The Fundamentals Have to Work

This chapter examines that every new interface paradigm begins with a promise to its potential users. The promise may morph from the time that it is in the minds of the visionaries who first proposed the paradigm when it's adopted by those who instantiate that vision in products. The promise as understood by the user and as understood by the designer may be different. Finally, the promise itself is a source of risk for every product team that adopts it. The world is full of products and systems that never delivered on their promise and are long forgotten or cursed by their unfortunate users. The NUI promises much. The promises are subject to misinterpretation. A team developing a NUI may incorrectly assume that a new input medium makes their product natural.