Collaborative design : managing task interdependencies and multiple perspectives

This paper focuses on two characteristics of collaborative design with respect to cooperative work: the importance of work interdependencies linked to the nature of design problems; and the fundamental function of design cooperative work arrangement which is the confrontation and combination of perspectives. These two intrinsic characteristics of the design work stress specific cooperative processes: coordination processes in order to manage task interdependencies, establishment of common ground and negotiation mechanisms in order to manage the integration of multiple perspectives in design

ICS Materials. Towards a re-Interpretation of material qualities through interactive, connected, and smart materials.

The domain of materials for design is changing under the influence of an increased technological advancement, miniaturization and democratization. Materials are becoming connected, augmented, computational, interactive, active, responsive, and dynamic. These are ICS Materials, an acronym that stands for Interactive, Connected and Smart. While labs around the world are experimenting with these new materials, there is the need to reflect on their potentials and impact on design. This paper is a first step in this direction: to interpret and describe the qualities of ICS materials, considering their experiential pattern, their expressive sensorial dimension, and their aesthetic of interaction. Through case studies, we analyse and classify these emerging ICS Materials and identified common characteristics, and challenges, e.g. the ability to change over time or their programmability by the designers and users. On that basis, we argue there is the need to reframe and redesign existing models to describe ICS materials, making their qualities emerge

Shape interpretation with design computing

How information is interpreted has significant impact on how it can be used. This is particularly important in design where information from a wide variety of sources is used in a wide variety of contexts and in a wide variety of ways. This paper is concerned with the information that is created, modified and analysed during design processes, specifically with the information that is represented in shapes. It investigates how design computing seeks to support these processes, and the difficulties that arise when it is necessary to consider alternative interpretations of shape. The aim is to establish the problem of shape interpretation as a general challenge for research in design computing, rather than a difficulty that is to be overcome within specific processes. Shape interpretations are common characteristics of several areas of enquiry in design computing. This paper reviews these, brings an integrated perspective and draws conclusions about how this underlying process can be supported

Diverse perceptions of smart spaces

This is the era of smart technology and of ‘smart’ as a meme, so we have run three workshops to examine the ‘smart’ meme and the exploitation of smart environments. The literature relating to smart spaces focuses primarily on technologies and their capabilities. Our three workshops demonstrated that we require a stronger user focus if we are advantageously to exploit spaces ascribed as smart: we examined the concept of smartness from a variety of perspectives, in collaboration with a broad range of contributors. We have prepared this monograph mainly to report on the third workshop, held at Bournemouth University in April 2012, but do also consider the lessons learned from all three. We conclude with a roadmap for a fourth (and final) workshop, which is intended to emphasise the overarching importance of the humans using the spac

Can You Hear Me? A Grounded Theory on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Software Development

Context: With the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, many software development com- panies had to urgently adopt remote work, even those who never resorted to it. This caused many challenges and uncertainties that software development companies never faced before. This led to a mixed bag of effects on the productivity of software developers, where there were positive and negative effects. Some of those effects would not be found when working at co-located offices. Objectives: Our goal was to present and understand the different factors that come into play when working from home during a pandemic, what are their impacts and how companies have tried to deal with them. Methods: In this dissertation, we use Straussian Grounded Theory, a qualitative methodology that makes use of semi-structured interviews and coding, to formulate a theory on the impact of the pandemic on software development. Results: The resulting theory characterises in detail what were the challenges, such as social isolation, burnout, workspace, distractions, and benefits, like not having to com- mute, promotion of health, collaboration, communication, knowledge sharing, online events, which were found by software developers during the pandemic. It also charac- terises how the different aspects relate to each other, and how software developers had to adapt to the pandemic. We propose a set of recommendations, such as remote work flexi- bility, promotion of health care and social events, trust employees, based on the results we found, for companies that expect to adopt remote work in the post-pandemic. Conclusions: The short-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has different impacts based on software developers context. Some of the impacts can change in the medium or long term. Overall, it is important to promote employees’ health, well-being and communication to mitigate the negative impacts on their productivity.Contexto: Com a chegada da pandemia do COVID-19, muitas empresas de desenvolvi- mento de software tiveram de adoptar urgentemente o trabalho remoto, mesmo aquelas que nunca recorreram a ele. Isto causou muitos desafios e incertezas que as empresas de desenvolvimento de software nunca tinham enfrentado. Isto levou a um saco misto de efeitos sobre a produtividade dos programadores de software, onde houve efeitos po- sitivos mas também efeitos negativos. Alguns destes efeitos não eram encontrados no trabalho presencial em escritórios co-localizados. Objetivos: O nosso objectivo era apresentar e perceber os diversos factores que entram em jogo quando se trabalha a partir de casa durante uma pandemia, quais são os seus impactos e como é que as empresas tentaram lidar com eles. Métodos: Nesta dissertação usámos a Straussian Grounded Theory, uma metodologia qualitativa que faz uso de entrevistas semi-estruturadas e codificação, para formular uma teoria que caracteriza o impacto da pandemia em desenvolvimento de software. Resultados: A teoria reusltante caracteriza em detalhe quais foram os desafios, tal como o isolamento social, o burnout, o espaço de trabalho e as distrações, e quais foram os benefícios, por exemplo a ausência de deslocações, a promoção da saúde, a colaboração, a comunicação, a partilha de conhecimento, os eventos sociais, que foram encontrados pelos programadores durante a pandemia. Também caracterisamos como é que os vários aspetos se relacionam, e o que é que os programadores tiveram de fazer para se adaptarem à pandemia. Também propomos um conjunto de recomendações com base nos resultados que encontrámos, para as empresas que ponderem adotar teletrabalho na pós-pandemia. Conclusões: O impacto a curto prazo da pandemia da COVID-19 tem impactos dife- rentes com base no contexto dos programadores durante a mesma. Alguns destes impac- tos podem vir a mudar no prazo médio a longo. De maneira geral, é importante promover a saúde, o bem estar e a comunicação para mitigar os impactos negativos na sua produti- vidade

