Short answer
Instead of rigidly defining a product's function, consider designing for open interpretation to allow users to discover and develop their own unique uses.
- Field
- User-Centred Design
- Source
- ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction (2019)
- Method
- Practice-based analysis of qualitative interviews and logged data.
- Sample
- 23 participants
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Designing with purposeful ambiguity in biodata visualization can lead users to develop varied and personal applications of the technology, moving beyond initial developer intent. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2019 study published in ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction. Using Practice-based analysis of qualitative interviews and logged data. with 23 participants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Instead of rigidly defining a product's function, consider designing for open interpretation to allow users to discover and develop their own unique uses.
Ambiguous biodata visualizations foster diverse user interpretations and emergent practices.
Designing with purposeful ambiguity in biodata visualization can lead users to develop varied and personal applications of the technology, moving beyond initial developer intent.
ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction · 2019
Key Findings
- 01Users interpreted the ambiguous biodata visualizations in multiple, sometimes conflicting, ways.
- 02Emergent 'proto-practices' included stress management, sports performance enhancement, emotion tracking, life logging, personality representation, and behavior change.
- 03A balance of openness and scaffolding is needed to support the development of practices around biodata.
Application
Design takeaway
Instead of rigidly defining a product's function, consider designing for open interpretation to allow users to discover and develop their own unique uses.
How to apply
When designing interfaces for personal data, consider using abstract or evocative visual metaphors that do not prescribe a single meaning, and observe how users naturally adopt and adapt the tool.
Project actions
- 01Consider how abstract or metaphorical representations of data could be more engaging than direct readouts.
- 02Plan for iterative design, allowing user feedback to shape the product's direction after initial release.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Employs a practice-based approach to understand user engagement over time.
- +Investigates a novel design strategy (purposeful ambiguity) in the context of biodata.
Limitations
The study's sample size is relatively small, and the duration of use was limited to one month. The specific technology used (mobile app for skin conductance) may not generalize to all contexts.
Reliability & validity
Reliability could be improved by using more standardized interview protocols. Validity is supported by the triangulation of interview data and logged usage patterns, but the subjective nature of interpretation introduces potential validity challenges.
Think critically
To what extent should designers deliberately introduce ambiguity, and what are the ethical considerations of doing so, particularly with sensitive personal data?
Design Principles
"Embrace ambiguity in early-stage design to foster user-driven innovation and diverse application development."
This approach challenges the notion of a single, prescribed use for a technology. By embracing ambiguity, designers can create platforms that are more adaptable and resonate with a wider range of user needs and goals, potentially leading to more sustained engagement and novel applications.
What This Means for Your Design
If you make a tool that shows personal data in a way that isn't totally clear, people might find all sorts of different and unexpected ways to use it for themselves.
How to use in your project
- 1.This research can inform the design of prototypes that intentionally leave room for user interpretation, especially when exploring novel data representations.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
The research by Sanches et al. (2019) highlights the potential of purposeful ambiguity in design. Their study demonstrated that users interacting with ambiguously visualized biodata developed diverse 'proto-practices,' suggesting that initial design openness can lead to richer, user-defined applications of technology.
Source
ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction
Ambiguity as a Resource to Inform Proto-Practices
journal · 2019
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about ambiguous biodata visualizations foster diverse user interpretations and emergent practices?
- Instead of rigidly defining a product's function, consider designing for open interpretation to allow users to discover and develop their own unique uses. Evidence: ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction (2019).
- Why does "Ambiguous biodata visualizations foster diverse user interpretations and emergent practices." matter for design?
- This approach challenges the notion of a single, prescribed use for a technology. By embracing ambiguity, designers can create platforms that are more adaptable and resonate with a wider range of user needs and goals, potentially leading to more sustained engagement and novel applications.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Instead of rigidly defining a product's function, consider designing for open interpretation to allow users to discover and develop their own unique uses.
- What were the main findings?
- Users interpreted the ambiguous biodata visualizations in multiple, sometimes conflicting, ways.. Emergent 'proto-practices' included stress management, sports performance enhancement, emotion tracking, life logging, personality representation, and behavior change.. A balance of openness and scaffolding is needed to support the development of practices around biodata.
- What research method was used?
- Practice-based analysis of qualitative interviews and logged data. with 23 participants.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2019 journal from ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing interfaces for personal data, consider using abstract or evocative visual metaphors that do not prescribe a single meaning, and observe how users naturally adopt and adapt the tool.
- What are the limitations?
- The study focused on skin conductance data and a specific type of visualization; results may vary with different biodata or visualization methods. Long-term adoption and the sustainability of these emergent practices were not fully explored.