2015
Gray, Colin M; Yilmaz, Seda; Daly, Shanna R; Seifert, Colleen M; Gonzalez, Richard
Creativity `Misrules': First Year Engineering Students' Production and Perception of Creativity in Design Ideas Proceedings Article
In: ASME 2015 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, pp. V003T04A006-V003T04A006, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2015, ISBN: 9780791857106.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Creativity, Design Education, Idea Generation
@inproceedings{Gray2015-ie,
title = {Creativity `Misrules': First Year Engineering Students' Production and Perception of Creativity in Design Ideas},
author = {Colin M Gray and Seda Yilmaz and Shanna R Daly and Colleen M Seifert and Richard Gonzalez},
url = {https://colingray.me/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2015_Grayetal_ASME_CreativityMisrules.pdf
http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/proceeding.aspx?articleid=2483438},
doi = {10.1115/DETC2015-46492},
isbn = {9780791857106},
year = {2015},
date = {2015-01-01},
booktitle = {ASME 2015 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference},
volume = {3},
pages = {V003T04A006-V003T04A006},
publisher = {American Society of Mechanical Engineers},
abstract = {We report four cases from a larger study, focusing on participants’ self-identified “most creative” concept in relation to their other concepts. As part of an ideation session, first-year engineering students were asked to create concepts for one of two engineering design problems in an 85-minute period, and were exposed to one of two different forms of fixation. Participants worked as individuals, first using traditional brainstorming techniques and generating as many ideas as possible. Design Heuristics cards were then introduced, and students were asked to generate as many additional concepts as possible. After the activity, participants ranked all of the concepts they generated from most to least creative. Representative cases include a detailed analysis of the concept that each participant rated as “most creative,” idea generation method used, and relative location and relationship of the concept to other concepts generated by that participant. Across four cases, we identified a number of characteristic “misrules” or misconceptions, revealing that first-year students judge creativity in their concepts in ways that could inhibit their ability to produce truly novel concepts. We present Design Heuristics as a tool to encourage the exploration of creative concept pathways, empowering students to create more novel concepts by rejecting misrules about creativity.},
keywords = {Creativity, Design Education, Idea Generation},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
We report four cases from a larger study, focusing on participants’ self-identified “most creative” concept in relation to their other concepts. As part of an ideation session, first-year engineering students were asked to create concepts for one of two engineering design problems in an 85-minute period, and were exposed to one of two different forms of fixation. Participants worked as individuals, first using traditional brainstorming techniques and generating as many ideas as possible. Design Heuristics cards were then introduced, and students were asked to generate as many additional concepts as possible. After the activity, participants ranked all of the concepts they generated from most to least creative. Representative cases include a detailed analysis of the concept that each participant rated as “most creative,” idea generation method used, and relative location and relationship of the concept to other concepts generated by that participant. Across four cases, we identified a number of characteristic “misrules” or misconceptions, revealing that first-year students judge creativity in their concepts in ways that could inhibit their ability to produce truly novel concepts. We present Design Heuristics as a tool to encourage the exploration of creative concept pathways, empowering students to create more novel concepts by rejecting misrules about creativity.
Gray, Colin M; Yilmaz, Seda; Daly, Shanna R; Seifert, Colleen M; Gonzalez, Richard
Idea Generation Through Empathy: Reimagining the `Cognitive Walkthrough' Proceedings Article
In: 2015 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition Proceedings, pp. 26.871.1–26.871.29, ASEE Conferences, Seattle, Washington, 2015, ISSN: 2153-5868.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags:
@inproceedings{Gray2015-ju,
title = {Idea Generation Through Empathy: Reimagining the `Cognitive Walkthrough'},
author = {Colin M Gray and Seda Yilmaz and Shanna R Daly and Colleen M Seifert and Richard Gonzalez},
url = {http://peer.asee.org/24208},
doi = {10.18260/p.24208},
issn = {2153-5868},
year = {2015},
date = {2015-01-01},
booktitle = {2015 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition Proceedings},
volume = {122nd ASEE},
pages = {26.871.1--26.871.29},
publisher = {ASEE Conferences},
address = {Seattle, Washington},
abstract = {Engineering and design students are often required to
evaluate their products against user requirements, but
frequently, these requirements are abstracted from the
user or context of use rather than coming from actual user
and context data. Abstraction of user requirements makes
it difficult for students to empathize with the eventual
user of the product or system they are designing. In
previous research, Design Heuristics have been shown to
encourage exploration of design solutions spaces at the
initial stages of design processes. This study combines
use of Design Heuristics in an engineering classroom
context with a method designed to connect students with an
understanding the context of the user, product use
setting, and sociocultural milieu. We adapted an existing
method, the cognitive walkthrough, for use in an
engineering education context, renaming it the empathic
walkthrough. In this study, this method was revised and
extended to maximize empathy with the end user and
context, using these insights to promote a more situated
form of idea development using the Design Heuristics
cards. We present several case studies of students using
this method to expand their notion of situated use,
demonstrating how this method may have utility for
importation into engineering contexts. Our early testing
has indicated that this method stimulates empathy on the
part of the student for the design context within which
they are working, resulting in a richer narrative that
foregrounds problems that a user might encounter.
[ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Engineering and design students are often required to
evaluate their products against user requirements, but
frequently, these requirements are abstracted from the
user or context of use rather than coming from actual user
and context data. Abstraction of user requirements makes
it difficult for students to empathize with the eventual
user of the product or system they are designing. In
previous research, Design Heuristics have been shown to
encourage exploration of design solutions spaces at the
initial stages of design processes. This study combines
use of Design Heuristics in an engineering classroom
context with a method designed to connect students with an
understanding the context of the user, product use
setting, and sociocultural milieu. We adapted an existing
method, the cognitive walkthrough, for use in an
engineering education context, renaming it the empathic
walkthrough. In this study, this method was revised and
extended to maximize empathy with the end user and
context, using these insights to promote a more situated
form of idea development using the Design Heuristics
cards. We present several case studies of students using
this method to expand their notion of situated use,
demonstrating how this method may have utility for
importation into engineering contexts. Our early testing
has indicated that this method stimulates empathy on the
part of the student for the design context within which
they are working, resulting in a richer narrative that
foregrounds problems that a user might encounter.
[ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
evaluate their products against user requirements, but
frequently, these requirements are abstracted from the
user or context of use rather than coming from actual user
and context data. Abstraction of user requirements makes
it difficult for students to empathize with the eventual
user of the product or system they are designing. In
previous research, Design Heuristics have been shown to
encourage exploration of design solutions spaces at the
initial stages of design processes. This study combines
use of Design Heuristics in an engineering classroom
context with a method designed to connect students with an
understanding the context of the user, product use
setting, and sociocultural milieu. We adapted an existing
method, the cognitive walkthrough, for use in an
engineering education context, renaming it the empathic
walkthrough. In this study, this method was revised and
extended to maximize empathy with the end user and
context, using these insights to promote a more situated
form of idea development using the Design Heuristics
cards. We present several case studies of students using
this method to expand their notion of situated use,
demonstrating how this method may have utility for
importation into engineering contexts. Our early testing
has indicated that this method stimulates empathy on the
part of the student for the design context within which
they are working, resulting in a richer narrative that
foregrounds problems that a user might encounter.
[ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Gray, Colin M
Critiquing the Role of the Learner and Context in Aesthetic Learning Experiences Book Chapter
In: The Design of Learning Experience, pp. 199–213, Springer International Publishing, Cham, 2015.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Critical Pedagogy, Design Education, Instructional Design, Studio Pedagogy
@inbook{Gray2015-hu,
title = {Critiquing the Role of the Learner and Context in Aesthetic Learning Experiences},
author = {Colin M Gray},
url = {https://colingray.me/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2015_Gray_LearningExperiences_CritiquingLearnerandContext.pdf
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-319-16504-2_14},
doi = {10.1007/978-3-319-16504-2_14},
year = {2015},
date = {2015-01-01},
booktitle = {The Design of Learning Experience},
pages = {199--213},
publisher = {Springer International Publishing},
address = {Cham},
abstract = {I critique the role of learners and context to more fully explore the latent conceptions and performance of aesthetic learning experiences in instructional design and technology. This critique is intended to allow for a fuller interrogation of how individual learners apprehend designed learning experiences, heightening the role of the instructional designer in envisioning such experiences. Using a 1-year ethnography of a graduate human–computer interaction program to document the felt student experience, I highlight the importance of understanding how learners construct their own experiences during the learning process through the roles they take on and the informal pedagogical experiences they create. I identify additional areas of research that are needed to expand our notions of designing for experience, informing both theory construction and practice.},
keywords = {Critical Pedagogy, Design Education, Instructional Design, Studio Pedagogy},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inbook}
}
I critique the role of learners and context to more fully explore the latent conceptions and performance of aesthetic learning experiences in instructional design and technology. This critique is intended to allow for a fuller interrogation of how individual learners apprehend designed learning experiences, heightening the role of the instructional designer in envisioning such experiences. Using a 1-year ethnography of a graduate human–computer interaction program to document the felt student experience, I highlight the importance of understanding how learners construct their own experiences during the learning process through the roles they take on and the informal pedagogical experiences they create. I identify additional areas of research that are needed to expand our notions of designing for experience, informing both theory construction and practice.
2014
Howard, Craig D; Gray, Colin M
Introduction to the Special Issue on Historic Design Cases Journal Article
In: International Journal of Designs for Learning, vol. 5, no. 2, 2014, ISSN: 2159-449X, 2159-449X.
@article{Howard2014-vw,
title = {Introduction to the Special Issue on Historic Design Cases},
author = {Craig D Howard and Colin M Gray},
url = {https://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/ijdl/article/view/13257},
doi = {10.14434/ijdl.v5i2.13257},
issn = {2159-449X, 2159-449X},
year = {2014},
date = {2014-11-01},
journal = {International Journal of Designs for Learning},
volume = {5},
number = {2},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Gray, Colin M; Howard, Craig D
Externalizing Normativity in Design Reviews: Inscribing Design Values in Designed Artifacts Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the Design Thinking Research Symposium, 2014.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Critique, Design Education, Ethics and Values
@inproceedings{Gray2014d,
title = {Externalizing Normativity in Design Reviews: Inscribing Design Values in Designed Artifacts},
author = {Colin M Gray and Craig D Howard},
url = {https://colingray.me/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2014_GrayHoward_DTRS_ExternalizingNormativity.pdf},
year = {2014},
date = {2014-11-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the Design Thinking Research Symposium},
abstract = {The design community has discussed issues of ethics and values for decades, but less attention has been paid to the question of how an ethical sensibility might be developed or taken on by design students. In this analysis, we explore how normative concerns emerge through the process of design reviews—where a developing designer’s normative infrastructure is engaged with the artifact they are designing. We focused on the normative concerns that were foregrounded by two undergraduate and two graduate industrial design students across a series of five design reviews, addressing the possible relationship between the emergence of normative concerns and the inscription of norms in the final designed artifact. We used several critical qualitative techniques, including sequence analysis and meaning reconstruction to locate areas where normative concerns were addressed.
