Startup: what is interaction design

Begin your understanding of interaction design by first understanding what are interactive products and websites.

• Products
  • Browse the websites of IDEO, Sony or Apple.
  • Look at the products they are talking about and the philosophy of their design approach
  • Find some favourite (interesting) products and think about whether the company has a machine or people centred view of their products (read the brief overview of this in resources)
  • Share with your group-
    • product/s; company; design approach; justification (ie why do you think this)
    • Record digitally and post on the blog
• Websites -
  • Now consider the experience of using each site above:
    • what does it look like (aesthetics See Text, Ch 1 pp 20 - 26 )
    • how easy is it to use ( usability: See Text Ch 1, pp 14-18)
    • how relevant is the content of the site
    • how clearly is the content organised (information architecture and design)
    • overall “feel” of the site ( emotional response: See Text Ch 1, pp18 -20)
• Share your critique of each site (record digitally and post on the blog)

So what does interaction design involve? Do you create software? Do you make stuff? Do you create pretty pictures?

• Read one or more of the following interaction design case studies to get a sense of what is involved in the process. (NOTE – each group member needs to select a different case study)
  • Soundflavor: an online music website and application
  • Design Council Website: Flow Interactive outline how the Interaction Design process to redesign a website that enabled easy access to resources.
  • Mobile Interaction Design Case Study: From, Timo Arnal, a Norwegian interaction designer and researcher,this case study outlines how a mobile social entertainment system was designed for a mobile services company. Very interesting!
  • MySpace Case Study: This case study looks at how MySpace, a hugely popular online meeting place, is an example of social interaction design.
  • IDEO’s Shopping Cart Concept: One of many examples of interaction design in this site. Check out how the work of interaction design is summarised here.
  • An online horse racing magazine: The design behind an interactive, databased driven commercial website.
• As you read the case study, complete the summary word document (41k) attached.

By now you should be developing a sense of what interaction design is and what is involved in the process.

• Search: Because you will anyway – look up interaction design in Wikipedia
• Review these overviews of interaction design
  • Interaction Design Association
  • IVREA: Interaction Design Institute
  • ACID:Australasian CRC for Interaction Design
  • Flow Interactive: UK Design Company
  • Split the overviews between the group with each member reviewing one definition
  • Use the Word table (41k) to note ideas gained.
  • Use these to expand the definition of interaction design presented at the beginning of this page (don’t plagiarise anyone else’s)
• Finally review readings by Marion, Winograd, Reimann, Saffer, & your text Preece , Rogers and Sharp.
  • Again, split these between the group with each member reviewing one reading (or two short ones)
  • Use the Word table (41k)to note ideas gained.
• Collaboratively write an overview of Interaction Design to be included in your website (approximately 750words.)
  • use the notes you have taken from the various sources
  • remember the audience you are preparing it for
  • use visuals where appropriate to illustrate your ideas
  • reference sources appropriately (Harvard Style)
  • include a reference list at the end of the document
  • at least 3 sources should be consulted for this paper.