Presented by Brennan Browne, AnswerLab 

My notes from the Seminar:
The tablet platform breaks the mold from certain commonly accepted paradigms on traditional computer and mobile platforms, and raises unique concerns and potential barriers to adoption in some areas. As a guide for developers, designers, and product managers, we have identified three key trends across our tablet UX research and provide five lessons for creating tablet experiences, as well as best practices for conducting tablet research
Brennan Browne is a Senior UX Researcher with AnswerLab and has led hundreds of interviews with consumers in qualitative and ethnographic research. He also has experience conducting eyetracking research, quantitative data analysis, and other research methodologies both qualitative and quantitative in nature. In the past year, he has led projects to help clients optimize content, navigation, functionality, and personalization for mobile and tablet websites and apps. Brennan holds a B.A. in Economics and Geography from UCLA.
AnswerLab kicked off their internal research so they can answer client questions, because they knew soon after the iPad was released, clients would start coming to them with questions on how they should design for the tablet.

Trend #1
Trading computer time for tablet.
Users are found trading their computer time with the tablet, as it is fun, easy and convenient to use a tablet. Earlier when users only had a computer they were tied down by being able to use it only in the room the computer was setup in. Now, with a tablet a user can move around the house, relax at the patio or sit with family and still be able to stay connected through the tablet.
There is a difference between portable vs. mobile – a lot of people don’t carry the tablet around everywhere like a mobile phone, but they take it as an alternative to laptop. The applications are more fun than their browser based counterparts. For example Amazon’s application is cleaner and has a more fun interaction than the content heavy web site.

Amazon: iPad app

Amazon: Web site

Trend #2
The tablet and shared experience
People tend to share a tablet among the family members; whereas mobile phones are personal. It could be a price issue. The problem here is that iPad does not support multiple users. Users have to rely on apps to get multiple user support. For example Facebook app allows users to easily shuffle with different users.
People are trusting on desktops, but they are not sure about iPads or tablets and what security means on the iPad. People have voiced their concerns about persistent login on apps because other people in family share it and their tablets can get lost. It is easier to loose an iPad than a desktop, so people are more comfortable doing more serious work like finance related on their desktops.
Studies have shown very few people with lock codes on the iPad.
People appreciate text resize in reading apps.

Trend #3
Apps vs. web
Most users are content to use the web. It is a habit and first instinct to open the web browser and accomplish their tasks. Why would I download a bank app when I can go to the website.
People love the ticker on ESPN app. It gives a real time sense of what is NOW.

Perceptions and Emotion:
Phone: “I want to check.”
Tablet: “I want to immerse.”
Desktop: “I want to manage.”

The idea of providing an immersive experience means they can get everything in an interface that people really enjoy using.
People like target app but they dislike the ‘view description’ button in the app that takes them to the web site. They might as well view everything on the web vs. zappos, which has all the information in the app.
People don’t realize when they are stuck using the iPhone app on their iPad. A lot of people download iPhone apps for their iPad and settle for a low quality experience without realizing that they can update and recheck if an iPad app has been released.
Particularly on the tablet, they don’t see people syncing their tablet with their computer all the time.
It is all about being committed to a product while using their application. When I am using the NPR app, I am in the NPR world, as opposed to being on the web where you can easily get distracted.
Paid vs. free apps – If an app costs more than $5 for standard usage apps, people will not pay. Expectations are in general higher for tablet apps than mobile apps.
Everything from the icon to a bullet pointed description of the app convinces users to buy the app.

The 5 lessons
1. Treat the tablet like it is a small laptop, not a big phone.
2. Full web- ensure that your website is optimized to deliver a great and rich experience
on the iPad.
3. Content over context – people value rich content over context.
4. Shared device – login component, transaction, and message that it is secure. For example on amazon you can access content but while buying you have to sign in.
5. Security focus – People are still adjusting the to the world of apps, which is what makes security a bigger concern.