Normative concerns only arose in explicit form in the earliest review sessions on the graduate level, if they were going to arise at all, and end-user research appeared to be the primary mechanism for introducing norms into the design process. Neither instructor actively engaged or foregrounded the normative infrastructure of the design students, and all of the normative concerns discussed in the four cases were brought to the conversation by students. Implications for including awareness of normative concerns as part of a student’s developing design character are considered as part of a systemic approach to ethics and values in design education.},
keywords = {Critique, Design Education, Ethics and Values},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
The design community has discussed issues of ethics and values for decades, but less attention has been paid to the question of how an ethical sensibility might be developed or taken on by design students. In this analysis, we explore how normative concerns emerge through the process of design reviews—where a developing designer’s normative infrastructure is engaged with the artifact they are designing. We focused on the normative concerns that were foregrounded by two undergraduate and two graduate industrial design students across a series of five design reviews, addressing the possible relationship between the emergence of normative concerns and the inscription of norms in the final designed artifact. We used several critical qualitative techniques, including sequence analysis and meaning reconstruction to locate areas where normative concerns were addressed.
Normative concerns only arose in explicit form in the earliest review sessions on the graduate level, if they were going to arise at all, and end-user research appeared to be the primary mechanism for introducing norms into the design process. Neither instructor actively engaged or foregrounded the normative infrastructure of the design students, and all of the normative concerns discussed in the four cases were brought to the conversation by students. Implications for including awareness of normative concerns as part of a student’s developing design character are considered as part of a systemic approach to ethics and values in design education.
Normative concerns only arose in explicit form in the earliest review sessions on the graduate level, if they were going to arise at all, and end-user research appeared to be the primary mechanism for introducing norms into the design process. Neither instructor actively engaged or foregrounded the normative infrastructure of the design students, and all of the normative concerns discussed in the four cases were brought to the conversation by students. Implications for including awareness of normative concerns as part of a student’s developing design character are considered as part of a systemic approach to ethics and values in design education.
Gray, Colin M; Stolterman, Erik; Siegel, Martin A
Reprioritizing the relationship between HCI research and practice: bubble-up and trickle-down effects Best Paper Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the 2014 Conference on Designing Interactive Systems, pp. 725-734, ACM, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2014, ISBN: 9781450329026, (Awarded Best Paper, Top 1%).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Design Knowledge, Design Methods, Translational Science, UX Knowledge
@inproceedings{Gray2014-fk,
title = {Reprioritizing the relationship between HCI research and practice: bubble-up and trickle-down effects},
author = {Colin M Gray and Erik Stolterman and Martin A Siegel},
url = {https://colingray.me/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2014_GrayStoltermanSiegel_DIS_ReprioritizingRelationshipHCI.pdf
http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=2598510.2598595},
doi = {10.1145/2598510.2598595},
isbn = {9781450329026},
year = {2014},
date = {2014-01-01},
urldate = {2014-01-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 2014 Conference on Designing Interactive Systems},
pages = {725-734},
publisher = {ACM},
address = {Vancouver, BC, Canada},
series = {DIS '14},
abstract = {There has been an ongoing conversation about the role and relationship of theory and practice in the HCI community. This paper explores this relationship privileging a practice perspective through a tentative model, which describes a “bubble-up” of ideas from practice to inform research and theory development, and an accompanying “trickle-down” of theory into practice. Interviews were conducted with interaction designers, which included a description of their use of design methods in practice, and their knowledge and use of two common design methods—affinity diagramming and the concept of affordance. Based on these interviews, potential relationships between theory and practice are ex- plored through this model. Disseminating agents already common in HCI practice are addressed as possible mecha- nisms for the research community to understand practice more completely. Opportunities for future research, based on the use of the tentative model in a generative way, are considered.},
note = {Awarded Best Paper, Top 1%},
keywords = {Design Knowledge, Design Methods, Translational Science, UX Knowledge},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
There has been an ongoing conversation about the role and relationship of theory and practice in the HCI community. This paper explores this relationship privileging a practice perspective through a tentative model, which describes a “bubble-up” of ideas from practice to inform research and theory development, and an accompanying “trickle-down” of theory into practice. Interviews were conducted with interaction designers, which included a description of their use of design methods in practice, and their knowledge and use of two common design methods—affinity diagramming and the concept of affordance. Based on these interviews, potential relationships between theory and practice are ex- plored through this model. Disseminating agents already common in HCI practice are addressed as possible mecha- nisms for the research community to understand practice more completely. Opportunities for future research, based on the use of the tentative model in a generative way, are considered.
Gray, Colin M; Howard, Craig D
Designerly Talk in Non-Pedagogical Social Spaces Journal Article
In: Journal of Learning Design, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 40–58, 2014, ISSN: 1832-8342.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags:
@article{Gray2014-sc,
title = {Designerly Talk in Non-Pedagogical Social Spaces},
author = {Colin M Gray and Craig D Howard},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.5204/jld.v7i1.153},
doi = {10.5204/jld.v7i1.153},
issn = {1832-8342},
year = {2014},
date = {2014-01-01},
journal = {Journal of Learning Design},
volume = {7},
number = {1},
pages = {40--58},
abstract = {Students live and work in worlds where virtual communities, such
as those created via social network sites (e.g. Facebook) may
interplay with their formal learning, but scholars of design
pedagogy know little about how these spaces can support design
learning. In this study, we describe how a set of informal
communications, encapsulated in five student-created and managed
Facebook groups, functioned as part of the overall pedagogy in an
interaction design Master's program. We discuss ways in which
students may learn in these spaces apart from the formal
curriculum, and document instances where communication with other
students and practitioners brought about instances of
self-directed learning and sharing of expertise. Some of these
learning experiences emerged as designerly talk through our
investigation of extended comment threads in these Facebook
groups. We present the conventions of the discourse and four
types of design learning embodied in specific examples, noting
implications for design pedagogy and the recognition of a
student-generated hidden curriculum .},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Students live and work in worlds where virtual communities, such
as those created via social network sites (e.g. Facebook) may
interplay with their formal learning, but scholars of design
pedagogy know little about how these spaces can support design
learning. In this study, we describe how a set of informal
communications, encapsulated in five student-created and managed
Facebook groups, functioned as part of the overall pedagogy in an
interaction design Master's program. We discuss ways in which
students may learn in these spaces apart from the formal
curriculum, and document instances where communication with other
students and practitioners brought about instances of
self-directed learning and sharing of expertise. Some of these
learning experiences emerged as designerly talk through our
investigation of extended comment threads in these Facebook
groups. We present the conventions of the discourse and four
types of design learning embodied in specific examples, noting
implications for design pedagogy and the recognition of a
student-generated hidden curriculum .
