interactivity.

Space on the screen is the space between thoughts. Many multimedia developers look at space and see it as a place to be filled. If the audience doesn't have something to keep scrambling their minds, what will they do?

What they will do is think. Isn't it strange that we want interactivity but we cram the screen full of things so that they can express their own point of view? Contradiction folks, pure contradiction. Currently we crowd screens with buttons and call it a game, or open it up for a slide show that they watch. The former is the path of software, that we all need so many overwhelming things to do and occupy ourselves. If our audience doesn't keep busy, they will leave. Is that them speaking, or us?

The slide show approach just looks at the screen as another video or film. The audience must look at the content and make their own messages. This isn't interactivity, it's the same watching attitude that has dominated our culture. We are supposed to be different, aren't we?

A Modest Proposal for Space

Space is where we allow the viewer to rest their eyes, to find a place between all the activity and form their own imagery, their own thoughts. Books are praised for this ability, because words don't make the pictures, the reader does. We need to remember that the space language affords is not simply a characteristic of words, it's an approach. We need to engage the audience in participating by giving them the space to breathe. New designs that give no space to the person are simply enforcing their own viewpoint. Books give people a chance to step back and form the pictures; we can give them characterizations and viewpoints that allow them the space to create on the Web if we remember, the power lies in the audience. Give them the thoughtspace to be interactive. Keep it simple.
Peace
MDD