2023
Gray, Colin M; Chivukula, Shruthi Sai; Carlock, Thomas; Li, Ziqing; Duane, Ja-Nae
Scaffolding Ethics-Focused Methods for Practice Resonance Best Paper Proceedings Article
In: DIS'23: Proceedings of the 2023 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference, 2023, (Awarded Best Paper, Top 1%).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Design Methods, Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research
@inproceedings{Gray2023-ek,
title = {Scaffolding Ethics-Focused Methods for Practice Resonance},
author = {Colin M Gray and Shruthi Sai Chivukula and Thomas Carlock and Ziqing Li and Ja-Nae Duane},
url = {https://colingray.me/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023_Grayetal_DIS_ScaffoldingEthicFocusedMethodsResonance.pdf},
doi = {10.1145/3563657.3596111},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-07-01},
urldate = {2023-07-01},
booktitle = {DIS'23: Proceedings of the 2023 ACM Designing Interactive
Systems Conference},
abstract = {Numerous methods and tools have been proposed to motivate or
support ethical awareness in design practice. However, many
existing resources are not easily discoverable by practitioners.
One reason being that they are framed using language that is not
immediately accessible or resonant with the felt complexity of
everyday practice. In this paper, we propose a set of
empirically-supported ``intentions'' to frame practitioners'
selection of relevant ethics-focused methods based on interviews
with practitioners from a range of technology and design
professions, and then leverage these intentions in the design
and iterative evaluation of a website that allows practitioners
to identify supports for ethics-focused action in their work
context. Building on these findings, we propose a set of
heuristics to evaluate the practice resonance of resources to
support ethics-focused practice, laying the groundwork for
increased ecological resonance of ethics-focused methods and
method selection tools.},
note = {Awarded Best Paper, Top 1%},
keywords = {Design Methods, Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Numerous methods and tools have been proposed to motivate or
support ethical awareness in design practice. However, many
existing resources are not easily discoverable by practitioners.
One reason being that they are framed using language that is not
immediately accessible or resonant with the felt complexity of
everyday practice. In this paper, we propose a set of
empirically-supported ``intentions'' to frame practitioners'
selection of relevant ethics-focused methods based on interviews
with practitioners from a range of technology and design
professions, and then leverage these intentions in the design
and iterative evaluation of a website that allows practitioners
to identify supports for ethics-focused action in their work
context. Building on these findings, we propose a set of
heuristics to evaluate the practice resonance of resources to
support ethics-focused practice, laying the groundwork for
increased ecological resonance of ethics-focused methods and
method selection tools.
support ethical awareness in design practice. However, many
existing resources are not easily discoverable by practitioners.
One reason being that they are framed using language that is not
immediately accessible or resonant with the felt complexity of
everyday practice. In this paper, we propose a set of
empirically-supported ``intentions'' to frame practitioners'
selection of relevant ethics-focused methods based on interviews
with practitioners from a range of technology and design
professions, and then leverage these intentions in the design
and iterative evaluation of a website that allows practitioners
to identify supports for ethics-focused action in their work
context. Building on these findings, we propose a set of
heuristics to evaluate the practice resonance of resources to
support ethics-focused practice, laying the groundwork for
increased ecological resonance of ethics-focused methods and
method selection tools.
Chivukula, Shruthi Sai; Obi, Ike; Carlock, Thomas; Gray, Colin M
Wrangling Ethical Design Complexity: Dilemmas, Tensions, and Situations Proceedings Article
In: Designing Interactive Systems Conference (DIS Companion '23), 2023.
Links | BibTeX | Tags: Design Knowledge, Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research
@inproceedings{Chivukula2023-wj,
title = {Wrangling Ethical Design Complexity: Dilemmas, Tensions, and Situations},
author = {Shruthi Sai Chivukula and Ike Obi and Thomas Carlock and Colin M Gray},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3563703.3596632
https://colingray.me/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023_Chivukulaetal_DISPWIP_WranglingEthicalDesignComplexity.pdf},
doi = {10.1145/3563703.3596632},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-07-01},
urldate = {2023-07-01},
booktitle = {Designing Interactive Systems Conference (DIS Companion '23)},
keywords = {Design Knowledge, Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
2021
Chivukula, Shruthi Sai; Hasib, Aiza; Li, Ziqing; Chen, Jingle; Gray, Colin M
Identity Claims that Underlie Ethical Awareness and Action Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the 2021 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2021.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Critical Theory, Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research
@inproceedings{Chivukula2021-oj,
title = {Identity Claims that Underlie Ethical Awareness and Action},
author = {Shruthi Sai Chivukula and Aiza Hasib and Ziqing Li and Jingle Chen and Colin M Gray},
url = {https://colingray.me/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2021_Chivukulaetal_CHI_IdentityClaimsEthicalAwarenessAction.pdf},
doi = {10.1145/3411764.3445375},
year = {2021},
date = {2021-05-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 2021 CHI Conference on Human Factors in
Computing Systems},
series = {CHI'21},
abstract = {HCI and STS researchers have previously described the ethical
complexity of practice, drawing together aspects of
organizational complexity, design knowledge, and ethical
frameworks. Building on this work, we investigate the identity
claims and beliefs that impact practitioners' ability to
recognize and act upon ethical concerns in a range of
technology-focused disciplines. In this paper, we report results
from an interview study with 12 practitioners, identifying and
describing their identity claims related to ethical awareness
and action. We conducted a critically-focused thematic analysis
to identify eight distinct claims representing roles relating to
learning, educating, following policies, feeling a sense of
responsibility, being a member of a profession, a translator, an
activist, and deliberative. Based on our findings, we
demonstrate how the claims foreground building competence in
relation to ethical practice. We highlight the dynamic interplay
among these claims and point towards implications for identity
work in socio-technical contexts.},
keywords = {Critical Theory, Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
HCI and STS researchers have previously described the ethical
complexity of practice, drawing together aspects of
organizational complexity, design knowledge, and ethical
frameworks. Building on this work, we investigate the identity
claims and beliefs that impact practitioners' ability to
recognize and act upon ethical concerns in a range of
technology-focused disciplines. In this paper, we report results
from an interview study with 12 practitioners, identifying and
describing their identity claims related to ethical awareness
and action. We conducted a critically-focused thematic analysis
to identify eight distinct claims representing roles relating to
learning, educating, following policies, feeling a sense of
responsibility, being a member of a profession, a translator, an
activist, and deliberative. Based on our findings, we
demonstrate how the claims foreground building competence in
relation to ethical practice. We highlight the dynamic interplay
among these claims and point towards implications for identity
work in socio-technical contexts.
complexity of practice, drawing together aspects of
organizational complexity, design knowledge, and ethical
frameworks. Building on this work, we investigate the identity
claims and beliefs that impact practitioners' ability to
recognize and act upon ethical concerns in a range of
technology-focused disciplines. In this paper, we report results
from an interview study with 12 practitioners, identifying and
describing their identity claims related to ethical awareness
and action. We conducted a critically-focused thematic analysis
to identify eight distinct claims representing roles relating to
learning, educating, following policies, feeling a sense of
responsibility, being a member of a profession, a translator, an
activist, and deliberative. Based on our findings, we
demonstrate how the claims foreground building competence in
relation to ethical practice. We highlight the dynamic interplay
among these claims and point towards implications for identity
work in socio-technical contexts.
