Short answer

Embrace material exploration and multi-mediational communication as core research methods when designing with emerging technologies to uncover their full implications.

Field: Innovation & Design
Source: Duo Research Archive (University of Oslo) (2014)
Method: Research by Design (RBD)
Evidence: Moderate effect

Interaction design can reveal the material and cultural dimensions of emerging technologies, challenging perceptions of them as seamless and immaterial. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2014 study published in Duo Research Archive (University of Oslo). Using Research by design (rbd), researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Embrace material exploration and multi-mediational communication as core research methods when designing with emerging technologies to uncover their full implications.

Study

Innovation & DesignHigh ImpactModerate effect

Making Emerging Technologies Tangible: A Material Exploration Approach

Interaction design can reveal the material and cultural dimensions of emerging technologies, challenging perceptions of them as seamless and immaterial.

Duo Research Archive (University of Oslo) · 2014

Key Findings

01RFID interface technology can be explored through multi-mediational visual investigations.
02These investigations challenge the perception of RFID as seamless and immaterial, revealing its cultural meanings and material phenomena.
03A range of concepts offering cultural, material, and communicative perspectives on emerging technologies can be developed.

Application

Design takeaway

Embrace material exploration and multi-mediational communication as core research methods when designing with emerging technologies to uncover their full implications.

How to apply

When designing a new interface, conduct hands-on material experiments and create visual representations (e.g., diagrams, prototypes, photography) that highlight its physical presence and interaction dynamics.

Project actions

01Document your material exploration process thoroughly.
02Consider how you can visually communicate the 'hidden' aspects of your chosen technology.

Method & Evidence

AimHow can interaction design research explore and understand the material and mediation of new interface technologies, specifically addressing issues of invisibility, seamlessness, and materiality?

MethodResearch by Design (RBD)

ProcedureThe research employed a socio- and techno-cultural approach, coupled with material exploration and communication/mediation strategies, using RFID as a case study to investigate emerging interface technologies.

ContextInteraction Design, Emerging Technologies, Human-Computer Interaction

Variables

IVApproach to exploring emerging technology (e.g., material exploration vs. purely functional design)

DVUnderstanding and perception of the technology's material and cultural dimensions

CVSpecific emerging technology being studied (e.g., RFID)

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Emphasizes a hands-on, material-focused approach to design research.
+Provides a framework for understanding and communicating complex emerging technologies.

Limitations

It can be challenging to find accessible emerging technologies for hands-on material exploration; interpreting 'mediation' can be subjective.

Reliability & validity

Reliability could be improved by having multiple researchers conduct similar material explorations and compare findings. Validity is strengthened by grounding the research in established design research methodologies and clearly articulating the link between material exploration and user understanding.

Think critically

To what extent does the 'seamlessness' of modern technology actually hinder user understanding and adoption, and how can design actively counteract this?

Design Principles

"Design for tangibility: Make the invisible visible by exploring and communicating the material and cultural dimensions of technology."

By actively exploring the materiality of new interfaces, designers can uncover hidden affordances and societal implications. This approach moves beyond purely functional design to consider the broader context and user experience of novel technologies.

What This Means for Your Design

When you're designing with new tech, don't just think about what it does, but also what it's made of and how it feels. Showing this can help people understand it better.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this research when discussing your approach to exploring the materiality of a new technology in your design project.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This design project draws inspiration from research that advocates for making emerging technologies tangible through material exploration. By actively investigating the physical properties and communicative aspects of new interfaces, as demonstrated in studies on RFID, designers can challenge assumptions of seamlessness and reveal deeper cultural and material implications, leading to more informed and user-centric design decisions.

Source

Duo Research Archive (University of Oslo)

Making Visible: Mediating the material of emerging technology

journal · 2014

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about making emerging technologies tangible: a material exploration approach?: Embrace material exploration and multi-mediational communication as core research methods when designing with emerging technologies to uncover their full implications. Evidence: Duo Research Archive (University of Oslo) (2014).
Why does "Making Emerging Technologies Tangible: A Material Exploration Approach" matter for design?: By actively exploring the materiality of new interfaces, designers can uncover hidden affordances and societal implications. This approach moves beyond purely functional design to consider the broader context and user experience of novel technologies.
How can designers apply this research?: Embrace material exploration and multi-mediational communication as core research methods when designing with emerging technologies to uncover their full implications.
What were the main findings?: RFID interface technology can be explored through multi-mediational visual investigations.. These investigations challenge the perception of RFID as seamless and immaterial, revealing its cultural meanings and material phenomena.. A range of concepts offering cultural, material, and communicative perspectives on emerging technologies can be developed.
What research method was used?: Research by Design (RBD).
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2014 journal from Duo Research Archive (University of Oslo).
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing a new interface, conduct hands-on material experiments and create visual representations (e.g., diagrams, prototypes, photography) that highlight its physical presence and interaction dynamics.
What are the limitations?: The study's focus on RFID may limit generalizability to all emerging technologies; the effectiveness of 'multi-mediational visual investigations' can be subjective.