Mental landscapes

Abstract

This forum highlights conversations at the intersection of design methods and social studies of technology. By highlighting a diversity of perspectives on design interventions and programs, we aim to forge new connections between HCI design and communication, science and technology studies, and media studies scholarship. --- Daniela Rosner, Editor

Exploring the Representation of Cyber-Risk Data Through Sketching

“…This is something to be aware of when considering the development of visualisation techniques using sketching. Although this is the case, mental models can still positively influence cyber-security visualisation [5,7,17,18,23,34,37,40]. Implementing mental models of expert and non-expert users can improve the communication and development of visualisation techniques [1].…”

Material metaphors: method for physicalizing relations and experiences

“…There is no 'right' way to externalise thoughts: (Jonassen & Cho, 2008), we often need "visual prostheses" to share our mental imagery with each other, inclusive tools to help people capture, and communicate the qualitative dimensions of their experiences, to enable discussion or peer support, or even to facilitate group or team sensemaking. Some approaches use abstracted metaphors of real-world elements, such as the 'navigation charts' (Rygh & Clatworthy, 2019)-supporting cross-disciplinary work in the healthcare sector, making communication otherwise hindered by jargon, more inclusive-or the Mental Landscapes kit (Ricketts & Lockton, 2019) which uses cardboard elements such as mountains, trees, fences, rivers, and more to facilitate the creation of a 'mental landscape' to physicalize career paths and project experiences. Other approaches use more abstract forms, physicalizing digital experiences in participatory design research (Fass, 2016), or Emotional Modelling (Luria et al, 2021), which uses geometric shapes from different materials and colours that can be connected to help participants communicate mental health experiences.…”

“…One tool that exploits all three aspect types is the Tangible Thinking (TT) workshop , which takes the Mental Landscapes Toolkit (Ricketts & Lockton, 2019) as a topological core and adds connective and performative elements in stages during a workshop. Participants are provided with cardboard cut-outs representing elements found in natural landscapes such as rivers, mountains, and clouds.…”

Landscape Metaphors for Bachelor Design Students’ Identity and Vision Development

“…In this paper, we examine how one such physicalisation method could help ID students develop their PIV. We build on an existing toolkit, Thinking With Things (TWT) [10], in which a workshop format focuses on metaphorical physicalisations (building on [11]) that use the physical properties of materials to investigate the qualitative nature of lived experiences. As such, it is suited to the target group of ID students familiar with using materials to express themselves, and the topic of PIV as the method focuses on lived experiences.…”