2020
Watkins, Chris Rhys; Gray, Colin M; Toombs, Austin L; Parsons, Paul
Tensions in Enacting a Design Philosophy in UX Practice Proceedings Article
In: DIS'20: Proceedings of the Designing Interactive Systems Conference 2020, ACM Press, New York, NY, 2020.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Design Education, Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research, ux practice, UX Knowledge
@inproceedings{Watkins2020-zr,
title = {Tensions in Enacting a Design Philosophy in UX Practice},
author = {Chris Rhys Watkins and Colin M Gray and Austin L Toombs and Paul Parsons},
url = {https://colingray.me/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2020_Watkinsetal_DIS_TensionsDesignPhilosophy.pdf
http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3357236.3395505},
doi = {10.1145/3357236.3395505},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-07-01},
booktitle = {DIS'20: Proceedings of the Designing Interactive Systems
Conference 2020},
publisher = {ACM Press},
address = {New York, NY},
series = {DIS'20},
abstract = {Design culture is increasingly present within organizations,
especially with the rise of UX as a profession. Yet there are
often disconnects between the development of a design philosophy
and its translation in practice. Students preparing for UX
careers are positioned in a liminal space between their
educational experience and future practice, and are actively
working to build a bridge between their developing philosophy of
design and the translation of that philosophy when faced with
the complexity of design practice. In this study, we interviewed
ten students and practitioners educated within design-oriented
HCI programs, focusing on their design philosophy and evaluating
how their philosophical beliefs were shaped in practice.
Building on prior work on flows of competence, we thematically
analyzed these interviews, identifying the philosophical beliefs
of these designers and their trajectories of development,
adoption, or suppression in industry. We identify opportunities
for enhancements to UX educational practices and future research
on design complexity in industry contexts.},
keywords = {Design Education, Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research, ux practice, UX Knowledge},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Design culture is increasingly present within organizations,
especially with the rise of UX as a profession. Yet there are
often disconnects between the development of a design philosophy
and its translation in practice. Students preparing for UX
careers are positioned in a liminal space between their
educational experience and future practice, and are actively
working to build a bridge between their developing philosophy of
design and the translation of that philosophy when faced with
the complexity of design practice. In this study, we interviewed
ten students and practitioners educated within design-oriented
HCI programs, focusing on their design philosophy and evaluating
how their philosophical beliefs were shaped in practice.
Building on prior work on flows of competence, we thematically
analyzed these interviews, identifying the philosophical beliefs
of these designers and their trajectories of development,
adoption, or suppression in industry. We identify opportunities
for enhancements to UX educational practices and future research
on design complexity in industry contexts.
especially with the rise of UX as a profession. Yet there are
often disconnects between the development of a design philosophy
and its translation in practice. Students preparing for UX
careers are positioned in a liminal space between their
educational experience and future practice, and are actively
working to build a bridge between their developing philosophy of
design and the translation of that philosophy when faced with
the complexity of design practice. In this study, we interviewed
ten students and practitioners educated within design-oriented
HCI programs, focusing on their design philosophy and evaluating
how their philosophical beliefs were shaped in practice.
Building on prior work on flows of competence, we thematically
analyzed these interviews, identifying the philosophical beliefs
of these designers and their trajectories of development,
adoption, or suppression in industry. We identify opportunities
for enhancements to UX educational practices and future research
on design complexity in industry contexts.
Chivukula, Shruthi Sai; Watkins, Chris; Manocha, Rhea; Chen, Jingle; Gray, Colin M
Dimensions of UX Practice that Shape Ethical Awareness Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, ACM Press, New York, NY, 2020.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Dark Patterns, Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research, ux practice
@inproceedings{Chivukula2020-bv,
title = {Dimensions of UX Practice that Shape Ethical Awareness},
author = {Shruthi Sai Chivukula and Chris Watkins and Rhea Manocha and Jingle Chen and Colin M Gray},
url = {https://colingray.me/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2020_Chivukulaetal_CHI_DimensionsThatShapeEthicalAwareness.pdf
http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3313831.3376459},
doi = {10.1145/3313831.3376459},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-04-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in
Computing Systems},
publisher = {ACM Press},
address = {New York, NY},
series = {CHI'20},
abstract = {HCI researchers are increasingly interested in describing the
complexity of design practice, including ethical,
organizational, and societal concerns. Recent studies have
identified individual practitioners as key actors in driving the
design process and culture within their respective
organizations, and we build upon these efforts to reveal
practitioner concerns regarding ethics on their own terms. In
this paper, we report on the results of an interview study with
eleven UX practitioners, capturing their experiences that
highlight dimensions of design practice that impact ethical
awareness and action. Using a bottom-up thematic analysis, we
identified five dimensions of design complexity that influence
ethical outcomes and span individual, collaborative, and
methodological framing of UX activity. Based on these findings,
we propose a set of implications for the creation of
ethically-centered design methods that resonate with this
complexity and inform the education of future UX practitioners.},
keywords = {Dark Patterns, Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research, ux practice},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
HCI researchers are increasingly interested in describing the
complexity of design practice, including ethical,
organizational, and societal concerns. Recent studies have
identified individual practitioners as key actors in driving the
design process and culture within their respective
organizations, and we build upon these efforts to reveal
practitioner concerns regarding ethics on their own terms. In
this paper, we report on the results of an interview study with
eleven UX practitioners, capturing their experiences that
highlight dimensions of design practice that impact ethical
awareness and action. Using a bottom-up thematic analysis, we
identified five dimensions of design complexity that influence
ethical outcomes and span individual, collaborative, and
methodological framing of UX activity. Based on these findings,
we propose a set of implications for the creation of
ethically-centered design methods that resonate with this
complexity and inform the education of future UX practitioners.
complexity of design practice, including ethical,
organizational, and societal concerns. Recent studies have
identified individual practitioners as key actors in driving the
design process and culture within their respective
organizations, and we build upon these efforts to reveal
practitioner concerns regarding ethics on their own terms. In
this paper, we report on the results of an interview study with
eleven UX practitioners, capturing their experiences that
highlight dimensions of design practice that impact ethical
awareness and action. Using a bottom-up thematic analysis, we
identified five dimensions of design complexity that influence
ethical outcomes and span individual, collaborative, and
methodological framing of UX activity. Based on these findings,
we propose a set of implications for the creation of
ethically-centered design methods that resonate with this
complexity and inform the education of future UX practitioners.