MIXED REALITY FRAMEWORK FOR ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN EDUCATION

This study introduces a framework to build a new concept of architectural education based on the idea of Mixed Reality (MR) as a technique of merging real and virtual learning environment, studying its impact on the education curricular contents and the course outline especially in design studio courses to provide new possibilities for innovation design. the study aims to achieve strategies to design a model for architectural design education with the focus on the concept of design studio’s evolution through the analysis of its basic components, between Mind (Think of the human factor), Reality (spatial factor for the design process), Media (tools used in Design) and the work organization in the studio between students and instructor/s and the Design Processes from the pre-design stage to design development stage

Tangible user interfaces : past, present and future directions

In the last two decades, Tangible User Interfaces (TUIs) have emerged as a new interface type that interlinks the digital and physical worlds. Drawing upon users' knowledge and skills of interaction with the real non-digital world, TUIs show a potential to enhance the way in which people interact with and leverage digital information. However, TUI research is still in its infancy and extensive research is required in or- der to fully understand the implications of tangible user interfaces, to develop technologies that further bridge the digital and the physical, and to guide TUI design with empirical knowledge. This paper examines the existing body of work on Tangible User In- terfaces. We start by sketching the history of tangible user interfaces, examining the intellectual origins of this field. We then present TUIs in a broader context, survey application domains, and review frame- works and taxonomies. We also discuss conceptual foundations of TUIs including perspectives from cognitive sciences, phycology, and philoso- phy. Methods and technologies for designing, building, and evaluating TUIs are also addressed. Finally, we discuss the strengths and limita- tions of TUIs and chart directions for future research

An integrated approach to rotorcraft human factors research

As the potential of civil and military helicopters has increased, more complex and demanding missions in increasingly hostile environments have been required. Users, designers, and manufacturers have an urgent need for information about human behavior and function to create systems that take advantage of human capabilities, without overloading them. Because there is a large gap between what is known about human behavior and the information needed to predict pilot workload and performance in the complex missions projected for pilots of advanced helicopters, Army and NASA scientists are actively engaged in Human Factors Research at Ames. The research ranges from laboratory experiments to computational modeling, simulation evaluation, and inflight testing. Information obtained in highly controlled but simpler environments generates predictions which can be tested in more realistic situations. These results are used, in turn, to refine theoretical models, provide the focus for subsequent research, and ensure operational relevance, while maintaining predictive advantages. The advantages and disadvantages of each type of research are described along with examples of experimental results

Proceedings of the ECCS 2005 satellite workshop: embracing complexity in design - Paris 17 November 2005

Embracing complexity in design is one of the critical issues and challenges of the 21st century. As the realization grows that design activities and artefacts display properties associated with complex adaptive systems, so grows the need to use complexity concepts and methods to understand these properties and inform the design of better artifacts. It is a great challenge because complexity science represents an epistemological and methodological swift that promises a holistic approach in the understanding and operational support of design. But design is also a major contributor in complexity research. Design science is concerned with problems that are fundamental in the sciences in general and complexity sciences in particular. For instance, design has been perceived and studied as a ubiquitous activity inherent in every human activity, as the art of generating hypotheses, as a type of experiment, or as a creative co-evolutionary process. Design science and its established approaches and practices can be a great source for advancement and innovation in complexity science. These proceedings are the result of a workshop organized as part of the activities of a UK government AHRB/EPSRC funded research cluster called Embracing Complexity in Design (www.complexityanddesign.net) and the European Conference in Complex Systems (complexsystems.lri.fr). Embracing complexity in design is one of the critical issues and challenges of the 21st century. As the realization grows that design activities and artefacts display properties associated with complex adaptive systems, so grows the need to use complexity concepts and methods to understand these properties and inform the design of better artifacts. It is a great challenge because complexity science represents an epistemological and methodological swift that promises a holistic approach in the understanding and operational support of design. But design is also a major contributor in complexity research. Design science is concerned with problems that are fundamental in the sciences in general and complexity sciences in particular. For instance, design has been perceived and studied as a ubiquitous activity inherent in every human activity, as the art of generating hypotheses, as a type of experiment, or as a creative co-evolutionary process. Design science and its established approaches and practices can be a great source for advancement and innovation in complexity science. These proceedings are the result of a workshop organized as part of the activities of a UK government AHRB/EPSRC funded research cluster called Embracing Complexity in Design (www.complexityanddesign.net) and the European Conference in Complex Systems (complexsystems.lri.fr)