Abstract

Traditionally, Human-Computer Interaction has been strong in providing methods for the evaluation of user interfaces, but offers less support for the front-end of design. Moving from understanding your users and identifying their problems and needs to ideas for concrete solutions can indeed be quite a challenging phase in human-centred design, especially when involving end-users in the ideation process. As most end-users find it difficult to grasp the essence and opportunities of new technologies, there is a need for ideation techniques that engage people with no real interest in or affinity with technology to think about what they would like technology to do for them. At the Meaningful Interactions Lab (Mintlab), we have developed several board games to facilitate design teams in this part of the HCD process. Using board games to envision potential user experiences regarding a future product creates a surprising, pleasant and safe environment, helps to bring research participants into a ‘future state of mind’, and in turn helps to understand latent needs that are difficult to assess with more traditional HCI research methods. In this talk, I will present some of these board games, explain how they have been used in different research projects, and address how they can help designers in various ways. I will talk in more depth about our most recent board game, which was used to identify potential applications for mid-air haptics technology.

Short Bio

David Geerts is Research Manager of the Meaningful Interactions Lab (mintlab) of KU Leuven and imec at the faculty of Social Sciences. He is specialized in human-centered design of social interactive television, and for his PhD created a set of sociability heuristics to evaluate social TV applications. He was general chair of the ACM international conference on interactive experiences for television and online video (ACM TVX2015) and is currently president of the ACM TVX steering committee. He has published more than 90 articles in various international conferences and journals, and regularly gives presentations, tutorials and guest lectures on topics related to Human-Computer Interaction.

With input from colleague Lawrence Van den Bogaert, who is a HCI researcher at the Meaningful Interactions Lab (Mintlab). Fascinated by both psychology and novel technologies, he is working on the SHAKE project, looking at possible applications for mid-air haptic feedback as well as the way users experience this technology. After obtaining a master’s degree in corporate communications, Lawrence fulfilled operational and commercial roles at both an IT company and a Communication Agency. After three years, he decided to shift to a more research-driven function at Mintlab.

Abstract

When we smell, we detect the complex mixtures of volatile molecules in the air around us. I will present our current understanding of the interaction between odorous molecules and their receptors in our nose and how this interaction results in smell perception. I will also discuss the many ways in which olfactory perception can be disturbed in different diseases. We recently developed a diagnostic test for olfactory dysfunction that addresses some of the short-comings of other tests but delivering olfactory stimuli with the precision required for a clinical diagnostic device remains challenging.

Short Bio

Andreas Keller, the author of The Philosophy of Olfactory Perception, has tested different aspects of olfactory perception in over 1,000 subjects in Leslie Vosshall's lab at the Rockefeller University. The results of his psychophysical studies have shed light on human olfactory capacities, on the relation between the structure and smell of odor molecules, and on the perceptual consequences of variability in odorant receptor genes. Together with Professor Vosshall and Julien Hsieh, Keller is working on diagnostic tools for the detection of olfactory dysfunction.

Abstract

Elizabeth Churchill, Director of UX at Google will share insights about how Google uses the Material Design system to effectively scale UX. Design systems reduce replicated work, improve designer / developer collaboration and are a critical part of creating consistent user experiences across a range of products. Elizabeth will introduce Material Design, Google’s design system and share with us how Google is evaluating the effectiveness of the Material Design System for designers, developers, and end users. You can find out more about Material Design at material.io

Short Bio

Dr Elizabeth Churchill is a Director of User Experience at Google. Her field of study is Human Computer Interaction and User Experience, with a current focus on the design of effective designer and developer tools and the creation of usable, useful, and delightful user experiences. Elizabeth has built research groups and led research in a number of well known companies, including as Director of Human Computer Interaction at eBay Research Labs in San Jose, CA, as a Principal Research Scientist and Research Manager at Yahoo! in Santa Clara, CA and as a Senior Scientist at PARC and before that at FXPAL, Fuji Xerox’s Research lab in Silicon Valley. Elizabeth gained a BSc and MSc at the University of Sussex before going onto complete a PhD in Cognitive Science at the Cambridge University. Elizabeth is a regular keynote speaker on topics related to design, UX research, human computer interaction and related topics at the intersection of computation, interactive technology, people, and society.

Abstract

Astronomy is usually thought of as a mostly visual science, but for the purposes of public engagement and widening participation it would be useful to be able to rely on more than just one sensorial modality of interaction. In my public engagement work, I have experimented with non-traditional channels to reach audiences that go beyond groups already interested in science and astronomy: art and science collaborations, a book about cosmology written using only the most common 1,000 words in English ("Universe" is not one of them!), and interactive workshops designed for the public to engage actively with ideas often perceived to be remote and challenging. In this talk, I will present the ongoing collaboration with chefs at Kitchen Theory, aimed at developing a multi-sensorial approach to talking about astronomical and astrophysical phenomena. Our "g-astronomy" programme is aimed at ultimately offering a multi-sensorial dining experience centered on astronomical ideas. Until now, we have worked with London's Science Museum and the Royal National Institute of Blind People to develop food-based metaphors for the multiverse, the early universe, dark matter and dark energy. Our primary objective is to talk about science in a way that speaks to the heart (and tongue!) of people, not just their mind. I will share challenges and successes, chart the way ahead and look for feedback and suggestions from the audience.

Short Bio

Roberto was born and grew up in the Italian speaking part of Switzerland. After obtaining an MSc(hons) in Physics from ETH Zurich and a PhD in Theoretical Physics from the University of Geneva, he moved to Oxford where he was the Lockyer Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society at Oxford University, and a Junior Fellow of St Anne's, before being appointed as a Lecturer at Imperial in 2008. He's now a Reader in Astrophysics (equivalent to Associate Professor).