Mobile user experience is the glue binding us to our digital selves – at SXSW Interactive, Oisin Lunny and his guests investigated its potential

As a longtime iPhone user I can still remember my delight when my first Apple handset just worked out of the box. There was no need to refer to a manual; the user experience was magically intuitive. This was in sharp contrast to the torturous hours of setup, syncing and updating that had accompanied my previous smartphone purchases. The user experience (UX) design of the iPhone was revolutionary.

UX is something of a discreet and misunderstood art, which we tend to take for granted until it goes wrong. Today’s mobile-first lifestyles necessitate a sophisticated and nuanced understanding of the needs of “Phono sapien” – as The Economist christened our smartphone generation. Mobile UX is a deep science that distills incredibly complex processes down to the simplest of end user interactions. The very best mobile UX seems invisible to the end user.

I’m starting to see a lot more whimsy and humour in apps and platforms

Related: Is now the time for retailers to invest in wearable tech?