Adjacent possible

December 8, 2024

The adjacent possible is a kind of shadow future, hovering on the edges of the present state of things, a map of all the ways in which the present can reinvent itself - Steven Johnson

I’ve been long fascinated with what the adjacent possible could look like for the medium of computing. The following are some ideas that are top of mind right now. They’re patterns that I’ve been drawn to in my own work and in the work of others. Research directions that I’d like to explore further. Pieces of the puzzle for the type of computing experiences I want to build next. And a reflection of my personal hopes and aspirations for the future of the medium.

Fluid interfaces treat the elements of digital interfaces like a physical material. In this paradigm, the material elements can move, transform and animate but shouldn’t blink in and out of existence. Designing applications this way puts as much emphasis on the transitions between views as it does the views themself. These transitions give interactions an immediate and direct response that feels more like an extension of yourself. Applications start to feel like a continuous, evolving spatial environment rather than a collection of separate pages.

Inspiration:

• Designing Fluid Interfaces - Apple on why fluid interfaces matter
• What Screens Want by Frank Chimero on flux and crafting the interstitials in interface design
• What’s so great about the digital medium again? by May-li Khoe
• Midjourney art gallery by Cheng Lou on programming interfaces with a game engine rendering loop, enabling experiences that feel more like an fluid, immersive and reactive
• Fluidity in Airbnb App by Tuhin Kumar

Contextual computing is about creating malleable software environments that can shape themselves to support your goals and intentions. These environments use the context they know about you to display information in a way that is relevant to your needs. The system can be pro-active, scheduling future activities and reminders that help you build habits, stay in touch with what you care about and move you closer to who you want to be.

Inspiration:

• Magic Ink by Bret Victor on context-sensitive information graphics
• Programmable Attention by Andy Matuschak on managing attention over time
• Mercury OS by Jason Yuan
• Data-driven views by Yoshiki Schmitz allowing end users to shape software to their needs
• Wildcard by Geoffrey Litt

Intentional devices are designed around a specific activity. It’s a step away from the everything devices we have today that place a litany of distractions a tap or a swipe away – derailing activities that require focused attention. Intentional devices move us a step away from hyper-reality toward a future where your devices are tools you use that then fade into the background when you’re done with them.

Inspiration:

• Hyper-reality by Keiichi Matsuda on where we’re going if technology is left unchecked
• Projects by 100rabbits on building simple tools that solve their specific needs
• Teenage engineering
• Daylight computer

Interpersonal connection is easier today because of the internet. But connection still needs a catalyst. Having shared context (knowing what someone likes, notices, spends time on, etc.) gives you reasons to start conversations with someone. Thoughtfully designed applications can provide new ways to add to this pool of context.

Inspiration:

• Curius App a web bookmarking and annotation tool that lets you see what your friends are reading and annotating
• Twitter - see Andy and Nick on how it transformed their lives
• Wordle - at its peak, wordle group chats were re-connecting people and sparking conversations between them
• Strava - have messaged friends to go on runs because I saw them logging their running activity
• Goodreads - lets you discover new books through friends while learning about their taste
• Spotify Unwrapped - people love sending artifacts like this to each other, would love to design more things like this.

Note: I would love to read more things like this. If you’ve written one yourself, or have one that you enjoy, please send it my way!