Information & Interaction Design

1. Information & InteractionDesign Fall 2005 Bill Hart-Davidson Session 1: Introductions; Guidelines for Semester Project; Dourish Book; Self-Assessment

2. Our focus for the semester: designing for change Our aim: not just change, but change for the better! Our influences: Activity Theory, User-Centered Design, Embodied Interaction Our methods: Contextual Inquiry, inspiration from Rational Unified Process Today in Class…part I

3. Designing for Change: Theoretical Influences • Activity Theory – understanding the relationship between human behavior and the tools they use • User-Centered Design – placing the needs of users prominently in the design process (more later)

4. Designing for Change: Theoretical Influences • Embodied Interaction – An approach to interacting with software systems that emphasizes skilled, engaged practice rather than disembodied rationality

5. Activity & Change, 1 Activity Theory says… 1. “activity” is the minimal meaningful unit of human behavior 2. Activity is motivated (not just random) 3. Activity is mediated (by tools)

6. Activity & Change, 1&1/2 Activity Theory also says… Activity develops over time…and, actually, that there is a certain dynamic between “structures” (whether these are physical or social structures) and “agency,” such that it is by habitual action that we make and remake our world.

7. Activity & Change, 2 Consider 3 levels of action: 1. Activities that are motivated 2. Action that are goal oriented 3. Operations that have conditions Note that most complex activities are comprised of all three…so…

8. Activity & Change, 3 Levels of activity correspond with familiar questions: • Activity - Why? • Action - What? • 3. Operations – How? Where does HCI usually concentrate ?

9. Activity & Change, 4 Innovative HCI designs focus on the Why, mediating the What and How • Activity - Why? • Action - What? • 3. Operations – How? What and How, those we tend to experience as “structure”…when we act on a “Why,” we enact agency

10. Activity & Change, 5 Agency is linked to Change. The goal of good HCI design should be transformation of some social practice. Can you think of a successful HCI that transforms a social practice for the better? Whose agency is enabled by your example? Users? Designers?

11. Dourish and Change… Dourish’s central argument is that HCI designs are (re)constructions of the world…and as such, are representative of not just “logic” but of values, feelings, desires (even if these are invisible or minimized). He asks us to make our intentions in these areas explicit when we design, and to reconcile them with our goals for change. …but we can’t do it alone

12. Change in Information Ecologies “We define an information ecology to be a system of people, practices, values, and technologies in a particular local environment.” (p. 49)

13. How to Responsibly Evolve Information Ecologies • Work from core, local values. • Pay attention. Notice the meanings assigned to existing tech & practice • As strategic, open-ended questions about use. “What if…?” Nardi & O’day, p. 65

14. Analysis questions: pp. 72-74 Some strategic questions, 1 ask about motivations, opinons, relationships among things What is the goal of the department’s website revision? Observation questions: What can be seen & heard in the ecology? How is the current site administered?

15. Focus questions: pp. 72-74 Some strategic questions, 2 Identifies important operational conditions How much money is available for the revision? Ask about emotions, trust, etc. Feeling questions: Which features of the site do folks have a positive association with?

16. Visioning questions: pp. 72-74 Some strategic questions, 3 Identifies ideals, dreams Where would we like this site to go in the next year? Envision a path from here to there… Change questions: How might we prioritize our wish list?

17. Alternatives questions: pp. 72-74 Some strategic questions, 4 Are the communities in the dept. distinct enough to warrant multiple sites? Consequences questions: Whose interests are served by making the following kinds of changes…? Obstacles questions: Will there be a need for more training?

18. Personal inventory questions: pp. 72-74 Some strategic questions, 2 Identify interests and contributions of stakeholders How can the expertise we have in the dept. be best harnessed? Specifics, what & how Planning questions: How will we propose, approve, and test new designs for the site?

19. Have a conversation…start with an information ecology that you are familiar with…then consider a technological change appropriate for that community…run through the questions, coming up with your own for each category. Try out the Questions!

