Users, Participants, Co-Designers or just Pesky Humans? On the challenges of human centred research in Human Computer Interaction

Speaker:  Luigina Ciolfi – Cork, Ireland
Topic(s):  Human Computer Interaction

Abstract

A main aspiration of Human Computer Interaction is to be human- and user-centred in its approach to creating novel digital interactions. But how do we engage, involve and encourage end users? This challenge has been tackled in many ways. Notably, Participatory Design has been widely adopted in order for users and stakeholders to become active part of the technology development process itself. This, however, is no easy feat. This lecture will examine how focusing on people, their practices and the places where they occur does lead to illuminating insights, but also brings hefty challenges. Understanding and bridging cultures, languages, priorities, and identities is hard work, with difficult negotiations and some failures bound to happen along the way. Drawing from extensive experience of human-centred and participatory research on topics such as cultural heritage technologies, mobile and nomadic lives, interaction in public spaces, and tangible and embodied interaction design, the lecture will reflect on the opportunities, successes and difficulties that arise when working in partnership with end-users, and on what being “human-centred” means for HCI in an age of apparent ubiquitous sharing and participation.

About this Lecture

Number of Slides:  ~40
Duration:  50 - 60 minutes
Languages Available:  English, Italian
Last Updated: 

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