as those created via social network sites (e.g. Facebook) may
interplay with their formal learning, but scholars of design
pedagogy know little about how these spaces can support design
learning. In this study, we describe how a set of informal
communications, encapsulated in five student-created and managed
Facebook groups, functioned as part of the overall pedagogy in an
interaction design Master's program. We discuss ways in which
students may learn in these spaces apart from the formal
curriculum, and document instances where communication with other
students and practitioners brought about instances of
self-directed learning and sharing of expertise. Some of these
learning experiences emerged as designerly talk through our
investigation of extended comment threads in these Facebook
groups. We present the conventions of the discourse and four
types of design learning embodied in specific examples, noting
implications for design pedagogy and the recognition of a
student-generated hidden curriculum .
Boling, Elizabeth; Gray, Colin M; Modell, Micah Gideon; Altuwaijri, Abdullah A; Jung, Jiyoon
Learners Interpreting Instructional Images: Meaning-Making and Decision-Making Strategies Journal Article
In: Journal of Visual Literacy, vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 27–52, 2014, ISSN: 1051-144X.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags:
@article{Boling2014-dp,
title = {Learners Interpreting Instructional Images: Meaning-Making and Decision-Making Strategies},
author = {Elizabeth Boling and Colin M Gray and Micah Gideon Modell and Abdullah A Altuwaijri and Jiyoon Jung},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1080/23796529.2014.11674716},
doi = {10.1080/23796529.2014.11674716},
issn = {1051-144X},
year = {2014},
date = {2014-01-01},
journal = {Journal of Visual Literacy},
volume = {33},
number = {2},
pages = {27--52},
publisher = {Routledge},
abstract = {AbstractInstructional images are used widely in textbooks and
other learning materials, but the role of learner interpretation
has not been adequately explored. While previous research has
demonstrated the diversity of interpretation derived from images
by learners, this research has not consistently taken place in
the context of authentic learning tasks. In this study, we
examine the interpretations made by in a university environment
in an authentic learning context?specifically foreign language
learners. Participants included English speakers learning Arabic
and Arabic speakers learning English, and their use of a set of
designed illustrations. Meaning-making and decision-making
strategies were identified, demonstrating the nondeterministic
role of images in the learning activity.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
AbstractInstructional images are used widely in textbooks and
other learning materials, but the role of learner interpretation
has not been adequately explored. While previous research has
demonstrated the diversity of interpretation derived from images
by learners, this research has not consistently taken place in
the context of authentic learning tasks. In this study, we
examine the interpretations made by in a university environment
in an authentic learning context?specifically foreign language
learners. Participants included English speakers learning Arabic
and Arabic speakers learning English, and their use of a set of
designed illustrations. Meaning-making and decision-making
strategies were identified, demonstrating the nondeterministic
role of images in the learning activity.
other learning materials, but the role of learner interpretation
has not been adequately explored. While previous research has
demonstrated the diversity of interpretation derived from images
by learners, this research has not consistently taken place in
the context of authentic learning tasks. In this study, we
examine the interpretations made by in a university environment
in an authentic learning context?specifically foreign language
learners. Participants included English speakers learning Arabic
and Arabic speakers learning English, and their use of a set of
designed illustrations. Meaning-making and decision-making
strategies were identified, demonstrating the nondeterministic
role of images in the learning activity.
Gray, Colin M; Siegel, Martin A
Sketching Design Thinking: Representations of design in education and practice Proceedings Article
In: pp. 2008–2031, Oslo, Norway, 2014.
BibTeX | Tags:
@inproceedings{Gray2014-fm,
title = {Sketching Design Thinking: Representations of design in
education and practice},
author = {Colin M Gray and Martin A Siegel},
year = {2014},
date = {2014-01-01},
volume = {19},
pages = {2008--2031},
address = {Oslo, Norway},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Gray, Colin M; Siegel, Martin A
Sketching Design Thinking: Representations of Design in Education and Practice Journal Article
In: International Journal of Technology and Design Education, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 48–61, 2014.
