mTrends – mobile media lifestyle trends – m-trends.org

Somewhere last year, when researching on network communities in relation to mobile, I discovered the blog of Amy Jo Kim – musings of a social architect. I was intrigued by Amy Jo’s background and started to learn more about her work that is quite impressive.

Amy Jo Kim is an internationally-known designer of social games and gaming environments, now specializing in mobile. Her clients include Digital Chocolate, Electronic Arts, eBay, Limelife, and Yahoo!. Her expertise in community architecture and social systems design was showcased in her book, Community Building on the Web, a design handbook for networked communities.

Recently, she designed the MetroGirl application for Digital Chocolate, and she’s currently working on a casual mobile game that’s not yet announced. Enough introduction, let’s hear it from Amy Jo herself!

WORK / BACKGROUND

- Can you explain a bit about your work and background?

Sure. I’ve been designing networked social games and communities for over a decade. I currently specialize in mobile, but I also design for game consoles and the Web. I love working on cross-media projects that embrace multiple platforms.

A few years ago, I wrote Community Building on the Web, a design handbook for digital communities. This “cult classic” is available in 7 languages, and has become required reading in game design studios and univerity classes worldwide.

I was formerly the VP Social Architecture for There Inc, a virtual worlds platform and services company. I was also Producer/Designer for Paramount’s Advanced Product Design lab, where I developed online service prototypes for MTV, Nickelodeon, and Paramount Studios. Prior to that I developed multimedia database interfaces for Sun Microsystems and NASA Ames Research Center, and designed signal-processing software for neurophysiology experiments. I’m a dyed-in-the-wool geek, and darn proud of it ☺

I have a PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience from the University of Washington, and a BS in Experimental Psych from UC San Diego. I occasionally teach Game Design at the USC Film School, and enjoy playing games on the weekends with my husband and son.

- Are you more social, business or technical oriented?

I’m a designer who specializes in social systems. My technical background helps me communicate with programmers and design within technical constraints – something that’s CRITICAL when working in mobile.

- What brought/brings you into mobile?

A few years ago, while doing some research for a project at There.com, I ran across some statistics about mobile devices and Internet usage worldwide. A lightbulb went off; mobile phones are the next major platform, and more people (worldwide) are accessing the Internet with mobile phones than with computers. When I looked at the growth curves, I realized that if I wanted to create applications that reached people WORLDWIDE, mobile was where the action is. I immediately started to educate myself about mobile design and sociology, and I’ve been working in the area ever since.

I also enjoy the “small client + BIG network” design space of mobile. It suits my stripped-down, clean-and-functional design sensibilities. I love thinking about how to create an easy-to-use client program that takes advantage of the full-blown network that lives behind every mobile device. Of course, there are roadblocks that are keeping mobile applications from reaching their full potential, but we’re getting there – slowly but surely.

DIGITAL LIFESTYLE

- Which tools you use to publish, blog or moblog your work?

I use Typepad to publish my blog, socialarchitect.typepad.com.
I use Flickr to publish the photostream from my mobile phone. Instead of moblogging, I create photosets from my photos and annotate them with comments.

- Which applications and services do you use regularely on your phone?

SMS, ShoZu (picture uploads), Bejeweled (casual game), TheAstrologer (daily horoscope), iSync Connect (to sync my Mac and my phone)

- Would you download mp3 tunes on your phone? Share them with friends? Mobsharing? Any thoughts on DRM?

I’m pretty happy with my iPod, but if I could get the same sound quality and library size with my phone, I’d be thrilled to only carry around only one device!

- What about Mobile TV?

I might be interested in viewing short clips, but for longer-form shows I prefer the larger screen on my laptop.

GEEK STUFF

- How do you experience the Mobile Internet? Which mobile browsers do you use?

I use Opera Mobile, which ROCKS! When I’m out and about, I’ll often search for a phone number or address. I tried reading blogs on my mobile, but the small screen was just too frustrating. I much prefer my laptop.

- Web 2.0? Do you use it? What does it mean to you? Does/will these evolutions influence mobile technology? How?

To me, Web 2.0 means highly responsive applications, loosely-coupled systems, user-generated content (UGC), and open APIs. These evolutions will definitely influence mobile technology. We’re already seeing mobile applications that are built around UGC, like Dodgeball (from Google), Hotties (from InfoSpace), and BIMactive (from Bones in Motion). With the release of excellent mobile browsers like Opera, I expect to see more Ajax-like applications soon.

However, it’ll take a while for Web 2.0 to fully infiltrate mobile software, partly because of the “walled garden” effect of the operators. Once off-carrier sales become more common here in the States, I think we’ll see an explosion of interesting applications and services.

- What are your favourite mobile user-generated content projects?

I’m intrigued with Hotties, a Myspace-like service from InfoSpace. I’m also impressed with BIMactive, a mobile-plus-Web GPS application from Bones in Motion that lets you track your training runs, hikes or bikerides.

