![The Future Of Writing On Tablets: A Q&A with Information Architects
They say they are organizing the Web so you don’t have to. To them, every serif means something.
Founded by Oliver Reichenstein in 2005, Information Architects is a design strategy group focused on how information is translated from your brain into the form we see in online publication.
The company started out with a small team of eight people. The Tokyo-based firm has a second office in Switzerland, and now creates Web designs that generate over 3.5 billion page views a year.
Recently, Information Architects created an app for the iPad called Writer that it says is designed to help you reach your intended audience in the best possible form.
Within Writer, the typography is simple and the template is clean. There are few distractions in the app — no ads, no extra editing options and no tool bars obstructing your one task –- to write.
We recently spoke with Reichenstein about his vision for the future of writing, tablets, and Web design.
Why did you found Information Architects?
I met my wife in Japan and so I decided to stay here. So I began thinking -– should I join a Japanese company? But that can be difficult for foreigners, as the working culture here is different. Though people work long hours in Europe and in the United States, in Japan, many keep a sleeping bag under their desks. So I decided to start my own company around screen typography.
In terms of Web design, are we currently in a state of Web “undesign”? Examples: Instapaper, Kindle, others have stripped-out ads, Flash, and other bells and whistles for cleaner templates.
No, we’re in a state where standards have been established. Platforms are becoming more standardized.
For a lot of publications, like newspapers, they try to look special on the surface. News organizations are having trouble because they are trying to keep others on just their content, whereas Instapaper or Flipboard is giving you the best of everything. News organizations have to get away from the monolithic approach and work together.
How do you think iPad works in terms of productivity?
iPad is often described as a “lean-back” device, which is wrong. It’s a lean-back device, if you are in a lean-back situation where you read. But it also works as a lean-forward device. It works for writing if it’s optimized.
The lean-forward/lean-back change is hard on the iPad, but if you have a program that helps you just do one certain task, iPad can be useful. It’s that single-mode atmosphere that makes the iPad fun and strange at the same time.
Reading works well, but writing works well too if it’s just input and not editing.
Ergonomically, talk about how the iPad stacks up to a laptop. Is it a true replacement? Does iPad need a keyboard or will people get used to it as is?
For me, using iPad without a black case is almost impossible. The device itself is slippery and heavy. You need that angle [provided by the black case]. With the angle, the iPad has an advantage. But when I’m in my office, it’s ridiculous to use iPad.
It’s not a full-on replacement for laptops. In many cases though, it’s more convenient. It will replace [laptops] for consumers at home who aren’t inputting text but rather using it to consume information.
As a reader device, the iPad has a future. As an input device, it’ll be used in specific situations — on a plane, on your way somewhere.
What was your inspiration for Writer?
The idea was very old. I used to earn money teaching Microsoft Office to students. A year ago, I was thinking we needed improvements to Word. I was thinking if you have a good tool, it can improve your output a lot.
Writers are expected to use computers, to use Word. But Word is not designed for writers. It’s mostly designed for editing text and formatting text. But it doesn’t help you to actually write or to put out good text.
I thought about designing a device myself, but in January Steve Jobs came out with the iPad. It seems crazy to want to build a device, to design a new program. But somehow it all worked out.
Talk about why Writer works the way it does. Why is “form” so important to creativity?
When you talk about information, what you have in mind is some sort of power that goes through you. But that idea takes shape -– typographic shape, grammar, every aspect of the form that the information takes changes the meaning. Having a different typography changes the meaning of the information.
Microsoft Word tells you to figure it all out for yourself.
What we did instead was we defined what the best setting for typography was. It’s a non-serif font optimized for speed and to suggest that you are still in draft mode.
We did some testing in the field, and apparently it works very well. In 15 years of designing interfaces, I’ve never had this type of feedback. I’m completely humbled by how much people like it. I think a lot of that has to do with the typography and how it makes you feel.
