Interaction Design

Research focus

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The thematic field involves the analysis, design and evaluation of the interaction between human and technological, cognitive and organisational artefacts and between people through artefacts. The focus is on the compatibility with human limits, on the development of human potentialities and on quality in terms of performance and wellness. The specific research objective is transfer and adaptation of tools and methodologies developed in Human Computer Interaction field to product and interior design with particular interest on contextual and participatory design methods. User centred design involves the application of analysis techniques defined by Norman (1998) contextual design or rapid ethnography which consist in visiting the users, observing their activity, the kind of interaction and the culture in which they live, work, learn and play. Interesting studies with such emphatic approach has been developed by Lifchez e Wislow (1979) for the design of assistive technologies and products for disabled people (Inclusive design). The development of User centred design from design for users to design with users builds on the evolution of the usability concept in relation with the idea of experience considering usability as a necessary but not sufficient component of experience. Alben defined experience as a synthesis of usability an emotion (CHI’96 conference). Methods like codesign and participatory ergonomics permitting to directly engage users are the most adequate to face those questions. The adoption of a user-oriented perspective determinates consequently the integration of different kinds of ergonomic tools like: - questionnaires and user trials to gain knowledge on explicit user needs - Ethnographic observation, diaries and story telling to understand people’s latent needs - Scenario based techniques and active user involvement to reach the tacit level. A scientific and didactic experimentation field is the design of products and environments for user with special needs as health care operators and patients, disabled people, elderly and kids.

Dipartimento di afferenza

Dipartimento di Industrial Design, Arti, Comunicazione e Moda (INDACO)

Docenti afferenti

Full Professors
Sebastiano Bagnara
Assistant Professors
Fiammetta Costa