2019
Kou, Yubo; Gray, Colin M
A Practice-Led Account of the Conceptual Evolution of UX Knowledge Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, ACM, New York, NY USA, 2019.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Practice-Led Research, Social Media, Stack Exchange, UX Knowledge
@inproceedings{Kou_undated-wi,
title = {A Practice-Led Account of the Conceptual Evolution of UX Knowledge},
author = {Yubo Kou and Colin M Gray},
doi = {10.1145/3290605.3300279},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-05-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems},
publisher = {ACM},
address = {New York, NY USA},
series = {CHI '19},
abstract = {The contours of user experience (UX) design practice have been
shaped by a diverse array of practitioners and disci- plines,
resulting in a difuse and decentralized body of UX- specifc
disciplinary knowledge. The rapidly shifting space that UX
knowledge occupies, in conjunction with a long- existing
research-practice gap, presents unique challenges and
opportunities to UX educators and aspiring UX designers. In this
paper, we analyzed a corpus of question and answer communication
on UX Stack Exchange using a practice-led approach, identifying
and documenting practitioners' con- ceptions of UX knowledge
over a nine year period. Specif- cally, we used natural language
processing techniques and qualitative content analysis to
identify a disciplinary vocab- ulary invoked by UX designers in
this online community, as well as conceptual trajectories
spanning over nine years which could shed light on the evolution
of UX practice. We further describe the implications of our
fndings for HCI research and UX education.},
keywords = {Practice-Led Research, Social Media, Stack Exchange, UX Knowledge},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
The contours of user experience (UX) design practice have been
shaped by a diverse array of practitioners and disci- plines,
resulting in a difuse and decentralized body of UX- specifc
disciplinary knowledge. The rapidly shifting space that UX
knowledge occupies, in conjunction with a long- existing
research-practice gap, presents unique challenges and
opportunities to UX educators and aspiring UX designers. In this
paper, we analyzed a corpus of question and answer communication
on UX Stack Exchange using a practice-led approach, identifying
and documenting practitioners' con- ceptions of UX knowledge
over a nine year period. Specif- cally, we used natural language
processing techniques and qualitative content analysis to
identify a disciplinary vocab- ulary invoked by UX designers in
this online community, as well as conceptual trajectories
spanning over nine years which could shed light on the evolution
of UX practice. We further describe the implications of our
fndings for HCI research and UX education.
shaped by a diverse array of practitioners and disci- plines,
resulting in a difuse and decentralized body of UX- specifc
disciplinary knowledge. The rapidly shifting space that UX
knowledge occupies, in conjunction with a long- existing
research-practice gap, presents unique challenges and
opportunities to UX educators and aspiring UX designers. In this
paper, we analyzed a corpus of question and answer communication
on UX Stack Exchange using a practice-led approach, identifying
and documenting practitioners' con- ceptions of UX knowledge
over a nine year period. Specif- cally, we used natural language
processing techniques and qualitative content analysis to
identify a disciplinary vocab- ulary invoked by UX designers in
this online community, as well as conceptual trajectories
spanning over nine years which could shed light on the evolution
of UX practice. We further describe the implications of our
fndings for HCI research and UX education.
Gray, Colin M; Chivukula, Shruthi Sai
Ethical Mediation in UX Practice Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - CHI '19, ACM Press, 2019.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Dark Patterns, Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research
@inproceedings{Gray2019-ep,
title = {Ethical Mediation in UX Practice},
author = {Colin M Gray and Shruthi Sai Chivukula},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3290605.3300408},
doi = {10.1145/3290605.3300408},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-01-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in
Computing Systems - CHI '19},
publisher = {ACM Press},
abstract = {HCI scholars have become increasingly interested in describing
the complex nature of UX practice. In parallel, HCI and STS
scholars have sought to describe the ethical and value- laden
relationship between designers and design outcomes. However,
little research describes the ethical engagement of UX
practitioners as a form of design complexity, including the
multiple mediating factors that impact ethical awareness and
decision-making. In this paper, we use a practice-led approach
to describe ethical complexity, presenting three varied cases of
UX practitioners based on in situ observations and interviews.
In each case, we describe salient factors relating to ethical
mediation, including organizational practices, self-driven
ethical principles, and unique characteristics of specific
projects the practitioner is engaged in. Using the concept of
mediation from activity theory, we provide a rich account of
practitioners' ethical decision making. We pro- pose future work
on ethical awareness and design education based on the concept
of ethical mediation.},
keywords = {Dark Patterns, Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
HCI scholars have become increasingly interested in describing
the complex nature of UX practice. In parallel, HCI and STS
scholars have sought to describe the ethical and value- laden
relationship between designers and design outcomes. However,
little research describes the ethical engagement of UX
practitioners as a form of design complexity, including the
multiple mediating factors that impact ethical awareness and
decision-making. In this paper, we use a practice-led approach
to describe ethical complexity, presenting three varied cases of
UX practitioners based on in situ observations and interviews.
In each case, we describe salient factors relating to ethical
mediation, including organizational practices, self-driven
ethical principles, and unique characteristics of specific
projects the practitioner is engaged in. Using the concept of
mediation from activity theory, we provide a rich account of
practitioners' ethical decision making. We pro- pose future work
on ethical awareness and design education based on the concept
of ethical mediation.
the complex nature of UX practice. In parallel, HCI and STS
scholars have sought to describe the ethical and value- laden
relationship between designers and design outcomes. However,
little research describes the ethical engagement of UX
practitioners as a form of design complexity, including the
multiple mediating factors that impact ethical awareness and
decision-making. In this paper, we use a practice-led approach
to describe ethical complexity, presenting three varied cases of
UX practitioners based on in situ observations and interviews.
In each case, we describe salient factors relating to ethical
mediation, including organizational practices, self-driven
ethical principles, and unique characteristics of specific
projects the practitioner is engaged in. Using the concept of
mediation from activity theory, we provide a rich account of
practitioners' ethical decision making. We pro- pose future work
on ethical awareness and design education based on the concept
of ethical mediation.
