The implicit interaction technique System demonstration I think is very important because users should not be surprised by a device. When we have implicit inputs form a user, the user may not be aware that he already triggered an event. As a consequence, our preprogrammed response may confuse the user. Take the motion sensitive light switch for example, if I were new to the technology, when the light turns on as I entered a room. I may suspect the following: I stepped on a switch. A sound sensor detected my footsteps. A person is monitoring the room and turned on the switch for me. The room is haunted. As we can see that being able to isolate the triggering factor not only helps to understand the system, but also makes the experience more pleasant.
I agree with Richard’s point of people can learn how to use the system over time. However, I still think the system demonstration is important not only because it gives the user an early chance to override the settings, but also lets the user to be aware of its capabilities. I will reuse Richard’s iTouch example. Even though people understand the gesture of pinch to zoom, there is no way to know what would happen if the gesture is performed on an unknown surface. Therefore, I think people’s ability to adapt to technologies and system’s responsibility of communicating its goals do not contradict. I don’t think the point of implicit interaction is to completely hide its existence, but to remove itself from the foreground attention.
