This reading totally shifted my thinking on what interactivity really means. The metaphor of a back-and-forth conversation was a lightbulb moment for me. Like two people listening and responding to each other. It clearly shows why a book isn’t truly interactive even when it fully engages me. A book just conveys information, oblivious to my reactions. It doesn’t necessarily tailor itself to me.
Framing interactivity as a spectrum rather than a yes/no thing landed perfectly too. It’s like turning the volume up and down – experiences can be more or less interactive. A video game responds more to me than a cooking show I passively watch. And good graphics or UI design is only part of the equation – you have to build in that two-way communication. Looks alone don’t cut it.
I’ll admit some sections felt dense on first read. But the big takeaway was that interactivity isn’t just about engagement, it’s about a back-and-forth exchange where both parties actively listen and speak. Measuring where something falls on that spectrum makes me evaluate all kinds of media differently now. How much am I conversing rather than just being “spoken to”? Food for thought as I wrap my head around design. Overall, this was a solid, informative read.