frames: notes on improvisation and design
DESCRIPTION
Social spaces, private spaces, unfamiliar spaces—no matter where, people can detect even subtle frameworks and etiquettes. As our relationship to products, services, and to one another has been transformed over the past few years, entirely new frameworks have emerged. These conditions signal a shift. People are being asked to improvise, to frame their own experiences. The designer merely sets out opportunities for people to use—to perceive connections and take advantage (or not) of a framework. But how do people know how to improvise? Drawing on improvised models from urban planning to jazz, we investigate improvisation at work and illustrate directions interactions designers might take in understanding how frameworks take hold. http://interaction.ixda.org/program/sessions/interaction-and-improv/TRANSCRIPT
FRAMES: NOTES ON IMPROVISATION AND DESIGNLIZ DANZICO MFA INTERACTION DESIGN / SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS
INTERACTION 10FEBRUARY 5 2010
How can we create meaning?
Where is the balance?
What if we allow improvisation?
We create FRAMES that allow people to IMPROVISE.
DEFINITION
FRAMEUnstated rules implicitly set by the character of some entity where the interaction occurs
IMPROVISECreating in the moment in response to environment; results in invention of new patterns, practices, structures, behaviors
DEFINITION
CREATOR CONSUMER
IMPROVISATION
HistoryRelevanceImprov in practiceMeaning for designFuture contributions
TODAY
Some history, borrowed
01
1970s
NYC 1959
JOHN COLTRANE, MILES DAVIS, 1959
MILES DAVIS, 1959
MILES DAVIS, 1959
Classical notation:
Jazz notation:
GIANT STEPS
Courtesy Dan Cohen
Modal jazz:
g q q q q q q q q44
ClassicalLeaves no room for participation
Requires prior knowledge
Judged on “right way”
Evaluated as fixed in time
Viewed as sets of “original works”
Stability
MUSIC FRAMES
ClassicalLeaves no room for participation
Requires prior knowledge
Judged on “right way”
Evaluated as fixed in time
Viewed as sets of “original works”
Stability
MUSIC FRAMES
JazzBased on participatory methods
Requires little prior knowledge
Judged on deviation from original
Evaluated as interactive
Viewed as “interpreted works”
Creative instability
ClosedRequired specialized knowledge
Judged on “right way”
Left no room for participation
Evaluated as fixed in time
Viewed as original work
DESIGN FRAMES
ClosedRequired specialized knowledge
Judged on “right way”
Left no room for participation
Evaluated as fixed in time
Viewed as original work
DESIGN FRAMES
EmergentRequires no specialized knowledge
Judged on deviation from original
Based on participatory methods
Evaluated as interactive
Viewed as mediated content
Artifacts Behaviors
Closed Emergent
Predetermined Present
SHIFTS
Orality Literacy+
ORAL TRADITION
MILMAN PARRY
What does improvlook like?
02
“improvisation”
“throw together”
“speak off the cuff”
“whip up”
“off the top of my head”
“without a net”
“fly by the seat of my pants”
Attributes
Present
Detectable
Responsive
Additive
Involves the audience
4 PATTERNS
Requires no pre-knowledge
Defines parameters
Accepts all offers
3 people1 sentence “Yes, and...”
“OVERTHINKING”
Why is improv relevant today?
03
TRADITIONAL PRACTICEC
RE
AT
OR
CO
NS
UM
ER
TRADITIONAL PRACTICEC
RE
AT
OR
CO
NS
UM
ER
Design Release Use
CR
EA
TO
R
CO
-CR
EA
TO
R
Design UseRelease
EVOLUTION WITH USE
Compose Transmit Interpret
CR
EA
TO
R
CO
NS
UM
ER
PRINT VERSUS DIGITAL
Compose
Transmit
ORAL TRADITION
Interpret
OR
AL
PO
ET
AU
DIE
NC
E
Traditional: designing products
Emerging: designing for a purpose
vis communication design
interior space design
product design
information design
architecture
planning
for experiencing
for emotion
for interacting
for sustainability
for serving
for transforming
SOURCE: Liz Sanders & Pieter Jan Stappers
DESIGN PRACTICES
Designing for improvisation
What does improv suggest for design?
04
Attributes
Present
Detectable
Responsive
Additive
Involves the audience
Requires no pre-knowledge
Defines parameters
Accepts all offers
4 PATTERNS
1 Present: Involve the audience
STREET VENDORS
STREET VENDORS
2 Responsive: Define parameters
hello health
3 Detectable: No pre-knowledge
JETBLUE STORY BOOTH
4 Additive: Accepting all offers
POP-UP LUNCH
ZERO ENERGY MEDIA WALL
What can designerscontribute?
05
Facilitators of improv?
POSSIBLE FUTURES
?
POSSIBLE FUTURES
POSSIBLE FUTURES
POSSIBLE FUTURES
POSSIBLE FUTURES
POSSIBLE FUTURES
flickr.com/photos/kazzajimmy/jazzloftproject.org/scientificblogging.com/news_releases/greenpix.org/
“YES, AND:”flickr.com/photos/opalsson/flickr.com/photos/arcticpuppy/flickr.com/photos/kaeru/3133393620/flickr.com/photos/27052570@N03/flickr.com/photos/21204781@N07/flickr.com/photos/watz/flickr.com/photos/diebmx/flickr.com/photos/matrixsynth/flickr.com/photos/sigma/
PAPERS:maketools.com/pdfs/CoCreation_Sanders_Stappers_08_preprint.pdf
PHOTO CREDITS
THANK YOU.LIZ DANZICOMFA INTERACTION DESIGN / SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS
@bobulate