What makes up interaction design and what are some of the industry’s challenges?
Interaction design makes up the different technical aspects and requirements that are used as tools to create interaction and the creative ideas to tell a narrative. It is usually filling the roles of interaction designer and information architect. (pg 41) It is becoming an expert in how humans relate to each other, the world, and the changing nature of technology and business. (pg 17) The process starts with building a scenario that includes a product and a person. Then a story is created with precise details. Finally, the principles of the story add a point of view and the main goal of the story. (pg 23) Another important part of interaction design would be participant observation. The product needs to fit into the culture in which it exists. (pg 25) An industry challenge would be the expert blind spot. It is the fact that the designers have a bias towards their work, and they think that others will know the same information they do. It is forgetting what it is like to be a novice as you become more of an expert. Localization is also a problem. Point of view also affects the industry. Having an open mind affects the design process. Finding the right mix between creative and analytical skills is crucial to be a successful designer. ( pg 31) The overall messiness of the process of design can be hard to interpret as designers and especially clients. The “over the wall” problem affects designers because of the lack of communication between designers and engineers. Designers need to communicate their creativity to a large organization. It is more than just being creative. (pg 52)
What is interaction design, how its evolving. What fields does it draw knowledge from?
Interaction design merges the worlds between designer and artist. It is a dialogue. Interaction design is a creative process focused on people. (pg 20) It creates an argument, but also invites the user to help create the dialogue. (pg. 14) It is the creation of dialogue between a person and a product, system, or service. (pg 15) The field is relatively new, recognized for roughly 20 years, and it evolves as fast as technology and communication does. It draws knowledge from cognitive psychology and the art world respectively. It is also closely related to disciplines such as interactive design, product development, and marketing. (pg 17) The difference between marketing and interaction design however is that interaction design focuses on actual behavior gathered from small groups and uses qualitative data. (pg 28) The heart of interaction design is that it should be user-centered, and that the only way to understand what users want is to interact with them. (pg 39)