US revenues from sales of video games saw slight growth between 2009 and 2011, climbing from $16 bn to $16.6 bn.

Although revenues for computer and console games fell from $10.6 bn to $9.3 bn, the more interesting data is that sales for games delivered by other means climbed $1.9 bn, which includes sales of games via mobile apps and social networks.

Source: Entertainment Software Association, 2012

What I find interesting about this is that it shows people are embedding games into their everyday routines around other media and devices. People carry their mobiles around with them, so they use them for gaming; they go on Facebook most days for catching up with friends, and so they use that for gaming.

This behaviour is indicative of how people are likely to continue to embed activities into their mobile phones - behaviours they currently do via other means. Yet much of this is dependent upon researchers informing the design of products through research that seeks to carefully understand people's everyday routines (especially through ethnographic techniques). All too often, we see designers and organisations taking a 'if we build it they will come' approach. Recent history is littered with examples that show this is a fallacy.