Read more here.](http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lcl1ulcNUI1qzrl8oo1_500.jpg "The Future Of Writing On Tablets: A Q&A with Information Architects
They say they are organizing the Web so you don’t have to. To them, every serif means something.
Founded by Oliver Reichenstein in 2005, Information Architects is a design strategy group focused on how information is translated from your brain into the form we see in online publication.
The company started out with a small team of eight people. The Tokyo-based firm has a second office in Switzerland, and now creates Web designs that generate over 3.5 billion page views a year.
Recently, Information Architects created an app for the iPad called Writer that it says is designed to help you reach your intended audience in the best possible form.
Within Writer, the typography is simple and the template is clean. There are few distractions in the app — no ads, no extra editing options and no tool bars obstructing your one task –- to write.
We recently spoke with Reichenstein about his vision for the future of writing, tablets, and Web design.
Why did you found Information Architects?
I met my wife in Japan and so I decided to stay here. So I began thinking -– should I join a Japanese company? But that can be difficult for foreigners, as the working culture here is different. Though people work long hours in Europe and in the United States, in Japan, many keep a sleeping bag under their desks. So I decided to start my own company around screen typography.
In terms of Web design, are we currently in a state of Web “undesign”? Examples: Instapaper, Kindle, others have stripped-out ads, Flash, and other bells and whistles for cleaner templates.
No, we’re in a state where standards have been established. Platforms are becoming more standardized.
For a lot of publications, like newspapers, they try to look special on the surface. News organizations are having trouble because they are trying to keep others on just their content, whereas Instapaper or Flipboard is giving you the best of everything. News organizations have to get away from the monolithic approach and work together.
How do you think iPad works in terms of productivity?
iPad is often described as a “lean-back” device, which is wrong. It’s a lean-back device, if you are in a lean-back situation where you read. But it also works as a lean-forward device. It works for writing if it’s optimized.
The lean-forward/lean-back change is hard on the iPad, but if you have a program that helps you just do one certain task, iPad can be useful. It’s that single-mode atmosphere that makes the iPad fun and strange at the same time.
Reading works well, but writing works well too if it’s just input and not editing.
Ergonomically, talk about how the iPad stacks up to a laptop. Is it a true replacement? Does iPad need a keyboard or will people get used to it as is?
For me, using iPad without a black case is almost impossible. The device itself is slippery and heavy. You need that angle [provided by the black case]. With the angle, the iPad has an advantage. But when I’m in my office, it’s ridiculous to use iPad.
It’s not a full-on replacement for laptops. In many cases though, it’s more convenient. It will replace [laptops] for consumers at home who aren’t inputting text but rather using it to consume information.
As a reader device, the iPad has a future. As an input device, it’ll be used in specific situations — on a plane, on your way somewhere.
What was your inspiration for Writer?
The idea was very old. I used to earn money teaching Microsoft Office to students. A year ago, I was thinking we needed improvements to Word. I was thinking if you have a good tool, it can improve your output a lot.
Writers are expected to use computers, to use Word. But Word is not designed for writers. It’s mostly designed for editing text and formatting text. But it doesn’t help you to actually write or to put out good text.
I thought about designing a device myself, but in January Steve Jobs came out with the iPad. It seems crazy to want to build a device, to design a new program. But somehow it all worked out.
Talk about why Writer works the way it does. Why is “form” so important to creativity?
When you talk about information, what you have in mind is some sort of power that goes through you. But that idea takes shape -– typographic shape, grammar, every aspect of the form that the information takes changes the meaning. Having a different typography changes the meaning of the information.
Microsoft Word tells you to figure it all out for yourself.
What we did instead was we defined what the best setting for typography was. It’s a non-serif font optimized for speed and to suggest that you are still in draft mode.
We did some testing in the field, and apparently it works very well. In 15 years of designing interfaces, I’ve never had this type of feedback. I’m completely humbled by how much people like it. I think a lot of that has to do with the typography and how it makes you feel.
