As technology matures and its possibilities get more and more varied, there is also more room for thinking the user experience (UX) design, industrial design, and aesthetics of the computing form factors. The holistic user experience consists of a utilitarian and hedonic side [13]. While technology can respond to the call for pragmatic solutions for fulfilling different utilitarian user needs, UX design needs to focus also on hedonic aspects such as visual appearance, comfort of materials, or social function and engagement with the product. According to the principles of user centric design (UCD), it is important to gather background knowledge from the users when designing new technologies or novel applications in order to create end-products, which as both usable, acceptable, and desirable.In this paper, we report our work on a user centric approach on smart handbag design. We consider handbag as a potential novel form factor for mobile computing devices due its commonness in everyday life, its shape and size that allow easy technology integration, and its general wearability. Handbags are commonplace objects, which roughly half of the adult population, i.e. females, carry. Until now, handbags have been completely free from any interactive technology. In the following, we look at the possibilities for smart handbag design through a co-design approach. We introduce the findings of two studies, where feedback on the topic was gathered through different UCD and co-design methods, see Figure 1.
ABSTRACTIn this paper, we explore design preferences and possibilities for smart handbags from the user perspective. We present designs and findings derived through a co-design process, which consisted of two studies; first with individual drawing based brainstorming (n=20), and second with two co-design workshops (n=10), where participants assessed different designs and features, and created low-fi prototypes of smart handbag concepts. Participants proposed large shape and style variations for smart handbags, according to the intended contexts, use cases, and lifestyle. In this respect the desire for modifiability, e.g. adapting in size and shape, was highlighted. The handbag's durability, weatherproofness and use of high quality materials were also raised.