Gray, Colin M; Kou, Yubo
Co-producing, curating, and defining design knowledge in an online practitioner community Journal Article
In: CoDesign, pp. 1–18, 2019, ISSN: 1571-0882.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Design Knowledge, Practice-Led Research, UX Knowledge
@article{Gray2019-ji,
title = {Co-producing, curating, and defining design knowledge in an online practitioner community},
author = {Colin M Gray and Yubo Kou},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1080/15710882.2018.1563193},
doi = {10.1080/15710882.2018.1563193},
issn = {1571-0882},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-01-01},
journal = {CoDesign},
pages = {1--18},
publisher = {Taylor & Francis},
abstract = {ABSTRACTAs co-design and other participatory design practices
increasingly make design outcomes more accessible to everyday
citizens, it is also important to understand how designers
negotiate the value of design knowledge that undergirds design
action and share this knowledge within their own community to
facilitate and evolve their practices. In this study, we analyze
UX practitioners? interactions on Reddit, including patterns of
resource sharing and curation that point towards a collective
construction of UX as a design discipline. We identified how
knowledge from diverse sources was selected and shared with the
subreddit community (co-production); the resources that
community members engaged with and to what extent (curation);
and the collective body of knowledge that characterised the
design community (definition of design knowledge). We found that
boundary work that sought to define the value of UX knowledge
often took place at the periphery of shared resources, either
expanding or rearticulating the boundary of UX knowledge in
relation to trends in employment and nascent
professionalisation. Implications of this work for the
co-creation of knowledge to support design practices are
considered, focusing on how design knowledge concomitantly
shapes and is shaped by client-directed design action.},
keywords = {Design Knowledge, Practice-Led Research, UX Knowledge},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
ABSTRACTAs co-design and other participatory design practices
increasingly make design outcomes more accessible to everyday
citizens, it is also important to understand how designers
negotiate the value of design knowledge that undergirds design
action and share this knowledge within their own community to
facilitate and evolve their practices. In this study, we analyze
UX practitioners? interactions on Reddit, including patterns of
resource sharing and curation that point towards a collective
construction of UX as a design discipline. We identified how
knowledge from diverse sources was selected and shared with the
subreddit community (co-production); the resources that
community members engaged with and to what extent (curation);
and the collective body of knowledge that characterised the
design community (definition of design knowledge). We found that
boundary work that sought to define the value of UX knowledge
often took place at the periphery of shared resources, either
expanding or rearticulating the boundary of UX knowledge in
relation to trends in employment and nascent
professionalisation. Implications of this work for the
co-creation of knowledge to support design practices are
considered, focusing on how design knowledge concomitantly
shapes and is shaped by client-directed design action.
increasingly make design outcomes more accessible to everyday
citizens, it is also important to understand how designers
negotiate the value of design knowledge that undergirds design
action and share this knowledge within their own community to
facilitate and evolve their practices. In this study, we analyze
UX practitioners? interactions on Reddit, including patterns of
resource sharing and curation that point towards a collective
construction of UX as a design discipline. We identified how
knowledge from diverse sources was selected and shared with the
subreddit community (co-production); the resources that
community members engaged with and to what extent (curation);
and the collective body of knowledge that characterised the
design community (definition of design knowledge). We found that
boundary work that sought to define the value of UX knowledge
often took place at the periphery of shared resources, either
expanding or rearticulating the boundary of UX knowledge in
relation to trends in employment and nascent
professionalisation. Implications of this work for the
co-creation of knowledge to support design practices are
considered, focusing on how design knowledge concomitantly
shapes and is shaped by client-directed design action.
Watkins, Chris; Chivukula, Shruthi S; McKay, Lucca; Gray, Colin M
"Nothing Comes Before Profit": Asshole Design in the Wild Proceedings Article
In: CHI EA '19: CHI'19 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. LBW1314, 2019.
Links | BibTeX | Tags: Asshole Design, Design Knowledge, Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research, Reddit, Social Media, UX Knowledge
@inproceedings{Watkins2019-yb,
title = {"Nothing Comes Before Profit": Asshole Design in the Wild},
author = {Chris Watkins and Shruthi S Chivukula and Lucca McKay and Colin M Gray},
url = {https://colingray.me/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2019_ChivukulaWatkinsMcKayGray_CHI_LBW_AssholeDesignintheWild.pdf
http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3290607.3312863},
doi = {10.1145/3290607.3312863},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-01-01},
booktitle = {CHI EA '19: CHI'19 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems},
pages = {LBW1314},
keywords = {Asshole Design, Design Knowledge, Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research, Reddit, Social Media, UX Knowledge},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
2018
Kou, Yubo; Gray, Colin M; Toombs, Austin L; Adams, Robin S
Understanding Social Roles in an Online Community of Volatile Practice: A Study of User Experience Practitioners on Reddit Journal Article
In: ACM Transactions on Social Computing, vol. 1, no. 4, pp. 17, 2018, ISSN: 2469-7818.
Links | BibTeX | Tags: Design Knowledge, Practice-Led Research, UX Knowledge
@article{Kou2018-dw,
title = {Understanding Social Roles in an Online Community of Volatile Practice: A Study of User Experience Practitioners on Reddit},
author = {Yubo Kou and Colin M Gray and Austin L Toombs and Robin S Adams},
url = {https://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=3301392.3283827},
doi = {10.1145/3283827},
issn = {2469-7818},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-12-01},
journal = {ACM Transactions on Social Computing},
volume = {1},
number = {4},
pages = {17},
publisher = {ACM},
keywords = {Design Knowledge, Practice-Led Research, UX Knowledge},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Kou, Yubo; Gray, Colin M
Distinctions Between the Communication of Experiential and Academic Design Knowledge: a linguistic analysis Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the 2018 Design Research Society Conference, 2018.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Design Knowledge, Practice-Led Research
@inproceedings{Kou_undated-px,
title = {Distinctions Between the Communication of Experiential and Academic Design Knowledge: a linguistic analysis},
author = {Yubo Kou and Colin M Gray},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.21606/dma.2018.532},
doi = {10.21606/dma.2018.532},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-06-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 2018 Design Research Society Conference},
abstract = {Design research has historically focused upon collocated design practices where the production of artefacts, collaboration between designers, and designers’ learning practices are geographically bounded. Information and communication technologies are rapidly transforming this territorial context of designing and making by supporting designers to share experiential knowledge with peers online. But it is unclear how experiential design knowledge should be characterized, and how it may be different from academic design knowledge. In this study, we present a mixed-methods analysis to compare experiential design knowledge communicated in two online practitioner- oriented venues and two leading design research journals. We found that the articulation of experiential academic knowledge unsurprisingly differs in multiple linguistic measurements such as patterns of word usage and language formality. However, we also found that these distinctions are not absolute; in certain instances of online argumentation, practicing designers are able to effectively discipline their language use with the purpose of articulation and accuracy. We argue for increased attention to the ways in which online discussions regarding design practices contribute to the construction of design knowledge.},
keywords = {Design Knowledge, Practice-Led Research},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Design research has historically focused upon collocated design practices where the production of artefacts, collaboration between designers, and designers’ learning practices are geographically bounded. Information and communication technologies are rapidly transforming this territorial context of designing and making by supporting designers to share experiential knowledge with peers online. But it is unclear how experiential design knowledge should be characterized, and how it may be different from academic design knowledge. In this study, we present a mixed-methods analysis to compare experiential design knowledge communicated in two online practitioner- oriented venues and two leading design research journals. We found that the articulation of experiential academic knowledge unsurprisingly differs in multiple linguistic measurements such as patterns of word usage and language formality. However, we also found that these distinctions are not absolute; in certain instances of online argumentation, practicing designers are able to effectively discipline their language use with the purpose of articulation and accuracy. We argue for increased attention to the ways in which online discussions regarding design practices contribute to the construction of design knowledge.
