My thesis paper explores the thinking aspect of design to understand what it is designers actually do so that we can understand our value and communicate it to others. To this end, I read several books, including The Design Way, The Reflective Practitioner, How Designers Think, and Thoughtful Interaction Design. In addition, I reference The Sciences of the Artificial, Designerly Ways of Knowing, and Design Methods.

Advisor: Jodi Forlizzi

Abstract

What designers do—the thinking behind design—is not fully understood. Design is still often viewed as a black art rather than a rigorous discipline. Designers themselves have difficulty explaining how they make the connections that lead to the final solution and why those judgments are valid. While good design work can be done without understanding these forces, it is my hypothesis that the more designers know about the forces involved in design thinking and process, the better they will become as designers and the better they will be able to communicate design to others. This paper examines design as an approach to solving problems and what makes it different from other approaches. It examines design thinking as desire for a particular outcome, a philosophic viewpoint, a conversation, imagination, reason, judgment, wisdom, and a skill. And it explores the nonlinear, dialectical, and unique nature of the design process. Finally, it suggests that designers can view the development of understanding and ability as a design endeavor itself, and that it is possible to design oneself as a designer. Though the audience and focus is on designers, it is my belief that a better understanding of design along with increased ability to communicate design’s rigor and value will ultimately benefit and advance the discipline as a whole.

Download the final paper (pdf)

Abstract

When people switch jobs, move to a new city, start school, or have a child, aspects of their identity change. For designers, this presents an opportunity to help people invent and discover who they would like to be in their new roles. But there is little evidence of design attempting to support this behavior. By looking at one of these groups (incoming college freshmen) I am developing a mobile application called MetaMe that allows students to project meta information about themselves in the physical environment and adjust that information to project and prototype aspects of their identity in order to get to a more desired self.

Advisors

• Shelley Evenson
• John Zimmerman

Process

Interviews were conducted in students’ rooms to see how they expressed their identity through their artifacts.

Research was documented on large boards to visualize the findings.

Me, taking notes during a participatory design session.

Participatory design session where participants were asked to visualize their social network.

Early sketch for a concept scenario.

Example concept scenarios.

Visualization of some of the survey results.

Visualizing the concepts against the main themes.

Prop used during a concept validation session where participants were asked to enact scenarios.

A participant enacting a scenario.

A representation of ambient information during a participatory design session.

“The System” of the MetaMe concept as understood by a design session participant.

For this service design project, our team worked with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Center for Quality Improvement and Innovation to identify design opportunities for Dr. Amin Kassam’s Neurosurgery Clinic. Due to being able to perform a rare brain surgery by going through the patient’s nose rather than cutting open the skull, Dr. Kassam’s once-a-week clinic is overwhelmed with patients.

Our team spent a fair amount of time at the clinic observing and interacting with patients. We worked closely with the staff and shared our process and insights with them every step of the way, which built trust and gained their support. This enabled us to gain access to patients in the exam room and interactions between Dr. Kassam, his staff, and patients. We also shared our concepts with the patients, iterating as much as we could to refine our ideas and final solution.

Team

• Melissa Cliver
  Interaction Design
• Jamin Hegeman
  Interaction Design
• Kipum Lee
  Interaction Design
• Leanne Libert
  Communication Planning and Information Design
• Kara Tennant
  Communication Planning and Information Design

Deliverables

• Dr. Kassam welcome booklet
• Concept and process documentation
• Clinic Chat concept video

Process

After many visits to the clinic, we had to sort hundreds of photos and observations.

Me, during a group meeting to synthesize the data.

Service blueprint of the patient experience highlighting opportunities for engagement.

We engaged with patients to get input and feedback as our concepts developed.

We generated and visualized numerous concepts through words and sketches.

Concept storyboards generating to solicit patient feedback.

In trying to understand the emotions and needs of the patients during their journey, we created this visualization, which we included in our final book for UPMC.

Concept rendering.

Page layout from the welcome booklet we created as an artifact UPMC could implement right now.

Visualization of the ideal interaction between patients, Dr. Kassam, and his staff.

Page from the book delivered to UPMC.

A system overview of Clinic Chat.

