The Product Ecology: Understanding Social Product Use and Supporting Design Culture

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Speaker
Jodi Forlizzi
Associate Professor of Design and Human-Computer Interaction, Carnegie Mellon University

When
-

Where
Newell-Simon Hall 1305 (Michael Mauldin Auditorium)

Description

The field of Human-Computer Interaction has broadened its focus from usability issues surrounding one person interacting with one system to how systems situate socially and culturally among groups of people. Researchers in HCI have turned to qualitative, ethnographic research methods to understand the situations surrounding technology use. However, stripped from underlying theory, these methods can be prescriptive at best. This paper introduces the Product Ecology framework to 1) describe social product use, 2) provide a roadmap for choosing appropriate qualitative research methods, and 3) to extend design culture within HCI, by allowing for flexible, design-centered research planning and opportunity-seeking. The framework is illustrated as method for selecting a set of design research methods, and compared to other research approaches that study people in naturalistic settings.

Speaker's Bio

Jodi Forlizzi is an Associate Professor of Design and Human-Computer Interaction at Carnegie Mellon University, in Pittsburgh, PA. She is an interaction designer contributing to design theory and practice. Her theoretical research examines theories of experience, emotion, and social product use as they relate to interaction design. Other research and practice centers on notification systems ranging from peripheral displays to embodied robots, with a special focus on the social behavior evoked by these systems. Jodi was trained as an illustrator at Philadelphia College of Arts, and as an interaction designer at the School of Design, Carnegie Mellon University. She holds a self-defined Ph.D. in Design in HCI from Carnegie Mellon University. Prior to joining the faculty, Jodi was an Innovator and Project Manager at E-Lab, LLC.

Speaker's Website
http://goodgestreet.com/