Zooming in on embodied social sensemaking: Mapping the design space in the context of videoconferencing

Abstract

Embodied sensemaking theory is thoroughly social: we make sense of the world in interaction with others. Various designs have been proposed to scaffold 'embodied social sensemaking'. Yet the details of such scaffolding need elaboration. For example, what happens in remote settings, when bodies cannot engage directly? This paper investigates, through design, how interactive artifacts scaffold embodied social sensemaking. The aim is to establish clearer links between theory and design. Twenty-four embodied interaction prototypes were created to support remote videoconferencing by design students who were also, necessarily, active videoconferencing users during a COVID-19 lockdown. A reflective ordering process revealed a design space made up of six phenomenal aspects and three basic types of scaffolding. The analysis adds further details to existing design frameworks for embodied sensemaking. The paper provides guidance to designers who aim to create meaningful and theoretically grounded embodied augmentations of remote social interaction technologies.