From Design Fiction to Design Fact: Developing Future User Experiences with Proto-Tools

Abstract

Envision a future where the physical and digital become seamlessly intertwined producing unbounded possibilities from interactions with autonomous cars to the advent of smart cities. Tools and methods to explore the design and development of such emergent hybrid spaces will need to be highly inclusive involving engineers, social scientists, up to citizens. Such methods and tools might support the so-called fictitious scenarios in form of digitally augmented physical prototypes set in a near-future reality. In this paper, we introduce the concept of "proto-tool": multi-purpose digitally augmented artefacts with no constraints and seemingly limitless uses (e.g. virtual and augmented reality devices, digitally augmented surfaces and objects, etc.) that will be modeled on current and fictitious scenarios able to interact both with physical and digital spaces de facto enabling rapid prototyping of Cyber-Physical Interactions.

Augmented intelligence for open education: bridging the digital gap with inclusive design methods

“…An augmented intelligence system can make more informed and nuanced decisions about responding to a user's profile or behavior. This feature could lead to a more personalized and efficient experience for the user (Malizia et al, 2018). Figure 1 represents the interaction and the response selection from a system adapting it to a user's conduct.…”

Diseño especulativo: entre ciencia y arte a través de las ficciones y la patafísica

“…Una de las formas de acercar estos postulados de ficciones en el diseño a lo que acontece en las Universidades y centros de investigación, se basa en plataformas, métodos y herramientas que permitan transitar progresivamente de prototipos diegéticos a físicos. Para esto Malizia, Chamberlain & Willcock (2018) plantean el concepto de "proto-tool" (p.162), capaces de soportar los escenarios ficticios y llevarlos a un modelamiento de au-…”

Designing Human–Machine Interactions in the Automated City: Methodologies, Considerations, Principles

“…Following some of the principles from participatory design, such as involvement of stakeholders early in the design process and co-creation of solutions, we started our investigation with a series of focus groups. To make such a highly fictitious scenario more graspable and therefore inclusive (Malizia et al, 2018), we developed a prototyping toolkit, consisting of an iPad application and a miniature 3D-printed model of the automated vehicle and the embedded low-res lighting display. Supported through this toolkit, participants were advised to "play through" a variety of potential scenarios that could occur in urban spaces with automated vehicles and adjust the light patterns on the miniature prototype (Figure 4).…”