sxsw interactive 2014 workshop: "the humor-centered design process"

The Humor-Centered Design Process

#humorUX

March 10, 2014 / SXSW Interactive 2014

WHO ARE WE?

SXSW Interactive 2014 / The Humor-Centered Design Process / #humorUX / 2

Chelsey Delaney UX designer,

humorist, writer@chelseD

Chris Trew Comedian, Founder ofThe New Movement,

Author of Improv Wins @christrew

WHO ARE YOU?


Tell us:

• Your name

• What you do

• Why you’re here

INTRODUCTION EXERCISE


Profile Sheet

(10 minutes)

ABOUT THIS WORKSHOP


Learning how to be funny. Sorry!

(That being said ...)

WHAT THIS WORKSHOP ISN’T


A brief exploration of the relationship

between (the processes and products of)

design and humor.

WHAT THIS WORKSHOP IS

IDENTIFYING HUMOR


“... something unexpected, the truth of

which is recognized.”- Aristotle


• Using humor increases creativity and fosters innovation

WHY HUMOR?


• Using humor increases creativity and fosters innovation

• Humor allows a designer to reach a deeper level with both their team and/or with the users of their

product

WHY HUMOR?

WORKSHOP OVERVIEW


PART 1:Learn how humor can make the design process

more collaborative and creative (and fun).

PART 2: Learn how humor can take shape in design of a product, as well as contribute to its experience.


HOW WILL WE DO THIS?

• Improv exercises




• Sketching and discussing our own designs




• Sketching and discussing our own designs

• Checking out examples of humorous design

PART 1:

Learn how humor can make the design

process more collaborative and creative

(and fun).

THE DESIGN PROCESS


• At a high-level:

Explore

Generate

Evaluate

Refine

THE HUMOR ... PROCESS?


• The methods, concepts and tools humorists use to create comedy

HUMOR IN THE DESIGN PROCESS


Using humor techniques and concepts to connect with and understand users, and to help in the

creation of innovative concepts and ideas.

DESIGN PROCESS + HUMOR PROCESS =

IMPROV EXERCISE


Dressing the Scene

(30 minutes)

DRESSING THE SCENE


• Establishing a framework

DRESSING THE SCENE



• “If this, then what?”

DRESSING THE SCENE



• “If this, then what?”

• Building on ideas with others to develop a shared meaning and understanding

DRESSING THE DESIGN


DESIGN BRIEF:

Create an app that will teach

someone about your favorite era

and/or civilization.

DESIGN EXERCISE


Make a List

(10 minutes)

BREAK

(5 minutes)

IMPROV EXERCISE


Characters

(30 minutes)

CHARACTERS

SSXSW Interactive 2014 / The Humor-Centered Design Process / #humorUX / 27

Improv relies on the ability to create and build on characters through personal knowledge and

observance of people and patterns.

CHARACTERS


When developing characters,improvisers must ask themselves:

“If this is true, then what else is true?”

Improv relies on the ability to create and build on characters through personal knowledge and

observance of people and patterns.

DESIGN EXERCISE


Draw Your Audience

(15 minutes)

CHARACTERS INSTEAD OF PERSONAS


• Don’t just observe the user, interpret them




• Embrace and harness personal bias





• Feel ownership of and allegiance to the user





• Feel ownership of and allegiance to the user

• Empathize with and interalize user needs and experiences

DESIGN EXERCISE


Sketch Your Flow

(15 minutes)

BREAK

(15 minutes)

PART 2:

Learn how humor can take shape in the

design of a product, as well as contribute

to its experience.

THE DESIGN OF A PRODUCT


• Can be physical, interactive, visual, experiential, behavioral, etc.

THE DESIGN OF A PRODUCT


• Can be physical, interactive, visual, experiential, behavioral, etc.

• Different than design for delight and design for play!

HUMOR IN THE DESIGN


• Understanding the basic structure of humor, both in order to recognize it and apply it

HUMOR IN THE DESIGN


• Understanding the basic structure of humor, both in order to recognize it and apply it

• (Yes, it’s the cardinal sin of learning to explain why something is funny)

HUMOR RESEARCH


“... is a multidisciplinary field stemming fromlinguistics that studies humor and its effects at theintersections of psychology, sociology, philosophy,history, literature, rhetoric, and computer science.”

Source: wikipedia.org

HUMOR RESEARCH


“... is a multidisciplinary field stemming fromlinguistics that studies humor and its effects at theintersections of psychology, sociology, philosophy,history, literature, rhetoric, and computer science.”

And now design.

INCONGRUITY THEORY


Incongruity Theory argues that humor occurs when a contrast between

contextualized elements or concepts is perceived and processed.

IMPROV EXERCISE


Straight / Absurd

(30 minutes)

DESIGN EXAMPLE


Source: petsorfood.com

DESIGN EXAMPLE


Source: https://prosign.tumblr.com

DESIGN EXAMPLE


Source: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/quit-your-job/id781659061?mt=8

DESIGN EXAMPLE


Source: playitbyearparenthood.org

DESIGN EXAMPLE


Source: jurassicsystems.com

DESIGN EXERCISE


Yes, And

(15 minutes)

QUESTIONS?


Chelsey Delaney UX designer,

humorist, writer@chelseD

Chris Trew Comedian, Founder ofThe New Movement,

Author of Improv Wins @christrew

Thank you!