Fansher, Madison; Chivukula, Shruthi Sai; Gray, Colin M
#darkpatterns: UX Practitioner Conversations About Ethical Design Proceedings Article
In: Extended Abstracts of the 2018 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. LBW082, ACM, Montreal QC, Canada, 2018, ISBN: 9781450356213.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Dark Patterns, Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research, UX Knowledge
@inproceedings{Fansher2018-au,
title = {#darkpatterns: UX Practitioner Conversations About Ethical Design},
author = {Madison Fansher and Shruthi Sai Chivukula and Colin M Gray},
url = {http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=3170427.3188553},
doi = {10.1145/3170427.3188553},
isbn = {9781450356213},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-04-01},
booktitle = {Extended Abstracts of the 2018 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems},
pages = {LBW082},
publisher = {ACM},
address = {Montreal QC, Canada},
abstract = {There is increasing interest in the role that ethics plays
in UX practice, however current guidance is largely driven
by formalized frameworks and does not adequately describe
``on the ground'' practitioner conversations regarding
ethics. In this late-breaking work, we identified and
described conversations about a specific ethical
phenomenon on Twitter using the hashtag #darkpatterns. We
then determined the authors of these tweets and analyzed
the types of artifacts or links they shared. We found that
UX practitioners were most likely to share tweets with
this hashtag, and that a majority of tweets either
mentioned an artifact or ``shames'' an organization that
engages in manipulative UX practices. We identify
implications for building an enhanced understanding of
pragmatist ethics from a practitioner perspective.},
keywords = {Dark Patterns, Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research, UX Knowledge},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
There is increasing interest in the role that ethics plays
in UX practice, however current guidance is largely driven
by formalized frameworks and does not adequately describe
``on the ground'' practitioner conversations regarding
ethics. In this late-breaking work, we identified and
described conversations about a specific ethical
phenomenon on Twitter using the hashtag #darkpatterns. We
then determined the authors of these tweets and analyzed
the types of artifacts or links they shared. We found that
UX practitioners were most likely to share tweets with
this hashtag, and that a majority of tweets either
mentioned an artifact or ``shames'' an organization that
engages in manipulative UX practices. We identify
implications for building an enhanced understanding of
pragmatist ethics from a practitioner perspective.
in UX practice, however current guidance is largely driven
by formalized frameworks and does not adequately describe
``on the ground'' practitioner conversations regarding
ethics. In this late-breaking work, we identified and
described conversations about a specific ethical
phenomenon on Twitter using the hashtag #darkpatterns. We
then determined the authors of these tweets and analyzed
the types of artifacts or links they shared. We found that
UX practitioners were most likely to share tweets with
this hashtag, and that a majority of tweets either
mentioned an artifact or ``shames'' an organization that
engages in manipulative UX practices. We identify
implications for building an enhanced understanding of
pragmatist ethics from a practitioner perspective.
Gray, Colin M; Boling, Elizabeth
Designers' articulation and activation of instrumental design judgements in cross-cultural user research Journal Article
In: CoDesign, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 79–97, 2018, ISSN: 1571-0882, 1745-3755.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research
@article{Gray2018-cf,
title = {Designers' articulation and activation of instrumental design judgements in cross-cultural user research},
author = {Colin M Gray and Elizabeth Boling},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1080/15710882.2017.1393546},
doi = {10.1080/15710882.2017.1393546},
issn = {1571-0882, 1745-3755},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-01-01},
journal = {CoDesign},
volume = {14},
number = {2},
pages = {79--97},
publisher = {Taylor & Francis},
abstract = {AbstractCross-cultural design practices have begun to rise in
prominence, but these practices have infrequently intersected
with common user-centred design practices that value the
participation and lived experience of users. In this paper, we
analyse a shared data-set that documented the efforts of a
Scandinavian design team as they designed a co-creation workshop
with Chinese consumers. We identified how the design team
referred to workshop participants, focusing on how these
references implicated the design team?s understanding of Chinese
culture. We identified referents to the participants to locate
projection of and reflection on participant interaction, and
performed a thematic analysis of design and debrief activities
to document the team?s articulation and activation of
instrumental judgements relating to culture. The team?s
instrumental judgements shifted over time, moving from
totalising cultural references in the design phase to frequent
translator-mediated interactions in the debrief phase.
Translators ?nuanced? the cultural meanings being explored by
the design team, while team members attempted to engage with
cultural concerns by ?making familiar? these concerns within the
context of their own culture. Implications for considering
culture as a part of standard user research methods and
paradigms are considered, along with practical considerations
for foregrounding cultural assumptions in design activity.},
keywords = {Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
AbstractCross-cultural design practices have begun to rise in
prominence, but these practices have infrequently intersected
with common user-centred design practices that value the
participation and lived experience of users. In this paper, we
analyse a shared data-set that documented the efforts of a
Scandinavian design team as they designed a co-creation workshop
with Chinese consumers. We identified how the design team
referred to workshop participants, focusing on how these
references implicated the design team?s understanding of Chinese
culture. We identified referents to the participants to locate
projection of and reflection on participant interaction, and
performed a thematic analysis of design and debrief activities
to document the team?s articulation and activation of
instrumental judgements relating to culture. The team?s
instrumental judgements shifted over time, moving from
totalising cultural references in the design phase to frequent
translator-mediated interactions in the debrief phase.
