I suggest an approach to tangible interaction design that builds
on social and cultural foundations. Specifically, I propose that
designers can evoke cultural forms as a means to tap into users’
existing
cognitive,
physical,
and
emotional
resources.
The
emphasis
is
less
on
improving
the
usability
of
an
interface
and
more
on
improving
the
overall
experience
around
an
interactive
artifact
by
cueing
productive
patterns
of
social
activity.
My
use
of
the
term
cultural
form
is
derived
from
the
work
of
Geoffrey
Saxe
and
his
form-function
shift
framework.
This
framework describes a process through which individuals
appropriate cultural forms and restructure them to serve new
functions in light of shifting goals and expectations. I describe
Saxe’s framework and then illustrate the use of cultural forms
in design with three examples.
7th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded and Embodied Interaction
