11 03, 2025

The Fun Theory: A social experiment and a Case Study in Interaction Design and User Engagement

By |2025-03-11T13:31:59+02:00March 11th, 2025|arduino, Interaction Design|0 Comments

In 2009, Volkswagen launched "The Fun Theory", an initiative demonstrating how interaction design can drive behavioural change by making everyday activities enjoyable. The campaign, which aimed to promote Volkswagen's BlueMotion Technologies, aligned with principles of human-computer interaction (HCI) and gamification, showcasing how interactive technologies and design interventions can enhance user engagement and encourage positive habits. Interaction Design and the Fun Theory Interaction design (IxD) focuses on crafting experiences that facilitate meaningful interactions between users and systems. By leveraging playful, engaging, and intuitive interfaces, interaction designers aim to influence human behaviour in a positive way. The Fun Theory campaign served as an experiment in persuasive design, proving that fun and interactivity can nudge people toward healthier, safer, and more sustainable behaviours. The campaign used sensor-based interfaces, auditory and visual feedback, and gamification to transform mundane actions into interactive experiences. Each experiment demonstrated how user engagement with interactive technologies can reinforce positive [...]

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11 10, 2024

PACT Scoping Technique / Analysis: A Human-Centered Design Framework

By |2024-10-11T15:46:26+02:00October 11th, 2024|Interaction Design, tutorial|0 Comments

PACT Scoping Technique / Analysis: A Human-Centered Design Framework The PACT (People, Activities, Contexts, Technologies) scoping technique is a fundamental framework in human-centered design (HCD) that helps designers analyse and understand the key elements of interactive systems. By breaking down the components of design into four core elements—People, Activities, Contexts, and Technologies—PACT provides a comprehensive structure for evaluating the interactions between users and technology. This article explores the PACT framework, its components, and how it supports designers in creating meaningful and effective interactive experiences. Components of PACT Analysis 1. People The "People" component emphasises understanding the users of a system. This involves gathering information about their characteristics, needs, behaviours, skills, motivations, and limitations. By gaining insight into the diverse user base, designers can ensure that the interactive systems are accessible and inclusive. Personas and empathy maps are often used tools to represent user characteristics within this component. Understanding people means [...]

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9 05, 2023

XARTS2023 – International Conference and Summer School on Extended Arts

By |2023-05-27T00:32:05+02:00May 9th, 2023|animation, art, conferences/workshops, design, events, Interaction Design, interactive art, news|0 Comments

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING - Department of Product and Systems Design Engineering 1 Jul 2023 to 9 Jul 2023, Syros https://summer-schools.aegean.gr/XARTS2023 Co-organised by the Interactive Systems Design Lab (University of the Aegean) and CITU - PARAGRAPHE (University of Paris 8) in the framework of the European University ERUA Organizing Scientific Committee Maurice Benayoun, Professor, School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong Khaldoun Zreik, Professor, Director of Paragraphe Lab, University of Paris 8 Panagiotis Kyriakoulakos, Assistant Professor, University of the Aegean Modestos Stavrakis, Assistant Professor, University of the Aegean XARTS 2023 CALL FOR PAPERS AND PROJECT PROPOSALS The International Conference and Summer School on Extended Arts celebrates 10 years since its first edition with a Call for Papers on the History and Praxis of Computer Animation and a Call for Projects that will be implemented as prototypes during the intensive workshops of XARTS 2023. CALL FOR PAPERS XARTS 2023 [...]

