SWING TO CONNECT (2012)
Interactive system to connect people in breakout areas
TASKS
User research
Context mapping
Information visualisation
Concept evaluation
Interactive prototyping
Usability testing
WHAT IS 'SWING' ?
'Swing' is an interactive system that consists of an interactive installation and a web service. It enables colleagues to share images with each other in breakout areas; and by simply swinging the hanging ball, users can interact with the shared images in a playful and relaxing way.
WHAT IS THE CHALLENGE ?
This project is part of SmaCs(Smart Context-aware Services)project funded by the Dutch goverment.In this project, the goal was to improve the breakout area experience by designing the interaction between people and an electronic display.
STEP 1: RESEARCH
In order to achieve the project goal, there were two questions to be answered prior to the start of the design phase.
- Question 1: What are the potential issues in the breakout area environment that can be addressed in the design?
- Question 2: What are the interaction possibilities between users and an electronic display?
CONTEXT MAPPING
The first question focused on enhancing the understanding of the breakout area and discovering design opportunities in such an environment.
To answer the first question, two steps were taken:
- Probe Booklet The participants were invited to fill in a designed booklet, which includes small tasks spread over five working days. These tasks cover participants' personal information, breakout area experience as well as their working experience in general. The purpose of using this booklet is to increase participants' awareness to their working and breakout area environment and obtain relevant contextual information.
- Interview When a booklet was completed, the participant was invited to an interview. During the interview, the participant was firstly asked to go through the booklet. Then questions were asked base on his/her stories. Afterwards, he/she was asked to design their ideal breakout area and in the meanwhile, think aloud. In this process what I was interested were the reasons behind their designs other than what the designs really were. All the conversations were video-recorded for the later analysis.
After each interview, the video recording was analyzed. Interesting findings were written down using key words together with corresponding quotes.
Those finds were later categorized into insights, base on which an infographic was made to present the research findings as well as facilitate discussion with project stakeholders.
INTERACTION EXPLORATION
Inspired by the participants of the breakout area context research, literature and case studies, many ideas were generated. Later all these ideas were categorized from three perspectives: nature of the ideas, effects of the ideas, input and output modalities used in the ideas. Such a categorization further enhanced the understanding of the design possibilities.
STEP 2: DESIGN GOAL
It was found during the Context Mapping that, besides taking a rest, a breakout area is also a place where colleagues are connected. Therefore, the design goal was further defined as:
Design an interactive system that improves the connection between people in the same working environment in terms of getting to know each other better and encouraging more frequent communications and provides innovative, relaxing and playful interactions that fit in a breakout area context.
STEP 3: DESIGN
BASIC CONCEPT
The basic concept consists of a web service with which user can share images with the breakout area in their office and a ball-shape interactive device that is hanged in a breakout area with a string. By swinging the ball, the images shared with this room are shown one after another on an electronic display and the images scrolling speed corresponds to the swinging speed of the ball
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
When the basic concept was made, it was presented to potential users by using sketches and story boards for their feedback.
Base on the result of the concept evaluation,the following criteria were determined for further improving the basic concept:
- The system should be inviting to use.
- There should be a clear connection between the ball and the electronic display.
- It should be clear how the system should be used.
STEP 4: IMPLEMENTATION AND USABILITY TESTING
A working prototype was made and improved based on usability test results.
