Every year PMN challenge the mobile telecoms business to respond to the MEX Manifesto, a 10 point blueprint for enhancing the mobile user experience. The Manifesto is a ‘wake up call’ for an industry which continues to prioritise technical specifications over usability. We welcome a public debate on these issues and will put the Manifesto and your feedback at the heart of the agenda for our 4th annual MEX conference, to be held in London in May 2008.

We hope you’ll join us for the conference in May, where 100 of the brightest minds in mobile come together for 2 days to learn, network and debate; MEX is a very different style of event – corporate pitches are outlawed, everyone plays a role in setting the agenda and the uniquely creative environment encourages new ideas.

If you have a view on the Manifesto, we want to hear from you. We’ll be inviting the authors of some of the most inspiring responses to join the elite speaking programme at the event, so please get in touch to share your thoughts. You can email me at marekpawlowksi@pmn.co.uk, call on +44 (0)7767 622957 or post your comment to the blog.

1. Content itself will be the interface of the future

Icons are dead and the content itself is the new interface. By stripping away the confusion and clutter of traditional interface elements like menus and scroll bars we can put photos, music and video at the heart of the user experience. Read more…

2. Handsets are no longer just for the hand

The role of the mobile device is expanding beyond the hand. In fact, handsets are spending less time in our palms and instead finding a role at the centre of the room. This trend represents a major new user experience challenge and will require us to think of new ways to interact with mobile devices. Read more…

3. Fragmentation is the enemy of innovation

The structure of the mobile industry is killing application developers. There is a tidal wave of innovative content and services waiting to be unleashed if we can build a business environment which enables new companies to make money from mobile. Read more…

4. Fashion is a stronger motivator than functionality

Fashion is a stronger motivator than features. Colour, shape, texture and packaging play a bigger role in influencing mobile purchasing decisions than the specification list. The highest margins in the handset business are achieved by devices which lag the technology curve but invest in brand partnerships and a boutique retail experience. Read more…

If you have a view on the Manifesto, we want to hear from you. We’ll be inviting the authors of some of the most inspiring responses to join the elite speaking programme at the event, so please get in touch to share your thoughts. You can email me at marekpawlowksi@pmn.co.uk, call on +44 (0)7767 622957 or post your comment to the blog.

5. The developing world is the new frontier for mobile user experience

The developing world is the new frontier for mobile user experience. It is the industry’s responsibility to deliver voice communication and internet connectivity to the disconnected in ways which are locally relevant, useable and cost-effective. Read more…

6. Search requires a radically different approach in the mobile environment

Search requires a radically different approach in the mobile environment. To find the answers they are looking for in the time they have available, mobile users need access to the widest range of search techniques, yet these must be provided within a highly constrained interface. Read more…

7. Intelligent contact lists are the future centres of the user interface

Presence and IP-based messaging change the dynamics of mobile communication. The natural focal point for next generation user interfaces is an intelligent, presence-enabled contact list. Enhancing the information and services which can be shared through people-centric networks is the best way to encourage usage of voice, messaging and data. Read more…

8. Mobile payments herald the next generational shift

Mobile payment applications will lead the next major leap in wireless communications, when our interactions with machines start to outnumber our interactions with people. Using our mobile phones to pay for goods and services in the physical world requires an interaction model and user interface of breath-taking simplicity. Cash and credit cards represent a singularly impressive benchmark – only when we deliver unique benefit above and beyond these existing solutions will mobile payments explode. Read more…

9. Users as individuals: uniquely complex and contradictory

Customers cannot be defined by numbers or segments or demographics. Every user is uniquely complex and contradictory. If we are to design experiences which recognise customers as individuals, we must develop research tools and analysis techniques which allow us to live and breath the world as users see it. Read more…

10. The potential of smart voice

The industry’s love affair with all things ‘2.0’ is blinding us to the reality that customers are spending more time than ever making basic voice calls. There are a wealth of potentially valuable smart voice features, ranging from conference calling and call waiting to texting to decline calls, which are failing because of poor user experience. Read more…

Remember, if you have a view on the Manifesto, we want to hear from you. We’ll be inviting the authors of some of the most inspiring responses to join the elite speaking programme at the event, so please get in touch to share your thoughts. You can email me at marekpawlowksi@pmn.co.uk, call on +44 (0)7767 622957 or post your comment to the blog.

Would you like to receive a copy of our funky Manifesto brochure?

We work with a leading design studio each year to produce a funky brochure illustrating our MEX Manifesto. In 2005 we had ‘Furry Chairs’ and in 2006 we created ‘The Paint Swatch’. 2007 saw a complete departure with our ‘Manifesto Poster’. If you’d like to see what our designers are planning for 2008, please click here to fill out a request form and we’ll mail you one anywhere in the world!