Translators ?nuanced? the cultural meanings being explored by
the design team, while team members attempted to engage with
cultural concerns by ?making familiar? these concerns within the
context of their own culture. Implications for considering
culture as a part of standard user research methods and
paradigms are considered, along with practical considerations
for foregrounding cultural assumptions in design activity.
prominence, but these practices have infrequently intersected
with common user-centred design practices that value the
participation and lived experience of users. In this paper, we
analyse a shared data-set that documented the efforts of a
Scandinavian design team as they designed a co-creation workshop
with Chinese consumers. We identified how the design team
referred to workshop participants, focusing on how these
references implicated the design team?s understanding of Chinese
culture. We identified referents to the participants to locate
projection of and reflection on participant interaction, and
performed a thematic analysis of design and debrief activities
to document the team?s articulation and activation of
instrumental judgements relating to culture. The team?s
instrumental judgements shifted over time, moving from
totalising cultural references in the design phase to frequent
translator-mediated interactions in the debrief phase.
Translators ?nuanced? the cultural meanings being explored by
the design team, while team members attempted to engage with
cultural concerns by ?making familiar? these concerns within the
context of their own culture. Implications for considering
culture as a part of standard user research methods and
paradigms are considered, along with practical considerations
for foregrounding cultural assumptions in design activity.
Kou, Yubo; Gray, Colin M; Toombs, Austin L; Adams, Robin S
Knowledge Production and Social Roles in an Online Community of Emerging Occupation: A Study of User Experience Practitioners on Reddit Proceedings Article
In: Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences 2018 (HICSS-51), 2018.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Design Education, Practice-Led Research, UX Knowledge
@inproceedings{Kou2018-cm,
title = {Knowledge Production and Social Roles in an Online Community of Emerging Occupation: A Study of User Experience Practitioners on Reddit},
author = {Yubo Kou and Colin M Gray and Austin L Toombs and Robin S Adams},
url = {https://aisel.aisnet.org/hicss-51/dsm/dsm_and_communities/3/},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-01-01},
booktitle = {Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences 2018
(HICSS-51)},
abstract = {New occupations are emerging that have high job demand in the
market, but lack a coherent body of disciplinary knowledge. For
example, user experience (UX) design is an emerging occupation
that has not been adequately supported by the traditional
educational system. For learners beginning their undergraduate
education, there is no concrete path to follow to become a UX
professional, due to few UX-focused undergraduate academic
programs. Online communities of practices have been recognized
as important learning venues, even while institutions of formal
education often lag behind in structuring knowledge production
and distribution. However, little is known about how knowledge
is generated and diffused in online communities in the context
of emerging occupations with volatile knowledge boundaries. In
this paper, we analyze knowledge production in relation to
social roles in an online UX community. We show that knowledge
production is highly distributed, involving the participation of
community members of varied levels of experience. We discuss how
online communities support the development of the UX occupation.},
keywords = {Design Education, Practice-Led Research, UX Knowledge},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
New occupations are emerging that have high job demand in the
market, but lack a coherent body of disciplinary knowledge. For
example, user experience (UX) design is an emerging occupation
that has not been adequately supported by the traditional
educational system. For learners beginning their undergraduate
education, there is no concrete path to follow to become a UX
professional, due to few UX-focused undergraduate academic
programs. Online communities of practices have been recognized
as important learning venues, even while institutions of formal
education often lag behind in structuring knowledge production
and distribution. However, little is known about how knowledge
is generated and diffused in online communities in the context
of emerging occupations with volatile knowledge boundaries. In
this paper, we analyze knowledge production in relation to
social roles in an online UX community. We show that knowledge
production is highly distributed, involving the participation of
community members of varied levels of experience. We discuss how
online communities support the development of the UX occupation.
market, but lack a coherent body of disciplinary knowledge. For
example, user experience (UX) design is an emerging occupation
that has not been adequately supported by the traditional
educational system. For learners beginning their undergraduate
education, there is no concrete path to follow to become a UX
professional, due to few UX-focused undergraduate academic
programs. Online communities of practices have been recognized
as important learning venues, even while institutions of formal
education often lag behind in structuring knowledge production
and distribution. However, little is known about how knowledge
is generated and diffused in online communities in the context
of emerging occupations with volatile knowledge boundaries. In
this paper, we analyze knowledge production in relation to
social roles in an online UX community. We show that knowledge
production is highly distributed, involving the participation of
community members of varied levels of experience. We discuss how
online communities support the development of the UX occupation.
Kou, Yubo; Gray, Colin M
What do you recommend a complete beginner like me to practice?: Professional Self-Disclosure in an Online Community Journal Article
In: Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, vol. 2, no. CSCW, pp. 94, 2018.
Links | BibTeX | Tags: Design Knowledge, Practice-Led Research, UX Knowledge
@article{Kou2018-vh,
title = {What do you recommend a complete beginner like me to practice?: Professional Self-Disclosure in an Online Community},
author = {Yubo Kou and Colin M Gray},
url = {https://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=3290265.3274363},
doi = {10.1145/3274363},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-01-01},
journal = {Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction},
volume = {2},
number = {CSCW},
pages = {94},
publisher = {ACM},
keywords = {Design Knowledge, Practice-Led Research, UX Knowledge},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Kou, Yubo; Gray, Colin M
Towards Professionalization in an Online Community of Emerging Occupation: Discourses among UX Practitioners Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the 2018 ACM Conference on Supporting Groupwork, pp. 322–334, ACM, New York, New York, USA, 2018, ISBN: 9781450355629.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Design Knowledge, Practice-Led Research, UX Knowledge
@inproceedings{Kou2018-kc,
title = {Towards Professionalization in an Online Community of Emerging Occupation: Discourses among UX Practitioners},
author = {Yubo Kou and Colin M Gray},
url = {https://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=3148330.3148352},
doi = {10.1145/3148330.3148352},
isbn = {9781450355629},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-01-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 2018 ACM Conference on Supporting Groupwork},
pages = {322--334},
publisher = {ACM},
address = {New York, New York, USA},
abstract = {The occupational landscape of the digital economy is rapidly
changing, resulting in the emergence of multidisciplinary
occupations. Emerging occupations such as user experience (UX)
design are in high demand, but these occupations lack clear
boundaries and have yet to develop into a profession with a
specified, coherent body of knowledge. While traditional
occupations such as medicine and law successfully claimed their
professional jurisdiction and high social power and status long
before the Internet, how do these emerging occupations work
towards professionalization, particularly as they are
increasingly supported by and through online communities? In
this paper, we investigate an online UX community to understand
how UX practitioners specify their occupational knowledge and
professional boundaries. Using this case as an example and
provocation, we discuss how online communities support the
emergence of new occupations and may play an indispensable role
in modern day patterns of professionalization.},
keywords = {Design Knowledge, Practice-Led Research, UX Knowledge},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
The occupational landscape of the digital economy is rapidly
changing, resulting in the emergence of multidisciplinary
occupations. Emerging occupations such as user experience (UX)
design are in high demand, but these occupations lack clear
boundaries and have yet to develop into a profession with a
specified, coherent body of knowledge. While traditional
occupations such as medicine and law successfully claimed their
professional jurisdiction and high social power and status long
before the Internet, how do these emerging occupations work
towards professionalization, particularly as they are
increasingly supported by and through online communities? In
this paper, we investigate an online UX community to understand
how UX practitioners specify their occupational knowledge and
professional boundaries. Using this case as an example and
provocation, we discuss how online communities support the
emergence of new occupations and may play an indispensable role
in modern day patterns of professionalization.
