Variants of interplay as drivers of media change

This article conceptualizes acting on media in terms of different interplays between focal actors, users, and user communities. It is argued that -in times of mediated visibility, the increasing entanglement of social and technological change, and accelerated feedback loops- arenas of negotiation emerge and therewith the complexities of relations between producers and users increases. Using insights from the fields of Wii hacking, Circuit Bending, and online poker tools, three variants of interplay are presented and discussed: integration, segregation, and permanent confrontation. Whilst a process-oriented perspective on reciprocal action is developed the paper contributes (a) to a balanced perspective on what is often a one-sided discussion regarding the actions leading to media change, and (b) to the understanding of the relation between media change and reflexive modernity

Four factors of change: Adaptations of everyday design

This paper is a follow up study of a 2005-2006 study of everyday design. This follow-up study is an opportunity to gain insights into the social evolution of everyday design systems in the home. We report on changes to five systems and discuss how these changes occurred over the last four to five years. We identify four factors related to the changes 1) shared intent 2) mutual intelligibility, 3) materiality-substitutability, and 4) fit

Matching values and value in construction and design

In response to a series of influential government reports that have been critical of the approaches taken by, and outputs of, the UK construction industry, human aspects of construction have been given a new significance, particularly issues of value as judged by diverse stakeholders. This paper seeks to relate diverse and applied notions of value in construction with a similarly diverse body of knowledge contained within social and environmental psychology on values, from the work of Maslow and others in the 1950s and 1960s, to more recent contributions by Schwartz and colleagues. Collectively, the paper describes the work of an inter-disciplinary team with the active participation of key stakeholders in construction: professional organisations, practitioners, construction companies, clients and end product users, focused upon the search for a new 'language of value' that can aid the adoption of innovative conceptualisations of value within the industry. Finally, an innovative framework of value is presented that has been developed for design practitioners in the non-domestic building industry

Experiencing Belugas: Action selection for an interactive aquarium exhibit

This paper presents a case study of an action selection system designed with adaptive techniques to create a virtual beluga aquarium exhibit. The beluga interactive exhibit uses a realistic 3D simulation system that allows the virtual belugas, in a natural pod context, to learn and alter their behavior based on contextual visitor interaction. Ethogram information on beluga behavior was incorporated into the simulation, which uses physically based systems for natural whale locomotion and water, artificial intelligence systems including modified neural networks and a reactive hierarchical action selection mechanism to simulate real-time natural individual beluga and group behavior. The beluga’s behavioral system consists of two layers: a low-level navigation system and a high-level reaction hierarchical action selection system. The system is designed to be run on consumer level hardware while maintaining real-time speeds

Design and semantics of form and movement (DeSForM 2006)

Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM) grew from applied research exploring emerging design methods and practices to support new generation product and interface design. The products and interfaces are concerned with: the context of ubiquitous computing and ambient technologies and the need for greater empathy in the pre-programmed behaviour of the ‘machines’ that populate our lives. Such explorative research in the CfDR has been led by Young, supported by Kyffin, Visiting Professor from Philips Design and sponsored by Philips Design over a period of four years (research funding £87k). DeSForM1 was the first of a series of three conferences that enable the presentation and debate of international work within this field: • 1st European conference on Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM1), Baltic, Gateshead, 2005, Feijs L., Kyffin S. & Young R.A. eds. • 2nd European conference on Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM2), Evoluon, Eindhoven, 2006, Feijs L., Kyffin S. & Young R.A. eds. • 3rd European conference on Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM3), New Design School Building, Newcastle, 2007, Feijs L., Kyffin S. & Young R.A. eds. Philips sponsorship of practice-based enquiry led to research by three teams of research students over three years and on-going sponsorship of research through the Northumbria University Design and Innovation Laboratory (nuDIL). Young has been invited on the steering panel of the UK Thinking Digital Conference concerning the latest developments in digital and media technologies. Informed by this research is the work of PhD student Yukie Nakano who examines new technologies in relation to eco-design textiles

Assessing the Attributes of Unconscious Interaction Between Human Cognition and Behavior in Everyday Product Using Image-Based Research Analysis

This paper’s objective is to critically assess the attributes of unconscious interaction between human cognition and behavior in the everyday product. During the study, a total of 30 images has been captured through natural observation. Using image-based research analysis as an approach, each image was critically assessed based on Burri’s theoretical framework of visual dimensions analysis. Nevertheless, a set of evaluation scheme was distributed to 30 Malaysian designers to obtain the reliability of the image analysis. The findings of the study indicate a significant descriptive characteristics analysis contained within different dimensions, which led to the identification of the attributes of unconscious interaction between human cognition and behavior in the everyday product. The implication of this study will help designers to widen their gaze on the possibilities of identifying user’s need during design thinking process by looking at the realms of unconsciousness and embodies human interaction

Older people’s appropriation of computers and the Internet

This thesis looks at how older people integrate computers and the Internet into their everyday lives and make these technologies their own as part of their broader experience of ageing. The thesis starts by considering the limits of current ‘deficit-driven’ models of accessible design used in relation to older people and highlights a need to develop new approaches which can accommodate the adaptive and ‘positive’ capacities that emerge with advanced age. The approach subsequently developed provides a consideration of older people’s situated and subjective experiences in relation to computer and Internet engagement as part of their adaptations to ageing. Qualitative and ethnographic data in the form of participant observations, contextual interviews and video-based observations are all used to examine the ways in which older users identify computers and the Internet as relevant and construct meaningful uses for them over time. Four case studies are used to explore the contextual and subjective determinants of these emerging psycho-socio-technical relationships over time and in different contexts. Through grounded analysis patterns are established in the data which outline persistent qualities of these emerging relationships in relation to ageing. A psycho-socio-technical process known as ‘appropriation’ is used to frame these adaptive relationships as they develop over time. In contrast to existing models of accessibility this analysis shows computer and Internet appropriation to be driven primarily by positive adaptations to ageing rather than its deficits. Six ‘core themes of relevance’ are identified across the studies (social contact; acquiring knowledge; supporting independence; intergenerational connection; reminiscence and life review and creativity) which represent age-relevant motivations that can be used as the basis for accessible designs promoting appropriation. In addition appropriation is outlined as a cumulative developmental process with distinct phases over time. This provides a structure for supporting older people’s appropriation of computers and the Internet whilst maintaining an emphasis on well-being. Finally this thesis contributes to understandings of contemporary ageing, offering insights into the potential for computers and the Internet to change the ageing experience in developed societies