talk to ACM SIGCHI Paris Chapter at Université Paris-Saclay, 19th March 2024. https://alandix.com/academic/talks/Paris-UX-2024/ From the 1980s graphical interfaces have dominated the way we envisage user interactions. While we know and teach our students about the importance of taking a wider perspective, the vast majority of tools used in practical UX (user experience) design are dominated by screens. In this talk I will explore ways in which future design can step beyond the pixelated surface. One strand is understanding the physical nature of devices, human bodies, and the environments within which they engage; this is addressed in my 2022 book “TouchIT – Understanding Design in a Physical-Digital World” co-authored with Steve Gill, Jo Hare, and Devina Ramduny-Ellis. The other strand is work over the last few years with Miriam Sturdee and Anna Carter, collectively entitled InContext, in which we have been exploring next generation UX tools, including investigative workshops and focus groups. While not a major issue, AI was mentioned in these workshops, but they were before the recent rise in awareness fostered by ChatGPT. I will contextualise this building on two other books that I am completing relating to AI and Human–Computer Interaction. I will demonstrate two tools that explore the space of design beyond the screen. One, ScenarioViewer enables screen-based prototypes, at various levels of fidelity, to be embedded within story-board-like contextual images. The other, PhysProto, allows physical prototypes to be interactively explored remotely using video clips and Physigrams, executable models of the physical behaviour of the device. These are prototypes of prototyping tools, but also provotypes, designed to provoke you to consider for yourself the future of UX design support tools.

1. Alan Dix
https://alandix.com/
https://alandix.com/academic/talks/Paris-UX-2024/
@alanjohndix
The future of UX
design support tools

2. background …

4. topics
• material design
• spatial layout
• the body
• digital artefacts
space and spatial
arrangement
digital artefacts
virtual physicality
material artefacts
and design
the body
physiology

6. physical interactions

7. • material design
• spatial layout
• the body
• digital artefacts
space and spatial
arrangement
digital artefacts
virtual physicality
material artefacts
and design
the body
physiology

8. model physical device states
the device ‘unplugged’
the device ‘unplugged’
switch
UP
DOWN
user pushes
switch up
and down
two visible …
and feelable …
states
physigram

9. model logical system
light
OFF
ON
two states
of the system

10. physical–logical mapping
light
OFF
ON
switch
UP
DOWN
user pushes
switch up
and down

11. exposed state
particularly easy to understand and use
but not always 1–1
light
OFF
ON
switch
UP
DOWN
user pushes
switch up
and down
mapping 1–1

12. controlled state

13. compliant interaction
(1) system state visible through control
(2) system and user have similar effects
press
down
UP
DOWN
press
up
kettle switch
system
down
system
down
BOILING
Temp
< 100
POWER
OFF
POWER
ON
system state

14. 14
bounce-back button
OUT
IN
user pushes
switch in
bounce
back
computer
OFF
ON
(a) (a)
switch
(a)
(z)

15. give it to designers …

16. Covid response
workshops
Anna
Vasilchenko
Adriana
Wilde

17. prototyping physicality
https://alandix.com/labs/physproto/
https://hcibook.net/gen/PhysProto/v0/rockall

18. playing physically virtually

19. behind the scenes
physigram

21. physical context

22. • material design
• spatial layout
• the body
• digital artefacts
space and spatial
arrangement
digital artefacts
virtual physicality
material artefacts
and design
the body
physiology

23. not just the screen
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cat_stares_at_itself_on_computer_monitor.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Indoor_location_services_on_mobile_phone_(10928087126).jpg

24. context
matters
https://pixnio.com/media/umbrella-rain-pedestrian-women-walking
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Young_people_in_Hong_Kong_using_smartphones_whilst_walking.png
https://tireetechwave.org/

26. Anna Carter
Alan Dix
Miriam Sturdee

28. in situ
https://www.wales247.co.uk/digital-technology-gives-view-of-future-as-part-of-1bn-swansea-regeneration

31. next generation UX tools
current
state of
the art
new methods and tools
for existing interactions
tools for
new
interactions
physical–digital devices
audio, spatial, intelligent
broader context, tool integration,
connecting to developers

32. InContext
investigate
what is being used?
what next?
build
envisionments
and prototypes
teach
importance of context
in UX deisgn

33. do we need new UX tools?
loads of tools
of lots of different kinds
so what’s the problem?
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wlm_flows_draft4_2.png

34. UX Design Tools Survey 2021 with 3000+ users
HTTPS://UXTOOLS.CO/SURVEY-2021/
Product Designer
UX Developer
UI Designer

35. Current tool usage
Figma
Sketch
Adobe XD

36. Figma
SKETCH
ADOBE XD

37. beyond the wireframe …
scaffolding new designers
including rich context
enabling different modalities
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wlm_flows_draft4_2.png

39. investigate
what is being used?
what next?

40. remote workshops

41. CHI Workshop
Photos:
Konstantin Aal
University of Siegen

43. build
envisionments
and prototypes

44. storyboard designs with context

45. tinkering at the edges
https://datatodata.com/builder/

46. ScenarioViewer
screens in context
https://alandix.com/labs/scenario-viewer/
https://hcibook.net/experimental/scenario-viewer/demo/internet-fridge/

47. behind the scenes
transform: matrix3d(0.208836, 0.0683259, 0,
-1.8007e-05, 0.0132405, 0.187365, 0,
1.29374e-05, 0, 0, 1, 0, 840, 175, 0, 1);

48. what next?
workshops => roadmap
senses beyond sight
links to service design
context sketching made easy
early-stage data and architecture
integration … beyond 1970’s filesystem
AI …
maybe something for you?
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bouquet_of_3_Roses.svg

49. the future of UX
design support tools
Alan Dix
https://alandix.com/academic/talks/Paris-UX-2024/