changing, resulting in the emergence of multidisciplinary
occupations. Emerging occupations such as user experience (UX)
design are in high demand, but these occupations lack clear
boundaries and have yet to develop into a profession with a
specified, coherent body of knowledge. While traditional
occupations such as medicine and law successfully claimed their
professional jurisdiction and high social power and status long
before the Internet, how do these emerging occupations work
towards professionalization, particularly as they are
increasingly supported by and through online communities? In
this paper, we investigate an online UX community to understand
how UX practitioners specify their occupational knowledge and
professional boundaries. Using this case as an example and
provocation, we discuss how online communities support the
emergence of new occupations and may play an indispensable role
in modern day patterns of professionalization.
Gray, Colin M; Kou, Yubo; Battles, Bryan; Hoggatt, Joseph; Toombs, Austin L
The Dark (Patterns) Side of UX Design Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the 2018 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. 534:1–534:14, ACM, Montreal QC, Canada, 2018, ISBN: 9781450356206.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Dark Patterns, Design Knowledge, Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research, UX Knowledge
@inproceedings{Gray2018-or,
title = {The Dark (Patterns) Side of UX Design},
author = {Colin M Gray and Yubo Kou and Bryan Battles and Joseph Hoggatt and Austin L Toombs},
url = {http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/3173574.3174108},
doi = {10.1145/3173574.3174108},
isbn = {9781450356206},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-01-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 2018 CHI Conference on Human Factors in
Computing Systems},
pages = {534:1--534:14},
publisher = {ACM},
address = {Montreal QC, Canada},
institution = {ACM},
series = {CHI '18},
abstract = {Interest in critical scholarship that engages with the
complexity of user experience (UX) practice is rapidly
expanding, yet the vocabulary for describing and assessing
criticality in practice is currently lacking. In this paper,
we outline and explore the limits of a specific ethical
phenomenon known as ``dark patterns,'' where user value is
supplanted in favor of shareholder value. We assembled a
corpus of examples of practitioner-identified dark patterns
and performed a content analysis to determine the ethical
concerns contained in these examples. This analysis revealed a
wide range of ethical issues raised by practitioners that were
frequently conflated under the umbrella term of dark patterns,
while also underscoring a shared concern that UX designers
could easily become complicit in manipulative or unreasonably
persuasive practices. We conclude with implications for the
education and practice of UX designers, and a proposal for
broadening research on the ethics of user experience.},
keywords = {Dark Patterns, Design Knowledge, Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research, UX Knowledge},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Interest in critical scholarship that engages with the
complexity of user experience (UX) practice is rapidly
expanding, yet the vocabulary for describing and assessing
criticality in practice is currently lacking. In this paper,
we outline and explore the limits of a specific ethical
phenomenon known as ``dark patterns,'' where user value is
supplanted in favor of shareholder value. We assembled a
corpus of examples of practitioner-identified dark patterns
and performed a content analysis to determine the ethical
concerns contained in these examples. This analysis revealed a
wide range of ethical issues raised by practitioners that were
frequently conflated under the umbrella term of dark patterns,
while also underscoring a shared concern that UX designers
could easily become complicit in manipulative or unreasonably
persuasive practices. We conclude with implications for the
education and practice of UX designers, and a proposal for
broadening research on the ethics of user experience.
complexity of user experience (UX) practice is rapidly
expanding, yet the vocabulary for describing and assessing
criticality in practice is currently lacking. In this paper,
we outline and explore the limits of a specific ethical
phenomenon known as ``dark patterns,'' where user value is
supplanted in favor of shareholder value. We assembled a
corpus of examples of practitioner-identified dark patterns
and performed a content analysis to determine the ethical
concerns contained in these examples. This analysis revealed a
wide range of ethical issues raised by practitioners that were
frequently conflated under the umbrella term of dark patterns,
while also underscoring a shared concern that UX designers
could easily become complicit in manipulative or unreasonably
persuasive practices. We conclude with implications for the
education and practice of UX designers, and a proposal for
broadening research on the ethics of user experience.
2017
Gray, Colin M; Boling, Elizabeth
Designers' Articulation and Activation of Instrumental Design Judgements in Cross-Cultural User Research Book Chapter
In: pp. 191-211, CRC Press, 2017.
BibTeX | Tags: Design Knowledge, Practice-Led Research
@inbook{Gray2017e,
title = {Designers' Articulation and Activation of Instrumental Design Judgements in Cross-Cultural User Research},
author = {Colin M Gray and Elizabeth Boling},
year = {2017},
date = {2017-11-01},
pages = {191-211},
publisher = {CRC Press},
keywords = {Design Knowledge, Practice-Led Research},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inbook}
}
Brier, Jason A; Gray, Colin M; Kou, Yubo
In Search of UX Translators: Analyzing Researcher-Practitioner Interactions on Twitter Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the 2017 ACM Conference Companion Publication on Designing Interactive Systems, pp. 111–115, ACM, New York, New York, USA, 2017, ISBN: 9781450349918.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Design Knowledge, Practice-Led Research, Translational Science, UX Knowledge
@inproceedings{Brier2017-nl,
title = {In Search of UX Translators: Analyzing Researcher-Practitioner Interactions on Twitter},
author = {Jason A Brier and Colin M Gray and Yubo Kou},
url = {http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=3064857.3079129},
doi = {10.1145/3064857.3079129},
isbn = {9781450349918},
year = {2017},
date = {2017-06-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 2017 ACM Conference Companion Publication
on Designing Interactive Systems},
pages = {111--115},
publisher = {ACM},
address = {New York, New York, USA},
abstract = {Interest in the nature of HCI practice has increased in the past
decade, particularly in relation to the role and existence of
``translators'' that may bridge the gap between research and UX
practice. At present, there is insufficient research to
appropriately define and identify the activities of translators,
and we hope to provoke additional interest in this area by
documenting the UX - focused interactions on Twitter. In this
work-in-progress, we identified and visualized interactions
among a stratified set of UX practitioners and
practitioner-academic hybrids on Twitter, analyzing their
interactions to understand what relationships and roles may
exist. We found few potential translators, and none from a
primarily academic perspective. We identify implications and
provocations from this visualization and Twitter analysis
approach for future practice-led research.},
keywords = {Design Knowledge, Practice-Led Research, Translational Science, UX Knowledge},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Interest in the nature of HCI practice has increased in the past
decade, particularly in relation to the role and existence of
``translators'' that may bridge the gap between research and UX
practice. At present, there is insufficient research to
appropriately define and identify the activities of translators,
and we hope to provoke additional interest in this area by
documenting the UX - focused interactions on Twitter. In this
work-in-progress, we identified and visualized interactions
among a stratified set of UX practitioners and
practitioner-academic hybrids on Twitter, analyzing their
interactions to understand what relationships and roles may
exist. We found few potential translators, and none from a
primarily academic perspective. We identify implications and
provocations from this visualization and Twitter analysis
approach for future practice-led research.