Links | BibTeX | Tags: Design Education, HCI Education, Reflection, UX Knowledge
@article{Gray_undated-ih,
title = {Sketching Design Thinking: Representations of Design in Education and Practice},
author = {Colin M Gray and Martin A Siegel},
url = {https://ojs.lboro.ac.uk/DATE/article/view/1925},
year = {2014},
date = {2014-01-01},
urldate = {2014-01-01},
journal = {International Journal of Technology and Design Education},
volume = {19},
number = {1},
pages = {48--61},
keywords = {Design Education, HCI Education, Reflection, UX Knowledge},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Gray, Colin M
Evolution of design competence in UX practice Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the 32nd annual ACM conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - CHI '14, pp. 1645-1654, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2014, ISBN: 9781450324731.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Design Education, Design Knowledge, Expertise, HCI Education, Identity, Practice-Led Research, UX Knowledge, UX Practice
@inproceedings{Gray2014-dl,
title = {Evolution of design competence in UX practice},
author = {Colin M Gray},
url = {https://colingray.me/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2014_Gray_CHI_EvolutionofDesignCompetence.pdf
http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=2556288.2557264},
doi = {10.1145/2556288.2557264},
isbn = {9781450324731},
year = {2014},
date = {2014-01-01},
urldate = {2014-01-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 32nd annual ACM conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - CHI '14},
pages = {1645-1654},
address = {Toronto, Ontario, Canada},
series = {CHI '14},
abstract = {There has been increasing interest in the adoption of UX within corporate environments, and what competencies translate into effective UX design. This paper addresses the space between pedagogy and UX practice through the lens of competence, with the goal of understanding how students are initiated into the practice community, how their perception of competence shifts over time, and what factors influence this shift. A 12-week longitudinal data collection, including surveys and interviews, documents this shift, with participants beginning internships and full-time positions in UX. Students and early professionals were asked to assess their level of competence and factors that influenced competence. A co-construction of identity between the designer and their environment is proposed, with a variety of factors relating to tool and representational knowledge, complexity, and corporate culture influencing perceptions of competence in UX over time. Opportunities for future research, particularly in building an understanding of competency in UX based on this preliminary framing of early UX practice are addressed.},
keywords = {Design Education, Design Knowledge, Expertise, HCI Education, Identity, Practice-Led Research, UX Knowledge, UX Practice},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
There has been increasing interest in the adoption of UX within corporate environments, and what competencies translate into effective UX design. This paper addresses the space between pedagogy and UX practice through the lens of competence, with the goal of understanding how students are initiated into the practice community, how their perception of competence shifts over time, and what factors influence this shift. A 12-week longitudinal data collection, including surveys and interviews, documents this shift, with participants beginning internships and full-time positions in UX. Students and early professionals were asked to assess their level of competence and factors that influenced competence. A co-construction of identity between the designer and their environment is proposed, with a variety of factors relating to tool and representational knowledge, complexity, and corporate culture influencing perceptions of competence in UX over time. Opportunities for future research, particularly in building an understanding of competency in UX based on this preliminary framing of early UX practice are addressed.
2013
Gray, Colin M
Informal peer critique and the negotiation of habitus in a design studio Journal Article
In: Art, Design & Communication in Higher Education, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 195–209, 2013, ISSN: 1474-273X.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Critical Pedagogy, Critique, Design Education, HCI Education, Studio Pedagogy
@article{Gray2013-aw,
title = {Informal peer critique and the negotiation of habitus in a design studio},
author = {Colin M Gray},
url = {https://colingray.me/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2013_Gray_ADCHE_InformalPeerCritique.pdf
https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/intellect/adche/2013/00000012/00000002/art00005},
doi = {10.1386/adch.12.2.195_1},
issn = {1474-273X},
year = {2013},
date = {2013-12-01},
urldate = {2013-12-01},
journal = {Art, Design & Communication in Higher Education},
volume = {12},
number = {2},
pages = {195--209},
publisher = {Intellect},
abstract = {Critique is a central feature of design education, serving as both a structural mecha- nism to provide regular feedback, and as a high stakes assessment tool. However, this study addresses informal peer critique as an extension of this existing form, engaging students in communication outside of the formal pedagogy. The purpose of this study is to gain a greater understanding of the role of informal critique in exter- nalizing design thinking and judgment, as analysed through Bourdieu’s habitus. Structures surrounding critique, including the role of informal vs formal spaces, objectivity vs subjectivity of critique, and differences between professor and peer feedback are addressed. Beliefs about critique are analysed as critical elements of an evolving habitus, supported by or developed in response to the culture inscribed by the formal pedagogy. Informal critique reveals tacit design thinking and concep- tions of design, and outlines the co-construction of habitus between students and the formal pedagogy.},
keywords = {Critical Pedagogy, Critique, Design Education, HCI Education, Studio Pedagogy},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Critique is a central feature of design education, serving as both a structural mecha- nism to provide regular feedback, and as a high stakes assessment tool. However, this study addresses informal peer critique as an extension of this existing form, engaging students in communication outside of the formal pedagogy. The purpose of this study is to gain a greater understanding of the role of informal critique in exter- nalizing design thinking and judgment, as analysed through Bourdieu’s habitus. Structures surrounding critique, including the role of informal vs formal spaces, objectivity vs subjectivity of critique, and differences between professor and peer feedback are addressed. Beliefs about critique are analysed as critical elements of an evolving habitus, supported by or developed in response to the culture inscribed by the formal pedagogy. Informal critique reveals tacit design thinking and concep- tions of design, and outlines the co-construction of habitus between students and the formal pedagogy.
Gray, Colin M
Discursive Structures of Informal Critique in an HCI Design Studio Proceedings Article
In: Nordes 2013: Experiments in Design Research, pp. 110–118, Copenhagen, Denmark/Malmö, Sweden, 2013.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags:
@inproceedings{Gray2013-ru,
title = {Discursive Structures of Informal Critique in an HCI Design
Studio},
author = {Colin M Gray},
url = {http://www.nordes.org/opj/index.php/n13/article/view/282},
year = {2013},
date = {2013-01-01},
booktitle = {Nordes 2013: Experiments in Design Research},
pages = {110--118},
address = {Copenhagen, Denmark/Malmö, Sweden},
institution = {The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Schools Architecture,
Design and Conservation},
series = {Copenhagen, DK/Malmö, SE},
abstract = {Critique has long been considered a benchmark of design
education and practice, both as a way to elicit feedback about
design artifacts in the process of production and as a
high-stakes assessment tool in academia. In this study, I
investigate a specific form of critique between peers that
emerges organically in the design studio apart from coursework
or guidance of a professor. Based on intensive interviews and
observations, this informal peer critique appears to elicit
the design judgment of the individual designer in explicit
ways, encouraging peers to follow new paths in their design
process, while also verbalizing often-implicit design
decisions that have already been made. Implications for future
research in academic and professional practice are considered.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Critique has long been considered a benchmark of design
education and practice, both as a way to elicit feedback about
design artifacts in the process of production and as a
high-stakes assessment tool in academia. In this study, I
investigate a specific form of critique between peers that
emerges organically in the design studio apart from coursework
or guidance of a professor. Based on intensive interviews and
observations, this informal peer critique appears to elicit
the design judgment of the individual designer in explicit
ways, encouraging peers to follow new paths in their design
process, while also verbalizing often-implicit design
decisions that have already been made. Implications for future
research in academic and professional practice are considered.
education and practice, both as a way to elicit feedback about
design artifacts in the process of production and as a
high-stakes assessment tool in academia. In this study, I
investigate a specific form of critique between peers that
emerges organically in the design studio apart from coursework
or guidance of a professor. Based on intensive interviews and
observations, this informal peer critique appears to elicit
the design judgment of the individual designer in explicit
ways, encouraging peers to follow new paths in their design
process, while also verbalizing often-implicit design
decisions that have already been made. Implications for future
research in academic and professional practice are considered.