- Do you develop content/technology yourself?

I’m a partner in ShuffleBrain, a design studio specializing in casual games and social applications. We develop content for our clients, and do a few independent projects as well. We handle all the product & UI design, and partner with developers to handle the technology side. For small projects, we produce art and text copy ourselves; for larger projects, we’ll hire and manage artists and writers.

FUTURE OF MOBILE

- How do you see the future of mobile?

I think the Web and mobile will become a seemless networked space. I also think that mobile applications will continue to replace many everyday tasks, and will take over SOME (not all) of the functions that we now use our computers for. Mobile payments will be commonplace; we’ll have easy access to our calendars and email; we’ll enjoy playing a game on our mobile, and then continue to play that same game (perhaps with a richer UI & feature set) when we’re at home, sitting in front of our computer or game console. Our mobile device will be just another way to access the rich functionally and data that’s stored on the network.

- What differences do you see of mobile use in USA – Europe – Asia?

Europe and Asia are ahead of the USA, but we’re catching up quickly on certain fronts. It’s tough, because the pricing structure for mobile phone use is better in Europe – e.g. you don’t pay for incoming calls, like we do here in the states. Asia is definitely the most advanced market in the world, and I often look to what’s happening there to get ideas for new types of games and software that people in the USA might be ready for in a year or two.

- What is gonna be the next *big thing* in mobile?

Off-carrier sales – that is going to open up an explosion of creativity and innovation in mobile application design.

PERSONAL FAVORITES

- Who inspires you professionally?

Scott Kim – He’s got an incredibly fertile mind, and his understanding of puzzle and game design is profound. I’m constantly in awe of his ability to create wonderful content day after day, in a wide variety of media: mobile, Web, consoles, magazines, and even physical toys! This guy’s creative wellspring runs deep.

Caterina Fake, co-founder of Flickr. I greatly admire what Katerina and Stewart did – they started out creating a game, and morphed their efforts into a fabulous photo-sharing services that incorporates many game-like qualities. I’ve gotton to know Caterina a bit through my work with Yahoo, and I’m inspired by the grace and intelligence with which she handles herself.

Emily Turretini, blogger at textually.org and picturephoning.com. These are two of my must-read blogs. I love the angle that Emily takes on the industry, and I admire her dedication to blogging. I’ve learned a lot from following her work.

Mimi Ito – I’ve known Mimi for many years, and with delight I’ve watched her become a brilliant, articulate, insightful writer and researcher. I’ve learned so much from talking with her and reading her papers about mobile phone culture. She’s also a lovely, graceful human being who balances motherhood and career – something I’m struggling to do as well.

Tracy Fullerton – Assistant Professor, Interactive Media Division, USC. Tracy is one of my favorite people in the whole wide world. We co-taught a game design class, and I learned SO much from her experience and overall approach. Tracy is a fantastic game designer and teacher, and an incredibly fun person to hang out with. I would jump at the chance to work with her again – anytime, anywhere.

Raph Koster, Game Designer – Raph is an old friend from the gaming industry, and an incredibly prolific writer on the practice and theory of game design. He’s a multi-media renaissance man; he designs games, creates music, writes poetry, and just generally oozes creative energy. Raph is supremely confident in his own opinions – something that I wish I had more of. I’m especially proud of him for “flying the coop” at Sony, and following his dream. Whenever we talk, I always end up creatively inspired.

The team at Harmonix – a game design studio that specializes in music games like Karaoke Revolution and Guitar Hero. They’re not mobile-centric, but they make incredibly beautiful, fun, worthwhile games that everyone should play. I am in total awe of their ability to create innovative yet simple-and-accessible entertainment. I learn something from every game they publish – and I’m starting to work with them professionally, which is a dream come true and a great honor.

- Your favorite mobile technology blog?

textually.org

- Your favorite moblog?

Darla Mack’s Moblog

- Your favorite mobile device?

My Nokia 6620 – (affectionately known as “short fattie” )

- Favorite mobile application/service?

Shozu – 1-click photo uploads to Flickr. This app has changed my life!

- Your ultimate dream scenario including mobile?

One mobile device that does EVERYTHING I WANT – crystal-clear phone calls that never drop out, plays my huge music library, maintains my schedule, acts like a digital wallet, plays my favorite casual games, sends me customized alerts about things that are important to me. That would be cool.

- Which links would you like to be included?

shufflebrain.com (my professional website)
socialarchitect.typepad.com (my blog)

- Anything else you would like to add? Something the big players are missing?

We need to push for off-carrier sales to open up innovation and creativity in our industry!!!

- Who else could you recommend to be interviewed next?

Mimi Ito
Gano Haine – VP Product Development, Limelife

Thanks A.J., on my way!

TAGS: women in mobile Amy Jo Kim ShuffleBrain m-trends.org