Microsoft

Japanese input design localization in Metro visual language

Interaction Designer

2010-2011 | Seattle

#mobile, #OS


Microsoft logo Japanese input design localization in Metro visual language

Microsoft | Interaction Designer Redmond ‘10-‘11 Windows Phone 7 Design Studio. Interaction design of all Japanese input on WP7. Fast input method innovations over iPhone, keyboard layout edge cases, emoji organization & selection. #mobile #OS

Windows Phone 7 Japanese IME

Context. Interaction designer Japanese on East Asia sub-team of Windows Phone Design Studio at Microsoft.

Project. Japanese input methods (software keyboards) for WP7, basic layouts through innovating past iPhone keyboards.

Outcome. Windows Phone 7.1 launches in Japan, keyboard demonstration videos transcribing karaoke on the news and YouTube.

Project areas

Keyboard layouts. Base layouts for Qwerty and 12-key simple input.

Fast input. Synthesizing HCI research and usability testing to explore intuitively efficient quick typing options.

Romaji input modes. Working through the intricacies of Qwerty layout typing.

Emoji keyboard. Exploring a range of emoji keyboard organization and interaction design directions with uncertain content requirements.

Composition strings. Working through approaches to surfacing word candidates while typing.

Visuals & redlining. Final polish on graphic design details of keyboard layout states.