Read more here.")
The Future Of Writing On Tablets: A Q&A with Information Architects
They say they are organizing the Web so you don’t have to. To them, every serif means something.
Founded by Oliver Reichenstein in 2005, Information Architects is a design strategy group focused on how information is translated from your brain into the form we see in online publication.
The company started out with a small team of eight people. The Tokyo-based firm has a second office in Switzerland, and now creates Web designs that generate over 3.5 billion page views a year.
Recently, Information Architects created an app for the iPad called Writer that it says is designed to help you reach your intended audience in the best possible form.
Within Writer, the typography is simple and the template is clean. There are few distractions in the app — no ads, no extra editing options and no tool bars obstructing your one task –- to write.
We recently spoke with Reichenstein about his vision for the future of writing, tablets, and Web design.
Why did you found Information Architects?
I met my wife in Japan and so I decided to stay here. So I began thinking -– should I join a Japanese company? But that can be difficult for foreigners, as the working culture here is different. Though people work long hours in Europe and in the United States, in Japan, many keep a sleeping bag under their desks. So I decided to start my own company around screen typography.
In terms of Web design, are we currently in a state of Web “undesign”? Examples: Instapaper, Kindle, others have stripped-out ads, Flash, and other bells and whistles for cleaner templates.
No, we’re in a state where standards have been established. Platforms are becoming more standardized.
For a lot of publications, like newspapers, they try to look special on the surface. News organizations are having trouble because they are trying to keep others on just their content, whereas Instapaper or Flipboard is giving you the best of everything. News organizations have to get away from the monolithic approach and work together.
How do you think iPad works in terms of productivity?
iPad is often described as a “lean-back” device, which is wrong. It’s a lean-back device, if you are in a lean-back situation where you read. But it also works as a lean-forward device. It works for writing if it’s optimized.
The lean-forward/lean-back change is hard on the iPad, but if you have a program that helps you just do one certain task, iPad can be useful. It’s that single-mode atmosphere that makes the iPad fun and strange at the same time.
Reading works well, but writing works well too if it’s just input and not editing.
Ergonomically, talk about how the iPad stacks up to a laptop. Is it a true replacement? Does iPad need a keyboard or will people get used to it as is?
For me, using iPad without a black case is almost impossible. The device itself is slippery and heavy. You need that angle [provided by the black case]. With the angle, the iPad has an advantage. But when I’m in my office, it’s ridiculous to use iPad.
It’s not a full-on replacement for laptops. In many cases though, it’s more convenient. It will replace [laptops] for consumers at home who aren’t inputting text but rather using it to consume information.
As a reader device, the iPad has a future. As an input device, it’ll be used in specific situations — on a plane, on your way somewhere.
What was your inspiration for Writer?
The idea was very old. I used to earn money teaching Microsoft Office to students. A year ago, I was thinking we needed improvements to Word. I was thinking if you have a good tool, it can improve your output a lot.
Writers are expected to use computers, to use Word. But Word is not designed for writers. It’s mostly designed for editing text and formatting text. But it doesn’t help you to actually write or to put out good text.
I thought about designing a device myself, but in January Steve Jobs came out with the iPad. It seems crazy to want to build a device, to design a new program. But somehow it all worked out.
Talk about why Writer works the way it does. Why is “form” so important to creativity?
When you talk about information, what you have in mind is some sort of power that goes through you. But that idea takes shape -– typographic shape, grammar, every aspect of the form that the information takes changes the meaning. Having a different typography changes the meaning of the information.
Microsoft Word tells you to figure it all out for yourself.
What we did instead was we defined what the best setting for typography was. It’s a non-serif font optimized for speed and to suggest that you are still in draft mode.
We did some testing in the field, and apparently it works very well. In 15 years of designing interfaces, I’ve never had this type of feedback. I’m completely humbled by how much people like it. I think a lot of that has to do with the typography and how it makes you feel.
Read more here.
