Interfaces of the Agriculture 4.0

The introduction of information technologies in the environmental field is impacting and changing even a traditional sector like agriculture. Nevertheless, Agriculture 4.0 and data-driven decisions should meet user needs and expectations. The paper presents a broad theoretical overview, discussing both the strategic role of design applied to Agri-tech and the issue of User Interface and Interaction as enabling tools in the field. In particular, the paper suggests to rethink the HCD approach, moving on a Human-Decentered Design approach that put together user-technology-environment and the importance of the role of calm technologies as a way to place the farmer, not as a final target and passive spectator, but as an active part of the process to aim the process of mitigation, appropriation from a traditional cultivation method to the 4.0 one

How We Evaluate the Accessibility of an Infographic: A Pilot Study Through SUS Questionnaire

The present study aims to evaluate the accessibility of infographics by using the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire, as well as to underline the necessity of new curricula on infographic literacy. The study was conducted on a sample of 200 participants [100 Visual Designer Graduate – 100 Other Disciplines Graduated]. The participants were given a set of infographics to evaluate based on their usability and understandability. The results showed that there were signifi-cant differences in the scores based on the level of education of the participants, with higher design education levels leading to better scores. The study also high-lighted the importance of developing new curricula on infographic literacy, as the current educational system does not provide enough opportunities for students to learn about infographics and their proper use. This is especially important given the increasing prevalence of infographics in various fields, from journalism to science communication. Without proper education on infographic literacy, indi-viduals may struggle to fully understand and utilize the information presented in infographics, leading to potential misinterpretations or misunderstandings. The findings of this study have important implications for educators and practitioners alike. Educators should prioritize the development of new curricula on infographic literacy to better prepare students for the increasing prevalence of infographics in various fields. Practitioners, on the other hand, should strive to make their info-graphics more accessible and user-friendly, especially for individuals with lower educational backgrounds

Data Visualization, Accessibility and Graphicacy: A Qualitative Study of Communicative Artifacts through SUS Questionnaire

The study presented examines the accessibility of information conveyed through the language of infographics, analyzing the usability by users in the fruition of information content of five Data Visualization artifacts, selected according to the degree of iconicity of representation by Anceschi. Specifically, the study compared the SUS evaluation by two groups [F=100-M=100] homogeneous in educational grade and age but distinguished in owning proven Visual Design competence or not. It is therefore investigated, whether basic soft skill, is sufficient to achieve an optimal level of accessibility or rather, whether Graphicacy competence is discriminated. Therefore, understanding whether infographic language could be considered ad a universal language or no. A three-variable correlation design was therefore constructed: two independent variables, the System Usability Scale (SUS) along with the degree of iconicity of the representation, and one dependent variable, namely the amount of information extracted from the infographic. The results show that in both Group A and B is evident a general difficulty in accessibility of information correlated to the degree of iconicity of the infographic representation. Specifically, in "non designer" group, no infographics achieved the minimum usability rating, which, on the other hand, in "designer" group, is achieved by the only two artifacts with a medium/low degree of iconicity. From the analysis of the data, Graphicacy-acquired within the educational curriculum of Designers-would appear to be a determinate element in the correct decoding of communicative artifacts. The contribution, through existing data and literature, leads, on the one hand, to confirm that Graphicacy has been found to be neglected in comparison to Literacy, Numeracy, and Articulacy and that the complexity and sophistication of infoaesthetic may be incomprehensible without timely data visualization literacy

Mapping, Coding, Learning: When Infographic Meets Digital Education –A Pilot Programme in Design School

Media Literacy and Media Education are two concepts that are now endorsed and become part of the academic lexicon of contemporary society internationally and seem to be recognised for all intents and purposes as new processes of education within formal or informal educational contexts. This process, however, cannot be self-taught and entrusted exclusively to the experiential practice of everyone, but requires forms of cultural mediation in educational contexts, especially for the development and practice of more sophisticated transversal digital skills. In this sense, a growing number of researchers in different disciplinary fields claim the need for a 'design twist' in educational practices, with "Design" playing a leading role in terms of notions, processes, and no less distinctive intelligence. The discipline of Design, through the artefacts of Information Design - like infographics - can assist such pedagogical activities, facilitating storytelling in the acquisition of new content and tools supporting the educator in guiding the learning. Starting from these premises, the contribution - through the case study of the Digital Education programme of the master’s in design, Multimedia and Visual Communication at Sapienza University - aims at critically reflecting on the relevance of disciplinary trespassing in the reconstruction of the methodologies of Design applied to future Digital Education. Contaminations useful for the research of new models, methods and processes that allow the design of new learning experiences aimed at the construction of democratic educational systems, inclusive and more adherent to contemporary challenges

