Chapter 17 Augmentations and Mashups

In the buzz of publicity surrounding new products and technologies, it is easy to forget that all so-called “groundbreaking” developments are born of what came before them. Everything new is a response, a continuation, a challenge, or a supplement to what already exists. Whether the designers of a device or environment intentionally study the past or not, they build on a foundation of existing technologies, devices, attitudes, and practices.

When designing user experiences with new technologies, there are three especially tempting approaches: to imagine a totally new world from scratch, copy an already profitable offering, or create a generic “platform” and hope that people adapt it to their own needs. ...

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