Liquid Principles comment

Liquid State. A state of smoothly flowing processes and environments, involving the user when required as deeply as desired, otherwise staying quietly in the background.

Liquid Person. Someone who flows, gets done what he or she wishes without hassles and learns deeply what he or she is interested in. Someone intimately connected to his or her information environment and tools, immersed in it, not floating above it.

Liquid Environment. An environment which provides the user with comfort & control through complete interactivity, a clear overview and universal accessibility through media access points (what has formerly been referred to as discreet media; TV, newspapers etc. but which has since merged in computer environments) which enhance the information with their unique characteristics.

Liquid Information. Information which exhibits a high level of manipulability and is active, not isolated from its environment.

Liquid Interface informs the user, providing only what is relevant. A liquid interface doesn't assume the user knows anything about a system not explicitly presented. A liquid interface removes clutter; spatial and procedural. Universal navigation, performing a search, going to the specific environments 'home' or main area is always second nature to the user, while discovering the peculiarities of the environment is intuitive and pleasurable. A liquid interface is a joy to use - it truly empowers the user, it doesn't patronize.

Liquid Tools provides rich interaction with the users information. They are not un-necessarily complicated, they will be as clean and clear as possible, but they will err on the side of providing control rather than being overly easy. Liquid tools will often require training to use well, just like driving a car or reading requires training.

Liquid Information Environment allows the user to navigate freely through information and tools and manipulate his or her information freely and as transparently as possible, with tools and interfaces which allows the user to do things and think in ways not previously imagined allowing for deeper understanding as well a the user being much more efficient, no longer tied down with clerical tasks.

 

 


Swimming in a liquid information environment

 

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