The usability of cross-device controllers

Abstract

Many digital platforms require a controlling device for people to interact with them. Examples include TVs with remotes, gaming consoles with controllers and computers with a keyboard. The systems are tightly coupled with their interfacing devices (controller). This coupling leads to unnecessary toxic electronic waste, increases the entry cost to use the digital platforms and often excludes people with niche accessibility needs. This research proposes the first step in assessing the feasibility of decoupling core platforms and controllers by investigating the impact that reusing controllers across different applications, for which they are not intentionally designed, would have on the User Experience. The mixed-method study uses McNamara and Kirakowski's 2006 theoretical framework of understanding Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) to assess research participants’ experience of using three different controllers to interact with two digital products. The study found no significant degradation on the HCI when participants used different controllers. Instead, the results proved that non-conventional controllers enhanced some elements of the participants’ experiences, such as effectiveness. The findings highlight the subjective nature of HCI and, by extension, the need for industry-wide standardisation of interfacing between controllers and platforms to drive innovation in the controller space, which will ultimately lead to better HCI.