20. Touring Web Site Class Format Picking a Project Working Through the Phases Thinking about Grading Setting Goals Establishing a Team Linking SD to Your World Today in Class…part II

21. The Resources Page www.msu.edu/~hartdav2/iid.html

22. Class Info & Announcements • Resources Page – Notes, Syllabus, Brief Schedule, Links to Team Web Presence.

23. Let’s Look at the Syllabus • Course Description • Policies and procedures • Projects • Schedule

24. Collaborative Tools • I’ll ask you to set up a virtual team workspace • You choose…but all team members should be able to access it…and it should have a place to post public documents

25. Doing The Numbers • 9 Full-group Class Meetings • 3 Design Presentations • 2 Consultations

26. 6:30 Team 1 6:50 Team 2 7:10 Team 3 7:30 Review 7:50 Team 4 8:10 Team 5 8:30 Team 6 8:50 Review 9:10 Team 7 9:30 Team 8 9:50 Team 9 10:10 Review Example Presentation Schedule* • don’t worry, we won’t be going this late… :)

27. Picking a Project • Aim to transform a real social practice • Humans, computers working together • Must be a new project • Change the world…for the better!

28. Selection Criteria • New! Innovative & interesting • Allows team members to stretch & meet self assessment goals • Doable in the the time we have • Access to social environment for study • Based on a mutual desire for transformation of cultural conditions among stakeholders

29. Examples from previous years Tableside ordering at sit-down chain restaurants • Restaurant Guide • Design Participator • Hiking Buddy Website allowing community input for design projects A backpacker’s PDA; stores pictures, maps, journals, etc.

30. Restaurant Guide • RPI-based team, undergrads • Table-side screen device meant to streamline ordering process during busy lunch and dinner cycles

31. Activities of Restaurant Guide • Sort & View menu items using various criteria • Order from Menu • Track order progress • Swipe card to pay at table

32. Restaurant Guide Mediation • Touch Screen mounted tableside • PDAs for waitstaff

33. Upping the Ante: Transformation All of these projects involve issues of • power • agency • access • skill So we must ask: Cui Bono? Who benefits from…? Who benefits from the transformations your design introduces? How?

34. A few things to keep in mind… Users don’t need to be saved! (treat them as skilled, innovative, resourceful stakeholders in the system…because they are) Systems aren’t finished when you install them…they develop, grow, change. Users take over the design where designers leave off.

35. Design Phases We’ll follow a familiar 3-phase approach, but we will be reflective about the benefits and constraints of each.

36. Design Implementation The Phases Building block of the project Requirements

37. Design Implementation Activity Analysis Contextual Design Prototyping Methods Key concepts and techniques Requirements

38. Design Implementation Activity analysis; scenarios; buy-in Work models; concept; buy-in Prototype & Spec; approval Deliverables Key Outcomes from each phase Requirements

39. Design Implementation Share w/ peers Consultations Share w/peers Review panel Share w/ peers Consultations Facilitation Activities to insure success Requirements

40. Design Implementation Activity Presentation Memo Activity Presentation Memo Activity Presentation Memo Evaluation Measures of Team Performance Requirements

41. Thinking about Grading

42. Project Breakdown • 2 Individual Assessments 15% • Requirements phase : homework, presentation, memo (20%) • Design phase: homework, presentation, memo (20%) • Implementation phase: homework, presentation, spec/prototype (30%) • Peer review, panels (15%)

43. Individual Assessment • Set performance goals and evaluate your progress • Use template provided on resources page, iatemplate.rtf • Submit twice – once at the beginning and once at the end of the semester • First version due next time!

44. Setting Your Goals The Individual Assessment

45. Areas for Advancement • Tools and Techniques • Teaming • Design Process • Presentation and Persuasion • Deliverables

46. Assessment Questions For each area, you’ll answer questions about… • Background w/ that area • Aspirations for that area

47. Tools and Techniques ability to use tools and techniques related to HCI Design. • interface design tools; • writing tools; • web design tools; • research tools • visual design tools; • database tools; • scripting tools

48. Design Teaming ability to work in teams on HCI designs. ability to use an explicit design methodology fully, giving due weight to • requirements analysis, • conceptual design, • implementation.

49. Presentation and Persuasion-1 ability to present HCI designs to an audience • get buy-in • persuade them to make resources available to continue the design work.

50. Presentation and Persuasion-2 an ability to • make an effective argument • develop a clear presentation • marshal technical content effectively • analyze project needs • consider counter-arguments.