Eating with Type. Designing a Letterpress Workshop Based on Typeful Thinking Approach for Food Education

Starting from the observation of an evident precariousness in the contemporary relationship between man and food, this contribution is meant to show a new proposal of workshops for children in the K=12, Grade 4–5 category, aimed at stimulating in a creative and experiential way a critical and conscious thinking about food. Starting from the methodology of Artful Thinking and Object Based Learning, the project shifts the pedagogical focus from the interaction with the artistic object to the interaction with the design object; and in particular with the movable type, identified as an activating element of the educational process in the transition from Artful to Typeful Thinking. The Typeful Thinking workshop therefore represents a potentially innovative food education tool that leverages on the concretisation of critical thinking through five thinking routines that go from conceptual abstraction —through a physical artefact, the letterpress printing— to their tangibility

Eating with Type: Designing a Letterpress Workshop Based on Typeful Thinking Approach for Food Education

Starting from the observation of an evident precariousness in the contemporary relationship between man and food, this contribution is meant to show a new proposal of workshops for children in the K=12, Grade 4–5 category, aimed at stimulating in a creative and experiential way a critical and conscious thinking about food. Starting from the methodology of Artful Thinking and Object Based Learning, the project shifts the pedagogical focus from the interaction with the artistic object to the interaction with the design object; and in particular with the movable type, identified as an activating element of the educational process in the transition from Artful to Typeful Thinking. The Typeful Thinking workshop therefore represents a potentially innovative food education tool that leverages on the concretisation of critical thinking through five thinking routines that go from conceptual abstraction - through a physical artefact, the letterpress printing - to their tangibility

A Virtual Reality Etruscan Museum Exhibition–Preliminary Results Of The Participants’ Experience

The current global health emergency has posed the need to reflect upon how to guarantee high standard of quality in 100% virtual exhibition. In this case study, we present one of the possible solutions to design a VR museum exhibition for educational purposes. The Centre for Museum Studies designed “The E-Trouria App”, a VR exhibition which is aimed at providing participants with personalised learning path based on an Etruscan museum collection in Rome. The App was designed by combining different pedagogical methods such as Digital Storytelling and Reflective Questioning. The goals of the research were to understand visitors' evaluation of their experience. 20 postgraduate students (F = 17; M = 3; Average age = 36 years) in Museum Education took part in the pre-pilot experimentation. Participants expressed very positive evaluation on the visit and their features (narratives, soundtrack and multimodality). Participants were emotionally engaged during the visit and the most reported emotions were “pleasure” and “wondering”. Future research steps are illustrated

SOCIALITÀ DIGITALE E COVID-19. Service Design per l’analisi del coinvolgimento emotivo nella città digitale

La recente emergenza mondiale e la conseguente virtualizzazione della quotidianità che l’essere umano ha dovuto fronteggiare, hanno fatto emergere il ruolo delle tecnologie digitali nella vita di ognuno e le criticità ad esse connesse. L’articolo riporta l’analisi delle piattaforme digitali più diffuse durante il periodo di lockdown 2020, volta a evidenziare una correlazione fra il successo in termine di fruizione e la componente emotiva-relazionale dei servizi stessi. A tal fine, è stato definito uno strumento di indagine derivante dal Service Design in grado di affiancare a un’azione di analisi prestazionale del servizio i relativi effetti in termini di fattori emozionali: un’opportunità per la comunità scientifica di riflettere sul miglioramento delle componenti socio-relazionali di una metaforica città digitale.The recent world health emergency and the consequent virtualisation of daily life that human beings had to tackle, have brought to light the role of digital technologies in our lives and the problems linked to them. In this context, the article deals with the analysis of the most used digital platforms during the 2020 lockdown, aimed at highlighting the link between its success and the emotional-relational component of the services.To this purpose, an investigation tool coming from Service Design was created. A tool capable of supporting the action of a service performance analysis and its effects in terms of emotional factors: an opportunity for the scientific community to think on the improvement of the socio-relational components of a metaphorical digital city

Brand Design Strategy for Public Administration. An experimentation on Lazio Region’s Employment Centers in Italy

The paper deals with the theme of public services through the lens of Design and intends to report experiences and preliminary results of the research project aimed at the Employment Centers of the Lazio Region, which develops a Brand Design Strategy for the renewal of the service through an activity structured in distinct operational phases. In fact, the discipline of Design has the role of guiding a conscious structure of the brand in a systemic perspective, which, in addition to the visual identity, includes the service and spatial design, promoting accessibility, inclusiveness and usability. A case of methodological experimentation that aims to establish itself as a case of national best practice