Gray, Colin M
Emergent critique in informal design talk: Reflections of surface, pedagogical, and epistemological features in an HCI studio Proceedings Article
In: Critique 2013: An International Conference Reflecting On Creative Practice in Art, Architecture, and Design, pp. 341–355, The University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, 2013.
@inproceedings{Gray2013-ej,
title = {Emergent critique in informal design talk: Reflections of
surface, pedagogical, and epistemological features in an HCI
studio},
author = {Colin M Gray},
year = {2013},
date = {2013-01-01},
booktitle = {Critique 2013: An International Conference Reflecting On
Creative Practice in Art, Architecture, and Design},
pages = {341--355},
publisher = {The University of South Australia},
address = {Adelaide, South Australia},
institution = {The University of South Australia},
abstract = {While critique is frequently studied in formal higher
education contexts, often including investigation of classroom
critique and high stakes design juries, relatively little is
known about the qualities of informal critique and design talk
that occurs organically between students in the design studio
environment. A critical analysis of design education has
revealed a lack of attention to the role of student experience
and the power relations that often dominate critique as an
evaluative activity. Previous studies conducted in this
framing have revealed what Dutton (1991) terms the `hidden
curriculum' of a design studio, including factors that affect
the student experience of a design pedagogy. Utilizing
Shaffer's (2003) framework to theorize the construction of
this `hidden curriculum,' an evaluation of features manifests
on three levels: surface, pedagogical, and epistemological.
This study investigates the occurrence of informal design talk
between students in a shared studio workspace in a graduate
Human-Computer Interaction design program. Data sources for
this ethnographic investigation include: approximately 150
hours of participant observation of the studio space during a
four month period, supporting audio recordings and
photographs, and intensive interviews. Based on initial
analysis of collected data, including field notes,
photographs, and audio recordings, a preliminary taxonomy of
informal instigating interactions can be arranged. A broad
continuum of informal design talk was observed, with little
critique or critical talk between students following a
structure that corresponds with classroom or professor-led
critique. Despite this lack of structural similarity, informal
design talk frequently invokes the latent assumptions built
into the surface, pedagogical, and epistemological structures
of the studio environment.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
While critique is frequently studied in formal higher
education contexts, often including investigation of classroom
critique and high stakes design juries, relatively little is
known about the qualities of informal critique and design talk
that occurs organically between students in the design studio
environment. A critical analysis of design education has
revealed a lack of attention to the role of student experience
and the power relations that often dominate critique as an
evaluative activity. Previous studies conducted in this
framing have revealed what Dutton (1991) terms the `hidden
curriculum' of a design studio, including factors that affect
the student experience of a design pedagogy. Utilizing
Shaffer's (2003) framework to theorize the construction of
this `hidden curriculum,' an evaluation of features manifests
on three levels: surface, pedagogical, and epistemological.
This study investigates the occurrence of informal design talk
between students in a shared studio workspace in a graduate
Human-Computer Interaction design program. Data sources for
this ethnographic investigation include: approximately 150
hours of participant observation of the studio space during a
four month period, supporting audio recordings and
photographs, and intensive interviews. Based on initial
analysis of collected data, including field notes,
photographs, and audio recordings, a preliminary taxonomy of
informal instigating interactions can be arranged. A broad
continuum of informal design talk was observed, with little
critique or critical talk between students following a
structure that corresponds with classroom or professor-led
critique. Despite this lack of structural similarity, informal
design talk frequently invokes the latent assumptions built
into the surface, pedagogical, and epistemological structures
of the studio environment.
education contexts, often including investigation of classroom
critique and high stakes design juries, relatively little is
known about the qualities of informal critique and design talk
that occurs organically between students in the design studio
environment. A critical analysis of design education has
revealed a lack of attention to the role of student experience
and the power relations that often dominate critique as an
evaluative activity. Previous studies conducted in this
framing have revealed what Dutton (1991) terms the `hidden
curriculum' of a design studio, including factors that affect
the student experience of a design pedagogy. Utilizing
Shaffer's (2003) framework to theorize the construction of
this `hidden curriculum,' an evaluation of features manifests
on three levels: surface, pedagogical, and epistemological.
This study investigates the occurrence of informal design talk
between students in a shared studio workspace in a graduate
Human-Computer Interaction design program. Data sources for
this ethnographic investigation include: approximately 150
hours of participant observation of the studio space during a
four month period, supporting audio recordings and
photographs, and intensive interviews. Based on initial
analysis of collected data, including field notes,
photographs, and audio recordings, a preliminary taxonomy of
informal instigating interactions can be arranged. A broad
continuum of informal design talk was observed, with little
critique or critical talk between students following a
structure that corresponds with classroom or professor-led
critique. Despite this lack of structural similarity, informal
design talk frequently invokes the latent assumptions built
into the surface, pedagogical, and epistemological structures
of the studio environment.
Gray, Colin M
Factors That Shape Design Thinking Journal Article
In: International Journal of Technology and Design Education, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 8–20, 2013.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags:
@article{Gray2013-jg,
title = {Factors That Shape Design Thinking},
author = {Colin M Gray},
url = {https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1119596},
year = {2013},
date = {2013-01-01},
journal = {International Journal of Technology and Design Education},
volume = {18},
number = {3},
pages = {8--20},
abstract = {A wide range of design literature discusses the role of the
studio and its related pedagogy in the development of design
thinking. Scholars in a variety of design disciplines pose a
number of factors that potentially affect this development
process, but a full understanding of these factors as experienced
from a critical pedagogy or student perspective is lacking. In
this study, the experiences of six first-year design students
were examined as they evolved in their conceptions of design.