A part of our research, we went to the OR to see Dr. Kassam perform brain surgery.

More process and solution photos

Final Project
Making Furniture Interactive
Carnegie Mellon University
Fall 2007

Abstract

The more complex the artifacts we interact with become, the more we personify their behavior. The goal of this project was to explore interacting with a small, playful form and the emotional connection between a person and an artifact. I chose a lamp, and used RFID, a motion sensor, muscle wire, and computing for the interaction. Unfortunately, the muscle wire did not exert the strength needed to move the form, and it was abandoned for the final artifact.

How It Works

Lampie likes it when people are around. When Lampie is not turned on but detects motion through a PIR sensor, the three LEDs alternate in a soothing pattern. If no motion is detected, Lampie becomes agitated, which results in rapid blinking lights. After a certain amount of time, Lampie’s agitation elevates. Motion calms him, but ultimately, Lampie wants to be turned on. His agitation has memory, so that if he is calmed after being really agitated he will return to his previous state as soon as no motion is detected.

Lampie can be turned on and off only by a specific RFID tag. You can watch the video to see how this all works.

[wp_youtube]HynsbLjcq-c[/wp_youtube]

Lampie’s thinking is a result of Processing code run within the Arduino development environment.

Materials

• Arduino microprocessor
• Breadboard
• Parallax RFID Reader
• Passive RFID tags
• Parallax PIR Sensor
• 5mm While LED 3.6V 20mA 1100mcd
• Jumbo Super-Bright Red LED 2.4V 20mA 5000mcd
• 5mm Yellow LED 2V 20mA
• 3 15o-Ohm resistors
• 22-gauge solid wire
• MacBook Pro (for power)
• Foam core
• Vellum
• Electrical tape

Not in final, but used extensively throughout the process:

• .008 inch actuactor wire (muscle wire)
• 2 1-watt 10-Ohm resistors

Process

I started with the RFID reader, thinking that would be the main challenge. Originally, I started with a Phidgets RFID reader lent to me by my professor. But it needed to be connected to the computer to work, and I hoped the lamp would not need to be connected to a computer in the end. So instead I ordered an RFID reader from Parallax that used a serial connection to the Arduino board. I then used code from the Arduinio Playground to get the reader working. One problem that I never perfected was having the reader stop reading after identifying the correct RFID tag. (I suspect it might have something to do with the slow serial speed: 2,400 baud.) So sometimes it would turn the lamp off after turning it on, or vice versa. But I chalked that up to Lampie having a mind of his own.

The muscle wire proved much more challenging, largely because it needed a precise amp current and I did not understand how circuits worked. After a lot of frustration, a lot of seared foam core, and a lot of time looking at All About Circuits, I got it working.

I used code for the PIR sensor again from the Arduino Playground. No problems there.

With the technology working, I turned to out to be my greatest challenge: form. Here are some early sketches of what I imagined.

Having little experience in physical prototyping, bringing everything together proved to be a hurdle I could not overcome completely, as I could not implement the muscle wire in a way that would have an forcible impact on the lamp. Also, the size of the Arduino processor, breadboard, and RFID reader meant the form could not be as small as I hoped. Like all design, I learned in the actual making, and iterated as needed.

I built a box out of foam core that had a raised shelf, on which the breadboard sat. Rather than hide the wires for the LEDs, I used them as part of the design, and created an LED flower garden aesthetic. The breadboard was covered with vellum, as were the LEDs.

Attempts to use the muscle wire and its requirement of precise current meant I stuck with the laptop as a power source. You can still the muscle wire in this prototype.

But ultimately, the muscle wire was removed.

I programmed Lampie to have an on and off state, and I used to timer to increase his excitement level if there was no motion detected during the off state. Turning Lampie on resets the timer.

