First steps in role playing

ABSTRACT

This paper presents and evaluates examples from our work with role playing in design education. Rationales for role playing in design are: communication within the design process, the increase of technological complexity, the experience and empathy of designers, the tangibility of interaction, and attentiveness to social change. These rationales inform our inclusion of role playing techniques in design education. Our aim is that the students can and do incorporate the techniques into their own design activity. Here, we focus on three questions: : 1. whether the techniques helped the students understand and question interaction, 2. whether the techniques helped students in ideation, and 3. whether the role playing exercises inspired students to use the techniques in own work. We identify several ways in which the techniques are effective for the students in their design work.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.m Miscellaneous

General Terms:
Design, Human Factors

Keywords:
design education, ideation, interaction design, role playing