As our technology gets smarter, subtly blending into our everyday lives, good design has never been more important. Design is critical in determining how we experience a product or service, but an often overlooked and undervalued part of any design experience is sound, and specifically UI sound. From a simple keyclick to a warning notification, UI sound design has become a key factor in how we interact with modern-day technology. It’s a specialist craft, that if done well, can help to inspire the overall design, improve usability and user experience, and strengthen a brand.
About Henry Daw
Henry Daw is a sound designer and audio branding consultant, based in London. After working for 13 years as an in-house sound designer, for Nokia and Microsoft, Henry set up his own company Oblique Sound in 2015. Whilst at Nokia and Microsoft, Henry created sounds for billions of devices worldwide, including the most recent versions of the infamous Nokia Tune and the Microsoft Lumia Default ringtone. He received an Audio Branding Award nomination in 2012 for his innovative approach to localising content, through crowdsourcing and music school collaborations. He now works with a wide range of clients, specialising in the developing area of UX/UI sound design – highly focused sound design that forms a crucial part of user experience for the technology of today.