Open AccessUser Representations as a Design Resource
Author(s) -
Kari Savolainen,
Sampsa Hyysalo
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
science and technology studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2243-4690
DOI - 10.23987/sts.84598
Subject(s) - bridge (graph theory) , computer science , task (project management) , key (lock) , resource (disambiguation) , representation (politics) , human–computer interaction , knowledge management , user research , design knowledge , user experience design , work (physics) , world wide web , engineering , political science , medicine , bottleneck , computer network , computer security , systems engineering , politics , law , embedded system , mechanical engineering
The study of how the understanding of usages and users is achieved and turned into the characteristics of products comprises ‘the sociology of user representation’ in Science and Technology Studies. Whilst the early research on the topic was foremost a critique of designers’ imposition of theirimagination and preferences on prospective users, research has since discovered a richer research landscape in accomplishing the difficult task of anticipating the future contexts and identities of users. Our paper continues this line of work by examining a situation where first-hand access to users is blocked from human-centred design-oriented designers. Constructing an array of complementary user representations helps them to bridge the previously accumulated knowledge on users in their trade to the envisioned technology. The complementarities in the handful of key user segment representations and what is represented in their explicated form allowed the design team to make reasoned and accountable design decisions.