basics - chalmers · emotion in ixd: – donald norman (2003); emotional design; why we love or...

BasicsBasics

What is aesthetics? What is aesthetics of interaction? Ideals.

Issues. Problems. Possibilities. Ideas.

Sus Lundgren fall 2010

What is aesthetics of interaction

What is aesthetics of interaction?

Write down your current idea in a yfew sentences.

Do NOT use fluffy terms like ”beauty” (what is beautiful

?beauty (what is beautiful,

anyway?) Try to be exact.


Aesthetics

Which one do you find th ti ?more aesthetic?

– Snails?– Flowers?– The photo in itself?– Something else?– None?

Why?y


Aesthetics = beauty?

First issue: What is aesthetics?


Aesthetics…

The word ”aesthetics” was coined by German philosopher Alexander Baumgarten in his book ”Aesthetica” in 1750.

The word is a combination of two Greek words:– Aisthonamai = (to) sense (as in: become aware of)– Aisthesis = to experience through the senses

--> dual meaning: knowledge vs experience via the senses


Aesthetics in Philosophy 18th Cen.

Hume, Kant & others redefined Baumgarten’s i i l i th ti tt f t toriginal meaning…aesthetics = a matter of taste– Defines what is beautiful in a “measurable” way– Can be learnt by studying canon at concerts, exhibitions

and play

”Beauty is such an order and construction of parts, as either by the primary constitution of our nature, by custom, or by caprice, is fitted to give a pleasure and satisfaction to the soul.”

– David Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature, Volume II,


Book II, Part I, section VIII ”Of beauty and deformity”

Aesthetics in Philosophy: 18th Cen.

Kant: the aesthetic judgment– The aesthetic judgment of taste is not a cognitive

judgment, and therefore not logical, but aesthetical I d d l d b d l– It is individual and sincere, based on emotional response and esteem (not feelings, moral considerations etc.)

Th th ti j d t i li d th b tif l The aesthetic judgment is applied on the beautiful only, and it is disinterested

– Not on the pleasant/satisfying - we have an interest in it– Not on the good - since we want to attain it so we have an

i i iinterest in it.

Pure judgments of taste are in a sense universal


Aesthetics in Philosophy 20ieth Cen.

Analyst aesthetics– objects can/should be analyzed from an aesthetical

standpoint regardless of context

“…it is necessary to consider what things are such that, if they existed by themselves, in absolute isolation, we should yet judge their existence to be good”

– G. E. Moore, Principia Ethica, 1903, § 112.


Aesthetics in Philosophy 20ieth Cen.

Pragmatist aesthetics– John Dewey: the aesthetic experience– Several followers in interaction design

“An experience has a unity that gives it its name, thatl th t t th t t f f i d hi ”meal, that storm, that rupture of friendship”

– John Dewey in ”Art as Experience” 1934, p. 38

Somaesthetics (Shusterman and others)– Soma = body, involving the bodily experience in one’s

appreciation of the aesthetic; what is sensed by the senses b l h h b d d


but also how the body moves and operates

Aesthetics in Philosophy

– Baumgarten: knowledge through the sensesH B i f hi h b– Hume: Beauty is a matter of taste, which can be trained. ”Beauty [is what] gives a pleasure and satisfaction to the soul ”satisfaction to the soul.

– Kant: The aesthetic judgment is universal, disinterested, based on emotional response and esteemdisinterested, based on emotional response and esteem

– Analyst aesthetics: The properties of the artifact alone are what matters

– Pragmatist aesthetics: the aesthetic experience, a ”whole”

– Somaesthetics: Involving both mind and bodily sensation in the aesthetic experience


Aesthetics in IxD

There are a some aesthetic ideals that surface i d i i diff t di i li d th tagain and again, in different disciplines… and that

reappear in interaction design too…

– CoherencyEmotion & Pleasure

(Coherency)(Emotion)– Emotion & Pleasure

– PragmatismSomaesthetics & Tangibility

(Emotion)

(Sensing)– Somaesthetics & Tangibility– Provocation & Criticism

Functionalism & Usability

( g)

(Criticism)(Effi i )– Functionalism & Usability

– Playfulness, Intrigue & Challenge(Efficiency)(Playfulness)


Ideals…

Think of aesthetic ideals as ”beauty ideals”– They differ from time to time– People have different opinions

Self portrait by Raphael, Juan Gris’ portrait of Picasso (public domain), press picture of Robert Pattinson


Aesthetic Ideals in Ixd

We will spend considerable time on these, but h ’ i k th hhere’s a quick run-through:

Ideal: Efficiency– Nielsen– Norman (in the early days)– HCI in generalHCI in general

Rooted in functionalism (”form follows function”)Rooted in functionalism ( form follows function )– Industrial design ideal…

d ld d l f & l


– …in turn rooted in older ideals from art & religion

Ideal: Coherency

Coherency in IxD– Hallnäs & Redström: expression logic– Coherency in design also strong HCI-ideal