Data was collected during a series of three interviews. Analysis
of data confirmed and recontextualized factors identified in the
literature. Additional factors relating to group work, culture
shock, critique, individual versus group identity, and the design
influence of professors, mentors, and curricula are identified
and reported. Opportunities for future research are identified.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
A wide range of design literature discusses the role of the
studio and its related pedagogy in the development of design
thinking. Scholars in a variety of design disciplines pose a
number of factors that potentially affect this development
process, but a full understanding of these factors as experienced
from a critical pedagogy or student perspective is lacking. In
this study, the experiences of six first-year design students
were examined as they evolved in their conceptions of design.
Data was collected during a series of three interviews. Analysis
of data confirmed and recontextualized factors identified in the
literature. Additional factors relating to group work, culture
shock, critique, individual versus group identity, and the design
influence of professors, mentors, and curricula are identified
and reported. Opportunities for future research are identified.
studio and its related pedagogy in the development of design
thinking. Scholars in a variety of design disciplines pose a
number of factors that potentially affect this development
process, but a full understanding of these factors as experienced
from a critical pedagogy or student perspective is lacking. In
this study, the experiences of six first-year design students
were examined as they evolved in their conceptions of design.
Data was collected during a series of three interviews. Analysis
of data confirmed and recontextualized factors identified in the
literature. Additional factors relating to group work, culture
shock, critique, individual versus group identity, and the design
influence of professors, mentors, and curricula are identified
and reported. Opportunities for future research are identified.
Gray, Colin M; Howard, Craig D
Expectations of Reciprocity? An Analysis of Critique in Facebook Posts by Student Designers Proceedings Article
In: Critique 2013: An International Conference Reflecting On Creative Practice in Art, Architecture, and Design, pp. 381–395, Adelaide, South Australia, 2013.
@inproceedings{Gray2013-jk,
title = {Expectations of Reciprocity? An Analysis of Critique in
Facebook Posts by Student Designers},
author = {Colin M Gray and Craig D Howard},
year = {2013},
date = {2013-01-01},
booktitle = {Critique 2013: An International Conference Reflecting On
Creative Practice in Art, Architecture, and Design},
pages = {381--395},
address = {Adelaide, South Australia},
abstract = {Teaching design relies on critique as a component of its
pedagogy. As mediated communication becomes progressively more
pervasive in the learning experience of developing designers,
we see a need to explore how critique manifests in these
mediated spaces. This study explores how learners of design use
Facebook groups to collaboratively bring about design learning
via critique. Facebook group communications of graduate
Human-Computer Interaction design (HCI/d) participants at a
large Midwestern American university were analyzed. Data
included 4558 status updates and 15273 comments from 160
students. A preliminary analysis of computer-mediated
communication (CMC) in this Facebook group revealed that
communication centered on quasi-professional social talk, and
under this framing, informal peer critique emerged as a form of
phatic, professional communication.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Teaching design relies on critique as a component of its
pedagogy. As mediated communication becomes progressively more
pervasive in the learning experience of developing designers,
we see a need to explore how critique manifests in these
mediated spaces. This study explores how learners of design use
Facebook groups to collaboratively bring about design learning
via critique. Facebook group communications of graduate
Human-Computer Interaction design (HCI/d) participants at a
large Midwestern American university were analyzed. Data
included 4558 status updates and 15273 comments from 160
students. A preliminary analysis of computer-mediated
communication (CMC) in this Facebook group revealed that
communication centered on quasi-professional social talk, and
under this framing, informal peer critique emerged as a form of
phatic, professional communication.
pedagogy. As mediated communication becomes progressively more
pervasive in the learning experience of developing designers,
we see a need to explore how critique manifests in these
mediated spaces. This study explores how learners of design use
Facebook groups to collaboratively bring about design learning
via critique. Facebook group communications of graduate
Human-Computer Interaction design (HCI/d) participants at a
large Midwestern American university were analyzed. Data
included 4558 status updates and 15273 comments from 160
students. A preliminary analysis of computer-mediated
communication (CMC) in this Facebook group revealed that
communication centered on quasi-professional social talk, and
under this framing, informal peer critique emerged as a form of
phatic, professional communication.
2012
Gray, Colin M; Jung, Jiyoon; Watson, Carol; Jia, Xiaokai; Frick, Theodore W
Models and Design Judgment: Conflicting Perspectives on Redesigning a Doctoral Readings Course Journal Article
In: International Journal of Designs for Learning, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 27–38, 2012, ISSN: 2159-449X, 2159-449X.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags:
@article{Gray2012-gw,
title = {Models and Design Judgment: Conflicting Perspectives on
Redesigning a Doctoral Readings Course},
author = {Colin M Gray and Jiyoon Jung and Carol Watson and Xiaokai Jia and Theodore W Frick},
url = {https://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/ijdl/article/view/1255},
doi = {10.14434/ijdl.v3i1.1255},
issn = {2159-449X, 2159-449X},
year = {2012},
date = {2012-01-01},
journal = {International Journal of Designs for Learning},
volume = {3},
number = {1},
pages = {27--38},
abstract = {The purpose of this project was to document the redesign of an
existing doctoral reading course for an online environment.
