What is UI?
No, seriously. What does it mean to interface a user? Interface to what?
These were the profound questions I recently debated with several of my colleagues, a bunch of Experience Design experts. As you might imagine, our conversation was both fascinating and meandering, ultimately leading us to two distinct viewpoints.
On one side stood the sensible, sane approach:
UI is championing the User, their needs, and sensibilities. This perspective argues that the perfect interface is nearly invisible—an intuitive conduit linking users to the information they desire and expect, with zero cognitive load. But must it always be this way? What if the interface itself is part of the narrative? What if it's deliberately obstructive and opaque, demanding cognitive effort to engage, and is better because of it?
To prove a point, indulge in some creative fun, and maybe annoy colleagues a little, I built a page with obscure UI, in which I speak about myself using my 3dwww alter-ego. But it also serves to keep the question open: What does it truly mean to Interface a User? Interface to what? I don't believe the current sensible, sane answer is a universal truth.
Maybe, just maybe, the message my obscure UI has to convey will make more sense this way, than just as words on a sensible page.
This is just a fun experiment, of course. It works better on larger screens, but you can play on small form mobiles too.