Great questions! Thank you for the detail.
This kind of information is difficult to write about clearly, so your questions are a great help to me.
Pass-through is not about simplicity, it's about focusing attention on the task/goal rather than the technology itself. Even complex interfaces like Minecraft can be pass-through once learned because they support the core gameplay so intuitively.
Pass-through makes the technology "invisible" in use, even if the device itself is plainly visible. Like looking through a window, you see the view beyond, not the glass.
Pass-through is better when it centers around a clear purpose/core task. Venmo fails here by not making payments intuitive enough. Google succeeded by focusing solely on search results.
Things that make an interface less pass-through: unnecessary notifications/interruptions, over complication, friction points in achieving goals, anything that shifts attention to the technology itself rather than core tasks.
To make it more actionable: evaluate if each UI element relates directly to people's core tasks. Remove elements that distract from goals, streamline flows focused on jobs-to-be-done. Test with users frequently to see if tech or task stays central to their attention. Pass-through takes work but pays off in intuitive, flowing experiences.
The key is keeping focus and agency where it belongs - on human goals and tasks, not on navigating the technology itself. Evaluating pass-through is about mindset shift from tech-centric to user-centric thinking. Let me know if any part of that summary needs more clarification!
Pass-through design is better when:
- The core user task is clear and focused. For example, Google's core purpose is searching, so everything in their UI is optimized for that.
- Friction points and unnecessary complexity get in the way of the main task. (a very ugly POS system can be used without looking by waitstaff and be considered "Calm" even though it looks on the surface like it is ugly design)
- Streamlining flows keeps attention on core jobs-to-be-done.
- Users need to get into a state of flow. Removing distracting elements helps sustain focus and concentration.
Pass-through can be worse when:
- The technology lacks visibility or transparency. "Invisible" smart home devices often backfire by confusing users when things go wrong. Some visibility helps maintain user agency.
- Tasks require complex configurations upfront. "Smart appliances" that need many settings tweaks before doing basic functions violate pass-through principles.
- Safety and accuracy are paramount. Venmo's main task of peer payments lacks confirmations that could prevent mistakes. Friction helps here.
To make pass-through more actionable:
- Clearly define the core purpose and user task first and foremost. This might not always be obvious and might require a few months of user research and being a part of the world that the person is a part of to see the real frictions and problems.
- Evaluate if every UI element maps directly to supporting that task
- Remove extraneous elements that distract from the primary goal
Simplify flows, minimize steps to complete key jobs-to-be-done
- Add feedback mechanisms and visibility when needed to reinforce user agency
Test with users continuously to determine if tech or task stays central to attention
I hope this helps a little. I'm interested in whether this is useful clarification, and whether it makes things more clear or less so. Thanks again for the question!
