Throughout the process of writing the past blogposts, researching the topic of loneliness and connection and just generally moving along in the masters degree I’ve decided to change directions a bit in terms of my topic and approach to the thesis. While I still find it really interesting how human connection is formed, why we’re lonely, how this can be dealt with and what role interaction design can play in all this, I want to take a look at other topics that have peaked my interest. What I’ve found myself always coming back to in recent months are interfaces and interface design, especially tangible interfaces and multi sensory or haptic displays that challenge the increasing use of screens that has been happening over the past few years.
I have identified three topics connected to this interest that I would like to take a closer look at.
Tangible interfaces & education
Like I said I’m especially interested in how I could design interfaces that are more physical, less screen-based (more touch, movement, play, spaces etc.). What I would mostly want to look at is how these interfaces could make abstract or complex concepts more understandable. One context I’m interested in is science (education), not through a textbook, but through interactive, embodied experiences that help people grasp things like time, scale, systems, or cause-and-effect in a hands-on way. This could be interesting for museums or learning spaces for children. A first prototype here could be a very simple, tactile experiment to translate a scientific concept into a physical interaction, something you can touch or manipulate and therefore understand in a more meaningful way.
Material engagement & making
Another topic I want to explore is the value of making things with our hands in an increasingly digital world. How can interaction design support or encourage craft, manual skill, and material engagement? OR how can interacting through physical craft and creation support our mental health? I’m interested in the psychology behind this: how slowing down, working with tools or materials, or creating something by hand can support well-being or mental clarity. Interesting keywords here are play theory, flow theory, and the mental health benefits of active engagement. I wonder: what would a design look like that invites people to slow down and focus through physical making? Could “inconvenience” be a design goal in a positive sense (This is something I also discussed in my Glitch-Workshop during international design week)? A project here might be a simplified or slower interface that’s not as efficient or powerful as for example a phone, but rather something that rewards mindfulness and encourages active engagement and slowing down.
The future of communication & interaction
A third idea floating around in my head is about the future of communication technologies. Specifically: how can we design new ways of interacting with one another that support connection, but without the overwhelming side effects of today’s always-online, screen-heavy tech? I could explore how technology can be designed to be meaningful and less distracting. Maybe more ambient, multi-sensoric, or embodied communication? I don’t know yet how to prototype this or exactly what type of project this could lead to, but even diving into different types of communication and how we use them (screen-based/digital vs. physical, synchronous vs. asynchronous, passive vs. active) could help me define where to design. This is something I already partly touched upon during my bachelors thesis and found very interesting, especially since there is quite a bit of research but not too many innovative solutions.
The next challenge is figuring out how to structure my exploration from here. I think I’ll use the next few blogposts to dive deeper into each of these themes. I’m still unsure what the final prototype might be (an educational tool, a communication medium, or a kind of interactive craft) but I’m hoping that following these ideas will help me arrive at something more concrete and meaningful.
