Human-Centered Approaches in Geovisualization Design: Investigating Multiple Methods Through a Long-Term Case Study

Working with three domain specialists we investigate human-centered approaches to geovisualization following an ISO13407 taxonomy covering context of use, requirements and early stages of design. Our case study, undertaken over three years, draws attention to repeating trends: that generic approaches fail to elicit adequate requirements for geovis application design; that the use of real data is key to understanding needs and possibilities; that trust and knowledge must be built and developed with collaborators. These processes take time but modified human-centred approaches can be effective. A scenario developed through contextual inquiry but supplemented with domain data and graphics is useful to geovis designers. Wireframe, paper and digital prototypes enable successful communication between specialist and geovis domains when incorporating real and interesting data, prompting exploratory behaviour and eliciting previously unconsidered requirements. Paper prototypes are particularly successful at eliciting suggestions, especially for novel visualization. Enabling specialists to explore their data freely with a digital prototype is as effective as using a structured task protocol and is easier to administer. Autoethnography has potential for framing the design process. We conclude that a common understanding of context of use, domain data and visualization possibilities are essential to successful geovis design and develop as this progresses. HC approaches can make a significant contribution here. However, modified approaches, applied with flexibility, are most promising. We advise early, collaborative engagement with data – through simple, transient visual artefacts supported by data sketches and existing designs – before moving to successively more sophisticated data wireframes and data prototypes

Design spaces and EEG frequency band power in constrained and open design

Design space is a common abstraction used in the investigation of design cognition. Characteristic properties of design spaces and how they change are underexplored. Design spaces can vary with the design task and its constraints, which are assumed to result in differences in neurocognitive processes. We review general cognition, creative cognition and design neurocognition EEG studies. We analyzed the brain activity of 32 professional mechanical engineers and industrial designers while performing constrained and open design tasks. The neurophysiological activations during reading the task, earliest reaction, and open externalization stages of constrained and open design are compared based on EEG frequency band power. Significant differences between constrained and open design for the beta bands were found in the earliest reaction stage. Significant differences between constrained and open design for alpha 2 and the beta bands were found in the open externalization stage. We discuss the results and relate the higher brain activity and significant differences in open design to cognitive functions of interest to design cognition. We show that EEG brain activation is sensitive to the level of constraints in designing, in particular alpha 2 and beta bands can act as proxies of the change and expansion of design spaces

Distributed Synchronous Visualization Design: Challenges and Strategies

We reflect on our experiences as designers of COVID-19 data visualizations working in a distributed synchronous design space during the pandemic. This is especially relevant as the pandemic posed new challenges to distributed collaboration amidst civic lockdown measures and an increased dependency on spatially distributed teamwork across almost all sectors. Working from home being 'the new normal', we explored potential solutions for collaborating and prototyping remotely from our own homes using the existing tools at our disposal. Since members of our cross-disciplinary team had different technical skills, we used a range of synchronous remote design tools and methods. We aimed to preserve the richness of co-located collaboration such as face-to-face physical presence, body gestures, facial expressions, and the making and sharing of physical artifacts. While meeting over Zoom, we sketched on paper and used digital collaboration tools, such as Miro and Google Docs. Using an auto-ethnographic approach, we articulate our challenges and strategies throughout the process, providing useful insights about synchronous distributed collaboration.Comment: Final published versio

Situated Sketching and Enactment for Pervasive Displays

International audienceSituated sketching and enactment aim at grounding designs in the spatial, social and cultural practices of a particular place. This is particularly relevant when designing for public places in which human activities are open-ended, multi-faceted, and difficult to anticipate, such as libraries, train stations, or commercial areas. In order to investigate situated sketching and enactment, we developed Ébauche. It enables designers to collaboratively sketch interfaces, distribute them across multiple displays and enact use cases. We present the lessons learned from six situated sketching and enactment workshops on public displays with Ébauche, and a controlled study with 8 pairs of designers who used paper and Ébauche. We describe how participants leveraged the place, and how paper or Ébauche influenced the integration of their designs in the place. Looking at the design outcomes, our results suggest that paper leads to broader exploration of ideas and deeper physical integration in the environment. Whereas Ébauche leads to more refined sketches and more animated enactments

