Overview
More and more everyday objects are getting connected – fridges, doorbells, thermostats – even kettles. The present state of the art, along with the Maker movement, makes it really easy for anyone to design and prototype digitally connected or augmented objects – this is the real internet of things. Some very interesting and useful tools are being built. But there is also, inevitably, a lot of dumb stuff too.
Better design can help this. This talk presents some ideas about how to resist the bewitchment of new technological possibilities, and about how a naturalistic, human-centred approach to design can work better. Recent experiences developing real products are shared to help illustrate how prototyping is more important than ever, and how surprised we can be by how we react.
Objective
Prompt new thinking about how to design augmented and connected objects from a human point of view.
Target Audience
Anyone with an interest in bridging the digital and physical worlds in product design.
Five things audience members will learn
- That the technology doesn’t matter.
- That a prototype is worth a thousand meetings, especially in a new domain where old rules of thumb no longer work.
- That a focus on user experience is still the best way to design – now more than ever.
- That the “uncanny valley” phenomenon may be about more than just looks – agency can be pretty spooky too.
- That we are about to enter a new golden age of design, all around connected objects and experiences.