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30 05, 2018

CORING – 11th International Design Awards

By |2018-05-31T19:36:01+02:00May 30th, 2018|design, Interaction Design, product design, university of the aegean, user experience design (UX)|0 Comments

CORING has been awarded at the 11th International Design Awards! CORING the core of meeting     CORING Company: ubisapdesign Lead Designer: Athanasios Kyratzis Design Team: Modestos Stavrakis, Eleni Mytili Prize(s): 3rd Place in Office Equipment / Furnishings/Modules Entry Description CORING is a novel interactive collaboration furniture. It’s unique design, technology integration and best of their class components consist CORING one of a kind. CORING aims to redefine business meetings with its unique characteristics into a more creative and interactive experience! CORING – a.k.a. COllaboration RING – creates an exceptional experience of business communication, providing more functional versatility, technological potential and modern aesthetics in one piece of “new” furniture – one that would enhance collaboration in every aspect! About DesignerCORING is inspired, designed and produced by the Greek design studio ubisapdesign, a studio established in 2009 by civil engineer(Msc in Interactive Products and Systems Design) Athanasios Kyratzis.  The main activities of the office include [...]

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11 05, 2015

Interaction Design & User Experience IDUX2015

By |2016-01-12T22:18:22+02:00May 11th, 2015|design, Interaction Design|0 Comments

https://idux2015.pns.aegean.gr/ Summer School: ID-UX (Interaction Design and User Experience). August 24–September 5, 2015. Syros Island, Greece. Department of Product and Systems Design Engineering, University of the Aegean.   Theme The concept of User Experience (UX) is about user reactions and anticipations that result from the use of products, systems or services. It is recognized that design thinking and the application of related Interaction Design (ID) methods can significantly contribute to successful applications with respect to UX. The 1st summer school on Interaction Design & User Experience (ID-UX) is concerned with teaching and experimenting with related concepts, methods, development tools/environments and applications. The related methods are about user research, conceptual and detailed design, and the user-centred evaluation of interactive systems. The related development tools/environments are about 3D Interactive Environments, (multitouch) gestures, and kinesthetic control. The applications include scenarios of (serious) games, education, culture and their combined conceptions. Organizers and Venue The summer [...]

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13 02, 2015

What is Interaction Design

By |2016-01-12T21:08:57+02:00February 13th, 2015|Interaction Design|0 Comments

What is Interaction Design and What Does It Mean to Information Designers? Part 1 of 2 by Craig Marion In 1988, Alexander Associates sponsored INtertainment, the first annual conference bringing together people from all corners of the interactive entertainment business. People came from such diverse industries as personal computers, video games, broadcast and cable television, optical media, museums, and amusement parks. Over the course of the two days, a debate about the meaning of the word “interactive” raged through every session, disrupting carefully planned panels and presentations. People seemed to regard “interactivity” as the unique cultural discovery of the electronic age, and they demanded a coherent definition. Several speakers tried to oblige, but no one succeeded.” (Laurel, 1992, p. 20) I wasn’t aware of this controversy when I researched and launched my Web site, the Software Design Smorgasbord, in the spring of 1997. I created my site to help me track [...]

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23 04, 2012

Drawdio: A Pencil that Lets You Draw Music

By |2016-01-12T21:08:57+02:00April 23rd, 2012|arduino, electronics, Interaction Design, technology|0 Comments

What is Drawdio? Imagine you could draw musical instruments on normal paper with any pencil (cheap circuit thumb-tacked on) and then play them with your finger. The Drawdio circuit-craft lets you MacGuyver your everyday objects into musical instruments: paintbrushes, macaroni, trees, grandpa, even the kitchen sink... http://youtu.be/PV_w38ldZaE

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12 12, 2011

augmented reality platforms

By |2016-01-12T21:08:57+02:00December 12th, 2011|design, Interaction Design|0 Comments

Augmented reality is a term for a live direct or indirect view of a physical real-world environment which is augmented by virtual computer-generated imagery. Lately there is a large lamber of augmented reality applications and platforms that work on mobile smartphones and tablets. The applications are using a number of hardware components in order to produce the augmented reality environment. These include: screen, camera, GPS, compass, accelerometer, RFID reader etc. These are used together to identify the user’s location and field of view as well as understand its physical environment characteristics. From the collected data a number of calculations take place and  geographical position, direction, screen picture and the other various forms of data are laid over the camera view, like inserting an additional layer of visual information over your screen picture. The most well known platforms/applications are: Wikitude Wikitude was the world’s very first Augmented Reality Browser for smartphones in [...]

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