Old, reoccuring ideal– Ancient Greece & Ulm industrial design school (1950ies):

Coherency by numbers– Alberti (15th cen.): Coherency by ”istoria”– Industrial design ideals: Semantics, gestalt

(Lecture on Friday)


Ideal: Emotion & Pleasure

Emotion in IxD:– Donald Norman (2003); Emotional

design; why we love or hate everyday thingsthings

– Overbeeke et al (2002): ”interfaces should be surprising seductive smart ”be surprising, seductive, smart…

– Strommen (1998): When the interface is a talkning dinosaur; AIBOstalkning dinosaur; AIBOs

Evoking emotions has always been important in art

(L t t W d d )


(Lecture next Wednesday)

Ideal: Criticism

Criticism in IxD– Dunne & Raby– STATIC!-project (Backlund et al

2006)2006)– Slow Technology (Hallnäs &

R d t ö 2002)Redström 2002)

Rooted in art and literatureRooted in art and literature– Avant garde art– Memphis Group– Memphis Group– Performance art


(Lecure next Wednesday)

Ideal: Sensing

Sensing in IxD– Tangibility; Dajajdiningrat, Frens, Vensveen– Pragmatism; Graves Petersen et al– Somaesthetics

Rooted in philosophy & ergonomicsRooted in philosophy & ergonomics– Dewey & Shusterman

G b– Gibson– Laban

(Lecture week 3)


Ideal: Playfulness

Playfulness, ambiguity, reflection– Playfulness: The whole game industry!– Reflection/intrigue: Dunne, Gaver– Intrigue, entertainment: Lundgren

Rooted in game design but also in artRooted in game design but also in art– Games are an ancient pastime

h A b ld– Intrigue in art: Escher, Arcimboldo– Playfulness in industrial design:

M di i Al iMendini, Alessi

(Lecture week 3)


Ideals: Pros

Ideals work well as aims for design– Aims = a certain usefulness–Strong ideals

Inspiration, tools & techniques can be found in other disciplinesother disciplines

They help de-mystifies the ”aesthetic issue”; aesthetics is not One Truth

Allows for switching ideal(s) between projects


Ideals: Cons

The list is by no means final– Sustanability, security, social…

More than one ideal in a designMore than one ideal in a design– E.g. wheelchair for kids; efficient and playful

AIBO d f l i d– AIBO dogs feature equal amounts emotion and playfulness?Coherency always present?!– Coherency always present?!

No clear borders between idealsNo clear borders between ideals– Ideals in a design can strengthen each other and be

unseparable; e.g. criticism & design


p ; g g

Ideals: Cons & Solutions

Ideals are too over-arching: Solution; three-level happroach


Ideals: Cons & Solutions

Use ideals as a way to express aim, and discuss f lfill t?! Id th th tifulfillment?!: Idea – the aesthetic sun


This is where you come in…

In rationales:– Express three levels– Express sun

In feedback:– Express sun


Summary: What is it

There are several different views on aesthetics of i t tiinteraction:

Coherency EfficiencyEmotion SensingCriticism Playfulness

They can serve as aims for design

They exist in other disciplines too, so inspiration and tools can be found thereand tools can be found there


Second issue: Where ”is” it?


Where ”is” it?

Analyst aesthetics: in the object’s properties alone

Pragmatist aesthetics: In the experience of using g p gthe object; i.e. object properties, user’s mind, use context… it all matters.


Where ”is” it

IxD-views on the ”location”– Hallnäs & Redström: only in the object– Landin: In the object, but we aim to design an experience– Lim et al: Appears in interaction– Löwgren: Appears in use– Graves Petersen et al: In the experience of use– Djajadningrat et al: In the bodily experience of use

No consensus here either; we leave it out of the ;course for now


The ”location” has consequences

What do we need to consider when d i i th th ti ( )?desiging the aesthetic(s)?

– The shape, the materials, the color(s)

Analy

Com

m

Prag

– How it feels, looks, smells, tastes, sounds, moves...

h ”d ” h b hyst aesthe

mon desi

matist

– What it ”does”, how it behaves?etics

igner sta

– Context; when and where it is to be used

nce

– The user’s mindset, creating the experience


experience

Third issue: Is it ”good”g


Does the aesthetic have to be ”good” or positive?p(and for whom)

Disc ss!Discuss!


Homework!

This afternoon: Read papers & prepare home work– Home work groups created now– Literature groups: Create yourselves

Homework: Show & TellFi d ONE i i d ( ) h hi k i– Find ONE interactive product (per group) that you think is really ”good” (what is good?)Find ONE interactive product (per group) that you think is– Find ONE interactive product (per group) that you think is really ”bad” (what is bad?)

Friday: Exercise – the New Office Assistant– Read Janlert & Stolterman


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