Interaction-Driven Design

Interaction-Driven Design is a concept introduced in Maeng et al.’s paper on it being a new approach for Interactive Product Development.

In the paper, accompanied by Clint’s lecture on the same topic, Interaction-Driven design is introduced as the authors found possibilities in interactions themselves manifested as the starting point of product development. The authors focused on movements during interaction (which was later debunked by Clint in saying that interaction should not be constrained by movement only), input behaviors, feedback movements, and so on.

To begin with, this paper has narrow constraints, such as what I mentioned above when the author’s take on interaction is mainly based on movement.

Interaction for Maeng et al. is

– Described as movement

– Not relating to function since we can talk about the interactivity and the function of something separately

– What the person does, the possibility for the system to respond 

– Independent of particular manifestation 

– Interaction as conversation: Narrow constraint because if you’re interacting with a pencil, that’s not really a conversation? It relies on bodily skills and can be very performative

Drives

In Maeng et al.’s paper, they discuss design patterns and their characteristics for three product development approaches including the one they newly introduce, and examined each through a series of workshops; User-driven, Technology-driven, and finally Interaction-driven.

– User-driven

User-driven product development starts with the people, it’s targeted towards the user. It’s essentially the Human-Centered design process that is widely used in design practice. (eg. Designing for dishwasher mechanics? What’s the practice? How is it like? Doing qualitative fieldwork to study)

– Technology-driven

Technology-driven product development usually begins with a given widget, as designers and technologists work together to find a purpose for it, find a role for it in the world Given a widget, find a role for it in the world. 

– Interaction-Driven Design

Interaction-Driven product development on the other hand, according to Maeng et al.’s research, begins with movement, such as being inspired by human or animal movement, characterful aspects (eg. Inspired by how a barista works with coffee).

In addition to movement the development or design process can also start with personality (eg. Anxious insecure self-pitying, ruthless suspicious uncooperative, sociable fun-loving affectionate) Like what would the interaction be like if it’s in “this” personality? Could be a useful point of departure.

Lastly, starting with emotion, such as, what would a depressive interactive artifact be like? Focusing on how it behaves during interaction.

Putting it into practice: 

-Are the four initial steps constructive constraints?

-What challenges are faced?

-How might this work in design practice?

-Is it useful beyond movement?

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This paper and concept is extremely valid for us as interaction designers and is also relevant for the MI project going on right now. Interaction-driven design advocates for using a specific interaction as a starting point to work with. Much like how the camera and the interaction with a camera is the core of this project, slowly working our way around to discover the meaning of this interaction and tinkering with the code provided, asking questions along the way, is more important than simply setting a goal and working towards it.