Potential methods for actualizing the proposed course structure
in an online environment, including technology tools and
interactions are discussed. The design process began within the
framework of the Four-Component Instructional Design (4C/ID)
model (van Merri"enboer, 1997; van Merri"enboer &
Kirchner, 2007), which advocates a shift from topic-centeredness
to a task-centered course organization, but quickly evolved into
a flexible, iterative design process that was informed by
prototyping, the judgment of the design team, and various
theories of knowledge and knowing. The 4C/ID model represented
our philosophical starting point, but our focus quickly shifted
to a more flexible, eclectic process as we attempted to reconcile
conflicting constraints on the final design. Along with the
redevelopment of course objectives to meet strategic goals within
the doctoral program came a focus on facilitating research
thinking of the students rather than teaching isolated research
tasks. The design process resulted in changes to the current
residential course, which then provided an opportunity for
further investigation.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The purpose of this project was to document the redesign of an
existing doctoral reading course for an online environment.
Potential methods for actualizing the proposed course structure
in an online environment, including technology tools and
interactions are discussed. The design process began within the
framework of the Four-Component Instructional Design (4C/ID)
model (van Merri"enboer, 1997; van Merri"enboer &
Kirchner, 2007), which advocates a shift from topic-centeredness
to a task-centered course organization, but quickly evolved into
a flexible, iterative design process that was informed by
prototyping, the judgment of the design team, and various
theories of knowledge and knowing. The 4C/ID model represented
our philosophical starting point, but our focus quickly shifted
to a more flexible, eclectic process as we attempted to reconcile
conflicting constraints on the final design. Along with the
redevelopment of course objectives to meet strategic goals within
the doctoral program came a focus on facilitating research
thinking of the students rather than teaching isolated research
tasks. The design process resulted in changes to the current
residential course, which then provided an opportunity for
further investigation.
existing doctoral reading course for an online environment.
Potential methods for actualizing the proposed course structure
in an online environment, including technology tools and
interactions are discussed. The design process began within the
framework of the Four-Component Instructional Design (4C/ID)
model (van Merri"enboer, 1997; van Merri"enboer &
Kirchner, 2007), which advocates a shift from topic-centeredness
to a task-centered course organization, but quickly evolved into
a flexible, iterative design process that was informed by
prototyping, the judgment of the design team, and various
theories of knowledge and knowing. The 4C/ID model represented
our philosophical starting point, but our focus quickly shifted
to a more flexible, eclectic process as we attempted to reconcile
conflicting constraints on the final design. Along with the
redevelopment of course objectives to meet strategic goals within
the doctoral program came a focus on facilitating research
thinking of the students rather than teaching isolated research
tasks. The design process resulted in changes to the current
residential course, which then provided an opportunity for
further investigation.
2011
Modell, Micah Gideon; Gray, Colin M
Searching for Personal Territory in a Human-Computer Interaction Design Studio Journal Article
In: Journal for Education in the Built Environment, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 54–78, 2011, ISSN: 1747-4205.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags:
@article{Modell2011-sy,
title = {Searching for Personal Territory in a Human-Computer
Interaction Design Studio},
author = {Micah Gideon Modell and Colin M Gray},
url = {https://doi.org/10.11120/jebe.2011.06020054},
doi = {10.11120/jebe.2011.06020054},
issn = {1747-4205},
year = {2011},
date = {2011-12-01},
journal = {Journal for Education in the Built Environment},
volume = {6},
number = {2},
pages = {54--78},
publisher = {Routledge},
abstract = {AbstractThe literature regarding studio-based education suggests
that personal space is an integral component of a studio-based
pedagogy (Brandt et al., 2010; Demirba? and Demirkan, 2000).
However, the extant studio designed for a Human-Computer
Interaction design (HCI/d) programme at the Masters level
examined in this study does not offer any apparent provision for
such space. This study aimed to determine if and how students in
a studio-based HCI/d programme create and maintain personal
space in a publicly accessible studio that does not explicitly
provide space dedicated to individuals. The results of this
study indicated a tendency toward group territoriality, with
individual territoriality as a non-normative behaviour. These
groups were generally ad hoc in construction, which presents a
number of possible curriculum features by which students loosely
form groups. The student?s personal computer and other personal
items often indicated individual boundaries as well. The faculty
design focused on integration of faculty and student spaces,
public display of student work and studio-based classes. At this
early stage, there are gaps between implementation and design.
Opportunities for further research are explored.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
AbstractThe literature regarding studio-based education suggests
that personal space is an integral component of a studio-based
pedagogy (Brandt et al., 2010; Demirba? and Demirkan, 2000).
However, the extant studio designed for a Human-Computer
Interaction design (HCI/d) programme at the Masters level
examined in this study does not offer any apparent provision for
such space. This study aimed to determine if and how students in
a studio-based HCI/d programme create and maintain personal
space in a publicly accessible studio that does not explicitly
provide space dedicated to individuals. The results of this
study indicated a tendency toward group territoriality, with
individual territoriality as a non-normative behaviour. These
groups were generally ad hoc in construction, which presents a
number of possible curriculum features by which students loosely
form groups. The student?s personal computer and other personal
items often indicated individual boundaries as well. The faculty
design focused on integration of faculty and student spaces,
public display of student work and studio-based classes. At this
early stage, there are gaps between implementation and design.
Opportunities for further research are explored.
that personal space is an integral component of a studio-based
pedagogy (Brandt et al., 2010; Demirba? and Demirkan, 2000).
However, the extant studio designed for a Human-Computer
Interaction design (HCI/d) programme at the Masters level
examined in this study does not offer any apparent provision for
such space. This study aimed to determine if and how students in
a studio-based HCI/d programme create and maintain personal
space in a publicly accessible studio that does not explicitly
provide space dedicated to individuals. The results of this
study indicated a tendency toward group territoriality, with
individual territoriality as a non-normative behaviour. These
groups were generally ad hoc in construction, which presents a
number of possible curriculum features by which students loosely
form groups. The student?s personal computer and other personal
items often indicated individual boundaries as well. The faculty
design focused on integration of faculty and student spaces,
public display of student work and studio-based classes. At this
early stage, there are gaps between implementation and design.
Opportunities for further research are explored.