The glitz and glamor of any French Riviera trip wouldn't be complete without a visit to the tiny principality of Monaco's Monte Carlo Casino. Tourists may gamble to their heart's content as local Monagesque Citizens are legally mandated to abstain and watch idly by.
What then, in our current era of travel restrictions, supply chain delays, and logistical disruptions, is the digital equivalent to such excursion? Answer: A redefined user interface (UI) encompassing gamified artificial intelligence. In John Palmer's piece, Spacial Interfaces, Palmer, alongside editors Toby Shoring and Wilson Cusack, underscore the viability of such a novel phenomenon.
I. Design by Spatial Thought
Less is not always more, though sometimes, it is - this is entirely situationally dependent. Consider an over-defined system, as one containing extra information, beyond what is necessary, is provided, i.e., a tic-tac-toe smartphone application wherein a turn-counter for each player is present and decrements after each turn. Now, consider an under-defined system - one where necessary variables or information is lacking, i.e., a shopping list smartphone application lacking mention of an approximate price.
In either case, adjust the user interface for optimal user experience. Approaching the so-called "Goldilocks Zone," wherein the system is well-defined, is the best predictor for a favorable user interface wherein digital manifestations of analog phenomena are present.
II. Advantages of Spatial Accommodation
Whereas digital interaction is typically two- or even one-dimensional, the bulk of in-person human interaction is predominantly three-dimensional. Similarly, just as organizing one's office may involve rearranging file folders and briefcases, the digital equivalent involves the same treatment with a two-dimensional, digital desktop's files, folders, and icons.
In much the same way the Bill of Rights and subsequent amendments entered the U.S. Governmental structure to ensure better functionality, so too must spatial design in emergent digital representations of analog phenomena. Overall, the specifics of each digital or analog setting necessitates the respective accommodation therein.
III. Digital Representation of Analog Phenomena
Michael Saylor, the CEO of Microstrategy, Inc, is a fixture with the online Bitcoin Twitter Community. Having referred to Bitcoin as "Digital Real Estate," Saylor often discusses his company's balance sheet, particularly concerning its investment in Bitcoin. While the value, purpose, and limitations of Bitcoin vastly differ from those of traditional real estate, Saylor is nonetheless overall accurate in this comparison.
Firstly, Bitcoin and real estate both have limited supply hedging increasing inflation. Just as the supply cap of Bitcoin stops at the approach of 21 million coins, there can't be more surface area added to the Earth's outer crust - scarcity, in each case, makes both assets a portfolio mainstay for many investors.
Likewise, Bitcoin and real estate have each demonstrated long-term profitability over a hold period of one year or longer. While both assets are among those held by short-term sellers, the liquidity grows over time as demand compounds over a fixed supply, indicating the value in the long-term possession of each asset.
Overall, Bitcoin and real estate are both locations, i.e., in the digital (blockchain) and analog (terrestrial) worlds. Therefore, while different, both Bitcoin and real estate serve as platforms for usage and utility, customized to the preference of the respective deed-bearer.
IV. Designing the Spatial User Interface
The digital world has come full circle both with the analog world. In the words of relativity-revolutionizing physicist Albert Einstein, "You have to learn the rules of the game. And then, you have to play it better than anyone else." Therefore, in this emergent, new world of digital user interfaces, we expect competition amongst the entrepreneurial and creative - proprietors and vendors alike.
Similar to competition between streaming platforms, each of which is rebranding and relaunching their content as subscription-only access packages, entrepreneurs and proprietors will work side-by-side to lay the foundation to the emerging digital marketplace of branded content exchange. Thereby, verifiable ownership records of creative content will exist and live on in an immutable digital form.
V. Conclusions
Overall, Palmer et al. highlight the urgency for adaptability and accommodation on the digitized UI front. Likewise, with decentralized and localized hubs for art, finance, and entertainment, already at each user's fingertips, at the heart of the next incoming technological trend wave will be the customizable and gamified digital interface. So, as future users would suggest, let the games begin!
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