Download Arduino Source Code

[sourcecode language='cpp']
/////////////////////////////
//VARS
//the time we give the sensor to calibrate (10-60 secs according to the datasheet)
int calibrationTime = 30;

//the time when the sensor outputs a low impulse
long unsigned int lowIn;

//the amount of milliseconds the sensor has to be low
//before we assume all motion has stopped
long unsigned int pause = 5000;

boolean lockLow = true;
boolean takeLowTime;

int timerLimit = 50000;
int timer = 0;
int noOwnerLimit = 5;
int noOwner = 0;

int pirPin = 11; //the digital pin connected to the PIR sensor’s output

// RFID reader for Arduino
// Wiring version by BARRAGAN
// Modified for Arudino by djmatic

int val = 0;
char code[10];
int bytesread = 0;
char message[6] = “hello”;
// char worldtag[12] = “0415D8A2BCC”;
char worldtag[12] = “0F02F2D2EAA”;
int digit = 0;
int led1 = 9;
int led2 = 5;
int led3 = 6;
int rfidPin = 2;
int blinkDelayOn = 10;
int blinkDelayOff = 30;
boolean lampieOn = false;
boolean motion = false;

void setup() {

Serial.begin(2400); // RFID reader SOUT pin connected to Serial RX pin at 2400bps
pinMode(rfidPin,OUTPUT); // Set digital pin 2 as OUTPUT to connect it to the RFID /ENABLE pin
pinMode(led1, OUTPUT); // sets the digital pin as output
digitalWrite(rfidPin, LOW); // Activate the RFID reader
pinMode(led2, OUTPUT); // declare the led1 as an OUTPUT
pinMode(led3, OUTPUT); // declare the led1 as an OUTPUT

pinMode(pirPin, INPUT);
digitalWrite(pirPin, LOW);

//give the sensor some time to calibrate
Serial.print(“calibrating sensor “);
for(int i = 0; i < calibrationTime; i++){
Serial.print(".");
quickBlink(led3);
delay(1000);
}
Serial.println(" done");
Serial.println("SENSOR ACTIVE");

digitalWrite(led3, LOW);
}

void loop() {

// Code for the PIR Sensor

if(digitalRead(pirPin) == HIGH){
motionDetected();

if(lockLow){
//makes sure we wait for a transition to LOW before any further output is made:
lockLow = false;
Serial.println("---");
Serial.print("motion detected at ");
Serial.print(millis()/1000);
Serial.println(" sec");
delay(50);
}
takeLowTime = true;
}

if(digitalRead(pirPin) == LOW){
noMotion();

if(takeLowTime){
lowIn = millis(); //save the time of the transition from high to LOW
takeLowTime = false; //make sure this is only done at the start of a LOW phase
}
//if the sensor is low for more than the given pause,
//we assume that no more motion is going to happen
if(!lockLow && millis() - lowIn > pause){
//makes sure this block of code is only executed again after
//a new motion sequence has been detected
lockLow = true;
/*
Serial.print(“motion ended at “); //output
Serial.print((millis() – pause)/1000);
Serial.println(” sec”);
*/
delay(50);
}
if (timer == timerLimit) {
timer = 0;

if (lampieOn == false && noOwner < noOwnerLimit) {
getAngry();
noOwner++;
}
else if (lampieOn == false && noOwner >= noOwnerLimit) {
getReallyAngry();
noOwner++;
}
}
timer++;
//Serial.println(timer);
}

// Code for the RFID Reader

if(Serial.available() > 0) { // if data available from reader
if((val = Serial.read()) == 10) { // check for header
bytesread = 0;
while(bytesread<10) { // read 10 digit code
if( Serial.available() > 0) {
val = Serial.read();
if((val == 10)||(val == 13)) { // if header or stop bytes before the 10 digit reading
break; // stop reading
}
code[bytesread] = val; // add the digit
//Serial.println(code);
bytesread++; // ready to read next digit

}
}
if(bytesread == 10) { // if 10 digit read is complete

if(code[6] == worldtag[6]) {
/*
Serial.print(“World Tag: “); // possibly a good TAG

Serial.print(code); // print the TAG code
Serial.print(” vs “);
Serial.println(worldtag);
*/
if(lampieOn == false) {
turnLampieOn();
}
else {
turnLampieOff();
}
}
else {

Serial.print(code);
Serial.print(” vs “);
Serial.println(worldtag[6]);

