Titulo Estágio
adhoc - Principles of spontaneous design at work towards inclusive human-tool interaction
Local do Estágio
Rua Alfredo Allen 455/461, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
Enquadramento
Although manufacturing and assembly work on industrial shop floors tends to be thought of as repetitive and cognitively non-demanding, there is evidence to suggest the contrary (2)(5)(6)(8). One form of such evidence is spontaneous design created by shop floor workers to improve ergonomic conditions of the workstation, to improve their performance or to improve product quality. As studied in other fields, such as in Innovation or Socio-technical Studies, users create ingenious solutions which can inform better and, event, more inclusive design (1).
We propose to search for these examples, document them and experiment how they could inform inclusive human-tool interaction. Using Research through Design, the MSc student will conduct fieldwork in factory environments, perform qualitative data analysis to identify principles, prepare communication materials for designers and test these materials on new human-tool interaction designs.
Objetivo
Objectives:
The practical work of Research through Design will follow a structure similar to that used in past inclusive design workshops (3)(4)(7), where authors have given design students guidelines for design based on ethnography-informed user research. As a result of the process, the project is also expected to produce an array of prototypes demonstrating the applicability of the principles.
Innovative aspects:
The MSc’s contribution to knowledge will be on how to best communicate Spontaneous Design as a source of information, inquiry and inspiration for new methods towards worker inclusion.
Plano de Trabalhos - Semestre 1
T1 - Intermediate report with literature review/state-of-the-art and planning for 2nd semester
T2 - Preparatory work: ethics submission package, research data management and logistics
Plano de Trabalhos - Semestre 2
T2 - Preparatory work: ethics submission package, research data management and logistics (cont.);
T3 - Inventory and classification of spontaneous designs;
T4 - Research through Design experiments;
T5 - Dissertation and publication writing;
Condições
Student profile:
- Inquisitive and curious mind;
- Interest – and, ideally, experience – in facilitating workshops;
- Willingness to perform field work in user research- co-creation and prototype assessment;
- Proficiency in English and good domain of Portuguese for field work;
- Good portfolio in product design (including visual materials) and in drawing or photography/video.
Observações
References:
(1) Akrich M (1998). ‘Les Utilisateurs, Acteurs de l’innovation’. Éducation Permanente, Paris: Documentation Française,, pp. 79–90.
(2) Correia de Barros A, Correia C, Moutinho R et al. (2022, in press). Design and Evaluation of a Device for Ecological Momentary Assessment with Workers in a Garment Factory. In: Shin C.S., Di Bucchianico G., Fukuda S., Ghim YG., Montagna G., Carvalho C. (eds) Advances in Industrial Design. AHFE 2022. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems., Springer, Cham.
(3) Correia de Barros A, Duarte C (2012). ‘Dear user…’ – Empathy building methods #for assistive product design. Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Design & Emotion. London, UK.
(4) Correia de Barros A, Duarte C, Cruz JB (2011). Fear as a design brief. Proceedings of the Include 2011 Conference. London, UK.
(5) Cross J (2012). ‘Technological Intimacy: Re-Engaging with Gender and Technology in the Global Factory’. Ethnography, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 119–43. SAGE Journals, https://doi.org/10.1177/1466138111410621.
(6) Juravich T (2017). ‘Artifacts of Workers’ Knowledge: Finding Worker Skill in the Closing and Restructuring of a Furniture Manufacturer’. Ethnography, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 493–514. SAGE Journals, https://doi.org/10.1177/1466138116687590.
(7) Lemke M (2018). Limited Use Only. How Can the Design of an Everyday Object Evoke an Initiation of Use in Chronic Stroke Survivors. Victoria University of Wellington.
(8) Lynch C (2012). Retirement on the Line: Age, Work, and Value in an American Factory. Illustrated edition, ILR Press.
Orientador
Ana Maria Vieira Rebelo Correia de Barros
ana.barros@fraunhofer.pt 📩