Pre-Theme 5: Design research

What the papers we've read for Theme 5 have in common

If Russell could have his saying, he'd probably say that they are sense-data based studies.

That is, they try to explore the way humans can interpret signals from electronic equipment.

Another more relevant term for this, Human-Computer-Interaction.

I see some fundamental problems with the usefulness of both these research papers.

The prototyping and ideas are based on currently available technology at that time.

These papers were published 2008-2009 and much has happened since then.

Knowing this, the research can still partially be useful for further studies.

Comics, Robots, Fashion and Programming:

outlining the concept of actDresses by Fernaeus and Jacobsson.

Reflect on the key points and what you learnt by reading the text.

The key idea was to use sign language to program or change functionality of electronic products by "dressing them up" with other items that symbolize a function.

The technology used for prototyping is rfid, is found in toys, price tags, key cards and road tolls.

It's a cheap and simple technology that can be easily integrated in almost any object, so it's very suitable for this concept.

As I indicated in the introduction, I find the concept obsolete.

I will make the assumption that most people that can afford a Roomba vacuum cleaner (I have one), also can afford a tablet or smartphone (I can).

The ActDress concept in its current form is suitable for toys and cheap products. But for more sophisticated items it seems impractical to have to dress things up. Since smartphones, computers or tablets normally can't read rfid, I'd make use of other available wireless technology such as WiFi or Bluetooth.

If further developed, ActDress could be an interesting technology for wireless mobile devices as symbols still can be used and presented on a screen as icons or graphical instructions. In fact, it's already here.

A visual programming language for my robot vacuum cleaner could easily be made available as an app for my tablet. I wouldn't need a special remote for the robot, there would be no need to add a display, or to dress it up.

FooFoo the Were-Rabbit costume for Roomba

Check the video: "Programming" that might be feasible for home appliances in a near future, we already have the technology in gaming consoles.

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Turn Your Mobile Into the Ball: Rendering Live Football Game Using Vibration by Li et al 2008.

I think that this was an interesting conceptual proof even though I'm not very interested in football.

Today 2013, we can easily watch a full football game on a smartphone or tablet. However, the main idea with this paper was

to be able to get the information while the phone is in ones pocket. I'm not certain of why this would be a good idea.

Even though I find the concept mostly obsolete, it gave me an idea that could probably be implemented and commercialized.

1. How can media technologies be evaluated?

One good way is to present a prototype to a small test group (qualitative).

Or in some cases questionnaires like we saw in theme 4 could be suitable (quantitative).

2. What role will prototypes play in research? +

3. Why could it be necessary to develop a proof of concept prototype? +

5. How can design research be communicated/presented?

Prototypes serve an important role in research. They can be used as a proof-of-concept and to illustrate the theory.

I can give you some examples from real life. I've been working for a while in a company that develops, manufactures, sells and supports advanced machines.

These machines consist of hardware: Mechanics and electronics, and various software. Added to this, there is the concept of process knowledge (proper usage).

Whith a prototype, it is possible explain to and discuss the final product with other stakeholders. As a researcher or developer, you can get great feedback from other experts, sales, service and customers.

When I've been involved in such presentations/discussions, we usually sit down in a meeting room, look at a presentation or physical prototype, write comments/ideas on post-its and then the research either continues or it is decided that

the product is ready for development or the waste-bin. 
 

The process of evaluating a prototype at my job.

Research and development go hand in hand. After the concept has been approved, a development project can be started to realize the product.

4. What are characteristics and limitations of prototypes?

Prototypes often lack full functionality of the thought of final product. For instance, to demonstrate visual design, an object may be created that lacks the actual

function of the final product. The other way around, a prototype that demonstrates a function may lack appealing design and may not be made out of the same material or with the same methods

of manufacturing (can apply to both physical objects and code).

Normally during research and development, there is a need to manufacture several prototypes of varying design to evaluate which one will have the correct function, quality and cost of manufacturing.

Sometimes prototypes can actually be of better quality than the finished product, simply because of cost of production.