}
}
bytesread = 0;
// wait for a second
}
}
else {
//digitalWrite(led1, LOW);
//blink(led2);
//blink(led3);
}
}

void quickBlink(int pin) {
digitalWrite(pin, HIGH);
delay(50);
digitalWrite(pin, LOW);
}

void blink(int pin) {
fadeIn(pin);
delay(blinkDelayOn);
fadeOut(pin);
delay(blinkDelayOff);
}

void fadeIn(int pin) {
//Serial.println(pin);
for(int value = 0 ; value <= 255; value+=5) // fade in (from min to max)
{
analogWrite(pin, value); // sets the value (range from 0 to 255)
delay(10); // waits for 30 milli seconds to see the dimming effect
}
}

void fadeOut(int pin) {
//Serial.println(pin);
for(int value = 255; value >=0; value-=5) // fade out (from max to min)
{
analogWrite(pin, value);
delay(10);
}
}

void turnLampieOff() {
digitalWrite(led1, LOW);
digitalWrite(led2, LOW);
digitalWrite(led3, LOW);
lampieOn = false;
Serial.println(“Lampie off”);
digitalWrite(2, HIGH); // deactivate RFID reader
delay(2000);
digitalWrite(rfidPin, LOW); // Activate the RFID reader
}
void turnLampieOn() {
noOwner = 0; // reset back to 0;
Serial.println(timer);
for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
quickBlink(led1);
quickBlink(led2);
quickBlink(led3);
delay(200);
}
digitalWrite(led1, HIGH); // sets the LED on
digitalWrite(led2, HIGH);
digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);
lampieOn = true;

Serial.println(“Lampie on”);
digitalWrite(2, HIGH); // deactivate RFID reader
delay(5000);
digitalWrite(rfidPin, LOW); // Activate the RFID reader

}

void motionDetected() {
//Serial.println(“motion detected”);
//digitalWrite(led2, HIGH); //the led visualizes the sensors output pin state
if(lampieOn == false) {
getExcited();
}
}
void noMotion() {
//Serial.println(“no motion”);
//digitalWrite(led2, LOW); //the led visualizes the sensors output pin state
}

void getExcited() {
blink(led1);
blink(led2);
blink(led3);
}

void allBlink() {
quickBlink(led1);
quickBlink(led2);
quickBlink(led3);
}

void getAngry() {
Serial.println(“angry”);
for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
allBlink();
delay(50);
}
}

void getReallyAngry() {
Serial.println(“really angry”);
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
allBlink();
delay(50);
}
}
[/sourcecode]

Our team started with five, but whittled down to three after two dropped the course. No worries, as through the luck of the draw the remaining team members were excellent to work with—Kipum Lee, a fellow second year interaction design peer who spent his summer working at IDEO in Chicago, and Kara Tennant, a first year CPID graduate student coming from the world of graphic design.

Since we didn’t have much time to do research, we started with our experiences using directed storytelling on each other. But we itched for something with more juice and headed out to Pittsburgh International Airport for a morning of observation.

It’s amazing how much you can learn just by watching. We stayed for two hours, taking notes and photos. We diagrammed our findings and called it a day.

A few days later we reconvened and determined our design principles: Communicate to Passengers; Feel in Control; Say Goodbye. We came up with the latter principle after noticing all the awkward goodbyes that were taking place at the security checkpoint.

We then created several concept ideas for each design principle, which were captured on card stock so they could be shared with TSA and be something that TSA could share with each other to start having meaningful conversations about the experience. So our service was directed at engaging TSA in a conversation about design opportunities that they might want to explore further.

Each card contains a concept with a sketch and a description and is color coded to correspond to each design principle.

Our work was displayed this past weekend at the Design Research Conference during Shelley Evenson’s presentation on Designing Services.

I should note that this was a project invented by Shelley Evenson, and was not in collaboration with TSA.

Even if you have little time, doing some research is better than none. And a little observation goes a long way to discovering opportunities hidden in plain sight.

Presentation

Another successful aspect of this project was our presentation. We decided to tell the story using the photos we took at the airport coupled with a key point that each revealed to us or a question that begged asking. From that we were able to make the case for our design principles, and from those, the concepts and cards as a final deliverable.

Download the presentation (10 MB)