Challenges and opportunities in remote prototyping: a case-study during COVID-19

Collaboration is common practice within design disciplines and beyond. Brainstorming, discussions, and prototyping tend to occur within the same physical space. The reduction of human interaction during the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted these practices. In this paper, we focus on the possibilities and challenges of remote prototyping of four student teams by combining a double diamond approach with tools to overcome remote work challenges. The results were analyzed to understand crucial tools, advantages, and obstacles. The key challenges and opportunities were then identified and examined

Collaborative Design Work in Technology Education

Peer reviewe

Design Thinking in Elementary Students’ Collaborative Lamp Designing Process

Peer reviewe

Integrating Decision-Making Support in Geocollaboration Tools

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Scaffolding Early Engineers\u27 Design Learning with a Videogame: Investigating the Influence of Minecraft as a Platform for Design Ideation

In this manuscript a modified commercial game, Minecraft, was used to assist early engineering students\u27 learning the design process. More specifically, a designed-based research approach was employed utilizing a concurrent mixed methods to investigate the use of Minecraft for learning about the concept generation stage of design. Survey instruments measuring understanding of the design process, in-depth interviews on students’ interactions with the platform and iterations of students’ virtual artifacts were captured for analysis. Although no learning gains were detected from pre to post instrument, several analytical methods including visual content analysis of students’ artifacts, discourse analysis of students’ framing of the platform and thematic analysis of their reported formal and informal use of the game provided some evidence of students\u27 engagement with the game, the mechanisms of that engagement, an array of ways in which students may use the platform informally that related to class-work, and the promise of virtual worlds for design learning

Design of a composter

Este proyecto trata del diseño y desarrollo de un contenedor para hacer compost. El compostador ha sido diseñado en colaboración con la empresa MiljöCenter de Malmo, Suecia. Dado que se realizó en el programa de intercambio, el report se encuentra en inglés, por lo que a continuaciòn se muestra un breve resumen en español sobre el proyecto. El proyecto consiste en el diseño de un contenedor para exteriores que pueda superar altas temperaturas y que sirva para reciclar desechos orgánicos que darán lugar a compost al estar bajo unas temperaturas y condiciones determinadas, las cuales aparecen especificadas en el informe. El diseño se ha basado en mejorar las cualidades estéticas y logísticas de los diseños que la empresa fabrica actualmente. La logística, entendiendo por ello el montaje, desmontaje, almacenamiento y transporte del producto ha sido una de las piezas claves a la hora de resolver la fase de diseño. La otra parte definitiva fue la relación usuario - producto con la idea de facilitar el uso del contenedor, desde que se compra, transporta y monta en casa, hasta que se usa para hacer del proceso de reciclado de materia orgánica y compostaje, un proceso más ameno y para toda la familia. En el informe aparecen todas las fases de diseño. Esto incluye la primera fase análisis del mercado, así como las reuniones con la empresa. A continuación los resultados y valoraciones que se tuvieron en cuenta para la fase creativa y de resolución de problemas. Seguido de la conceptualización y últimos detalles del producto final hasta dejar el producto totalmente definido. Como resultado del proyecto se obtuvo un contenedor de plástico resistente a los agentes exteriores y a altas temperaturas gracias a su insulación. El diseño se basa en una forma sencilla formada por la base, la tapa y cuatro paredes hechas con un mismo molde. Tiene un sistema de ventilación que favorece a las condiciones necesarias para la realización de compost así como un diseño amable, fácil de fabricar, transportar, almacenar, montar y usar. Su forma permite desmontarlo y montarlo e una manera sencilla además de ocupando muy poco espacio para su transporte y almacenamiento. Esto produce grandes ventajas económicas para la empresa en la parte de fabricación y logística así como ventajas para el usuario. En caso de interés o alguna duda sobre el proyecto, no dude en consultarme a través de mi correo electrónico. ([email protected]) SUMMARY IN ENGLISH BELOW: The report describes the process of product development and industrial design done to get a composter as a final result. The new design of the container for compost was ordered by the company MiljöCenter in order to improve the ones that the company already has. The main goal of this project was to develop a new product that improves the design, the assembly, the logistics and the economy of the composter comparing with the ones of the company and also the ones of the competitors. In order to get this goal, the design process has been based in different methodology and methods divided in several steps like research, ideation, functional analysis, visualization…etc. All the process is detailed in this paper, and also the result that consists in a complete design of a composter made for outdoor. Resistant to all kind of weather and with a simple form that helps to make an easy assembly, disassembly and transport If you are interested or you have any doubt, don´t hesitate in contact me by email. ([email protected]