interakcije split interaction

RipeSpaces, MeetingPlaces

Ripe spaces are matured or developed public spaces that are in use in a city. Groups of people occupy spaces in the city and use them for a variety of activities. Spaces may be official public spaces or spaces that groups of people have appropriated over time.

Atelier approach in Interaction Design begins with context. It requires a team of students to discover and probe current experiences in public spaces in the city. Studying these places will give us, as designers, current and situated insight into what creates successful experiences as defined by the people who use the spaces.

The Brief

What is discovered is the basis for the design of interactive technologies which enhance, support or stimulate activities that are relevant and appropriate for (a) the people who use the space and (b) for the space in which the activities occur.

As the project progresses, the teams will work in situ with representatives from the space to complete a full design life-cycle using a combination of methods from observational studies through to concept design, prototyping, testing and evaluation.

Methodology

This project begins with a series of questions;

  • Do citizens of a city treat public space in a different way to visitors? If so, how?
  • What are citizen's roles in establishing, inhabiting and maintaining a public space?

Understanding Current Experience;

  • Where do Split citizens meet or gather publicly?
  • Who are Split citizens?
  • What motivates the gathering?
  • When do citizens gather?
  • What activities take place?
  • What are the characteristics of the place?
  • Do all citizens have effective public meeting places? What is that?

In the week before the workshop students on this project will divide into groups of three and choose one public space in Split each to investigate. The questions listed above will be used as a guideline to carry out a pre-workshop investigation.

For methods of gathering research material, see the two papers attached;

  • Lennon, M., Bannon, L.J. Ciolfi, L. (2006). Space to reflect: combinatory methods for developing student interaction design projects in public spaces. CoDesign: International Journal of CoCreation in Design and the Arts 2(2).
  • Lennon, M., Bannon L J. (2005). Worksheets in Practice: Gathering Artefacts for Reflection in Interaction Design Education. Proceedings of HCIEd. 2006-1 Inventivity: Teaching theory, design and innovation in HCI, The First Joint BCS/IFIP WG13.1/ICS/EU CONVIVIO HCI Educators Workshop, University of Limerick.

Things to be aware of;

  • The physical make-up of the space
  • Movement in the Space over time
  • Types of people in the Space over time
  • Gestures
  • Groupings
  • Communication
  • Objects people use in the space
  • Objects people bring to the space
  • How people inform themselves about what is available to them in the space
  • Activities of people in the Space over time
  • Activities of other in the Space over time
  • Existing technology in the space or used in the space
  • Environmental conditions
  • Other influential factors such as, administration, safety, access regulations etc.

During this investigation remember it is good practice to concentrate on gathering knowledge, whilst not thinking about design concepts!

On Day 1 of the workshop each of the different groups will present the information that they have gathered to the all of the participants of the atelier.

The students will reform as a single project team for the duration of the workshop. The results of these investigations will be used as the starting point of the RipeSpaces, MeetingPlaces project.