[IxDA Discuss] "Design" in Interaction Design?

[Kevin Silver]

On Dec 23, 2007, at 11:32 AM, David Malouf wrote:

> The last point which comes from a private back and forth is that it
> seems some people are confusing "aesthetics" with "visual
> aesthetics". In interaction design aesthetics include many points of
> sensory & behavioral contacts and in some cases include points of
> no-contact. But isn't that my bigger point. How can we have a
> discipline where we can even discuss our unique angle on aesthetics
> unless we actually agree that aesthetics play a core role in what we
> do?

<semantics>

To answer Dave, aesthetics plays a huge role in what we do, but they  
live on the surface.  It's the qualities of an interaction that dives  
deeper and allows us to discuss an interaction in a common manner.   
In my mind, aesthetics implies the subjective, where as qualities  
implies the objective.

</semantics>

The one thing that has been missing in the last few threads on  
design, is that we don't explicitly discuss the form of an  
interaction.  Because an interaction can seem to be intangible we  
tend to focus solely on the presentation when we do discuss form: the  
visual interface or the tangible gadget.  We need to take the form of  
an interaction deeper and maybe view it more holistically to possibly  
define as such:  Conversation is the heart of an interaction that is  
enabled and defined by a multi-dimensional design language which  
includes the tangible (words, visual representations, physical  
objects or space) and the intangible (time and behavior).  This isn't  
meant to indicate our roles as designers, but it is a way to describe  
and think about an interaction as form and what is necessary for an  
interaction (at least in our context) to take place.  We need a way  
to talk about the output of our design process and tailor the  
traditional sense of form to fit our needs.  By doing this it helps  
explain the differences of some of the viewpoints on the list, such  
as is visual design a necessary skill?  I'm not saying it is, but  
visual dimension is typically necessary for an interaction to take  
place.  I wrote more about an interactions form in UX Matters article  
ironically called "What Puts the Design in Interaction Design".

Kevin

Kevin Silver
Clearwired Web Services

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