The craft approach is expressed as a set of requirements:
Requirement 1: A craft approach to HCI is a way of addressing the problem of designing human-computer interactions. Craft seeks to develop ‘best practice’ design to satisfy user requirements in the form of an interactive system.
For example, best practice of different kinds has informed the specification and implementation of interactive systems, such as e-mail; internet banking; on-line government services; electronic shopping etc.
Requirement 2: A craft approach to HCI involves the research and development of best practice for the design of human-computer interactions to satisfy user requirements in the form of an interactive system. Contributions to such best practice have been made by R+D groups, such as Xerox and Apple, by universities, offering courses in HCI; by text books; by professional organisations; sharing design experience etc.
For example, the results of such craft best practice can be observed in the address book facility, associated with e-mail, which obviates the need for users to remember e-mail addresses. Also, the address form-fill facility, following partial typing of the addressee’s name.
Requirement 3: The research and development of a craft approach to HCI constitutes a way forward in addressing the problem of designing human-computer interactions to satisfy user requirements in the form of an interactive system.
For example, the best practice of design has evolved from word of mouth advice to wire frame specifications. Further, the best practice of evaluation has evolved from scientific experiment on alternative types of design to on-line real-time assessment of user performance and experience. The scope of craft design best practice has evolved from usability to fun to emotion, to experience etc. Best practice is supported by: heuristics; methods; expert advice; successful designs; case-studies etc. Such craft best practice can now be found in HCI courses, text books and practitioner case-study reports.
Requirement 4: A craft approach to HCI has ways of establishing whether the problem of designing human-computer interactions to satisfy user requirements in the form of an interactive system has been addressed or not.
For example, the design and evaluation of successive versions of interactive systems, such as e-mail; internet banking etc can be assessed in terms of their success, as reflected by user satisfaction and experience; uptake of the ideas by other designers; professional awards etc. The extent to which this success is supported by heuristics; methods; expert advice; other designs; case-studies etc in satisfying or not user requirements in the form of an interactive system can also be assessed. Current e-mail systems meet many (if not all of these different design criteria).
Examples of Craft Approaches to HCI
Balaam et al. (2015) FeedFinder: A Location-Mapping Mobile Application for Breastfeeding Women
This paper reports on four phases of a design and research project, from sensitising user-engagement and user-centred design, to the development and in-the-wild deployment of a mobile ‘phone application called FeedFinder, a location-mapping mobile application for breastfeeding women.
How well does the Balaam et al. paper meet the requirements for constituting a Craft Approach to HCI? (Read More…..)
Read More.....The paper reports a design and research project, which addresses the problem of designing human-computer interactions (Comments 1, 2, 3 and 5). The result is FeedFinder, a location-mapping mobile application for breastfeeding women.
Requirement 2: A Craft Approach to HCI involves the research and development of best practice for the design of human-computer interactions to satisfy user requirements in the form of an interactive system (Comments 9 and 10).
The paper reports the authors’ best practice, which takes the form of a four-phases design and research project. The phases include: user-engagement sensitisation; user-centred design development; in-the-wild deployment and evaluation of a mobile ‘phone application called FeedFinder, a location-mapping mobile application for breastfeeding women (Comments 5, 7, and 9).
Requirement 3: The research and development of a Craft Approach to HCI constitutes a way forward in addressing the problem of designing human-computer interactions to satisfy user requirements in the form of an interactive system.
The paper reports two ways forward for a craft approach to HCI. First, the particular form of the research and design best practice applied (Comments 5, 7 and 9). Second, how notions of consumers, communities and citizens might inform the design of humans interacting with computers (Comments 10 and 11). Both ways forward are included into the design and evaluation of FeedFinder.
Requirement 4: A Craft Approach to HCI has ways of establishing whether the problem of designing human-computer interactions to satisfy user requirements in the form of an interactive system has been addressed or not.
The paper identifies a number of user requirements for women, who want to breast-feed their babies in public. The extent to which these requirements have been met by Feed Finder (a location-mapping mobile application for breastfeeding women) is evaluated and reported (Comments 6, 8, and 9).
Conclusion: Balaam et al’s research and design project clearly demonstrates an approach to HCI. It satisfies all four requirements. In addition, it can be considered a craft approach, because it applies a best-practice generic user-centred design method, whose validation is not an aim of the project. The best practice, as well as being generic, almost certainly derives from the authors’ previous research and design experience and will contribute to future (even better) such practice. Note that this conclusion does not exclude the paper from illustrating other approaches to HCI.