Online user feedback, collected by means of internet survey tools, is a promising approach to obtain early user feedback on concepts and early prototypes. In this study, the collection and utilization of online user feedback was investigated in four design cases: all master student projects for industry clients involving seven student designers. A total of 272 user participants provided quantitative feedback. Half of these also provided qualitative feedback. One third of the qualitative feedback was perceived as useful by the student designers. The main usefulness of the feedback was related to strategic concept decisions rather than the interaction design of the early prototype. Lessons learnt are provided.

Blue bars of light are marching across Oslo. It is a whole new way of making data visible.

No abstract

It is now possible to include complex visual movement in screen interfaces, including those that enable web browsing on different media devices. This article investigates the potential for employing movement in web browsing – or more specifically, how motional form may be connected to interface actions. The investigation is carried out through design experiment­ation. Techniques of ‘motion sketching’ have been developed and utilized in a practice-based research project. The resulting motion sketches are analysed as realizations of complex mediation – by drawing on social semiotics and the concept of action from Leont’ev. The article argues that motional form is made meaningful through connotations and experiential metaphors, and suggests ten provisional principles for how motional form may be used in web browsing. This challenges notions of form and function in current interface design and how social semiotic theory may be produced.

Bowl' is a simple token-based media player designed as a self-contained interface for children between 2-4. The project focuses on the use of tangible interfaces for handling media in relevant physical and social contextsin this case the home environment.An initial investigation of containers leads to the consideration of bowls as interfaces for viewing, sharing and presenting media. Subsequent investigation of everyday objects leads to the use of toys and a range of familiar items as tokens with relationships to media. The resulting prototype and extensive user-testing shows strong relationships between playful activities and media consumption.The project extends a rich history of previous work in token-based interfaces by implementing a long-term, iterative design and testing process in contextually relevant situations.