decade, particularly in relation to the role and existence of
``translators'' that may bridge the gap between research and UX
practice. At present, there is insufficient research to
appropriately define and identify the activities of translators,
and we hope to provoke additional interest in this area by
documenting the UX - focused interactions on Twitter. In this
work-in-progress, we identified and visualized interactions
among a stratified set of UX practitioners and
practitioner-academic hybrids on Twitter, analyzing their
interactions to understand what relationships and roles may
exist. We found few potential translators, and none from a
primarily academic perspective. We identify implications and
provocations from this visualization and Twitter analysis
approach for future practice-led research.
Gray, Colin M; Kou, Yubo
UX Practitioners' Engagement with Intermediate-Level Knowledge Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the 2017 ACM Conference Companion Publication on Designing Interactive Systems, pp. 13–17, ACM, New York, New York, USA, 2017, ISBN: 9781450349918.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Design Knowledge, Design Theory, Practice-Led Research, UX Knowledge
@inproceedings{Gray2017-rk,
title = {UX Practitioners' Engagement with Intermediate-Level Knowledge},
author = {Colin M Gray and Yubo Kou},
url = {http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=3064857.3079110},
doi = {10.1145/3064857.3079110},
isbn = {9781450349918},
year = {2017},
date = {2017-06-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 2017 ACM Conference Companion Publication on Designing Interactive Systems},
pages = {13--17},
publisher = {ACM},
address = {New York, New York, USA},
abstract = {Scholars have repeatedly called for the knowledge production efforts of the HCI research community to have resonance with the needs of practitioners. These efforts, reified in approaches such as “implications for design,” annotated portfolios, and other forms of intermediate-level knowledge have begun to take hold within the research community, yet it is unclear if and how these forms of knowledge are used to actually support user experience (UX) practice. In this study, we analyzed resources shared via URLs that pointed to articles on external websites within a practitioner- focused Reddit community. Using Löwgren’s taxonomy of intermediate-level knowledge, we identified the forms of knowledge these resources represent, and use this analysis as a provocation for future exploration into the types of knowledge practitioners desire and use to support their practice.},
keywords = {Design Knowledge, Design Theory, Practice-Led Research, UX Knowledge},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Scholars have repeatedly called for the knowledge production efforts of the HCI research community to have resonance with the needs of practitioners. These efforts, reified in approaches such as “implications for design,” annotated portfolios, and other forms of intermediate-level knowledge have begun to take hold within the research community, yet it is unclear if and how these forms of knowledge are used to actually support user experience (UX) practice. In this study, we analyzed resources shared via URLs that pointed to articles on external websites within a practitioner- focused Reddit community. Using Löwgren’s taxonomy of intermediate-level knowledge, we identified the forms of knowledge these resources represent, and use this analysis as a provocation for future exploration into the types of knowledge practitioners desire and use to support their practice.
Gray, Colin M; Boling, Elizabeth
Designers' Articulation and Activation of Instrumental Design Judgments in Cross-Cultural User Research Book Chapter
In: Christensen, Bo T; Ball, Linden J; Halskov, Kim (Ed.): Analysing Design Thinking: Studies of Cross-Cultural Co-Creation, pp. 191–214, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2017.
BibTeX | Tags: Design Knowledge, Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research
@inbook{Gray2017-dx,
title = {Designers' Articulation and Activation of Instrumental Design Judgments in Cross-Cultural User Research},
author = {Colin M Gray and Elizabeth Boling},
editor = {Bo T Christensen and Linden J Ball and Kim Halskov},
year = {2017},
date = {2017-01-01},
booktitle = {Analysing Design Thinking: Studies of Cross-Cultural Co-Creation},
pages = {191--214},
publisher = {CRC Press},
address = {Boca Raton, FL},
keywords = {Design Knowledge, Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inbook}
}
Kou, Yubo; Gray, Colin M
Supporting Distributed Critique through Interpretation and Sense-Making in an Online Creative Community Journal Article
In: Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, vol. 1, no. CSCW, pp. 60, 2017, ISSN: 2573-0142.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Critique, Design Knowledge, Practice-Led Research, UX Knowledge
@article{Kou2017-iq,
title = {Supporting Distributed Critique through Interpretation and Sense-Making in an Online Creative Community},
author = {Yubo Kou and Colin M Gray},
url = {https://colingray.me/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2017_KouGray_CSCW_PACMHCI_DistributedCritique.pdf
http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=3171581.3134695},
doi = {10.1145/3134695},
issn = {2573-0142},
year = {2017},
date = {2017-01-01},
journal = {Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction},
volume = {1},
number = {CSCW},
pages = {60},
publisher = {ACM},
abstract = {Critique is an important component of creative work in design education and practice, through which individuals can solicit advice and obtain feedback on their work. Face-to-face critique in offline settings such as design studios has been well-documented and theorized. However, little is known about unstructured distributed critique in online creative communities where people share and critique each other’s work, and how these practices might resemble or differ from studio critique. In this paper, we use mixed-methods to examine distributed critique practices in a UX-focused online creative community on Reddit. We found that distributed critique resembles studio critique categorically, but differs qualitatively. While studio critique often focuses on depth, distributed critique often revolved around collective sensemaking, through which creative workers engaged in iteratively interpreting, defining, and refining the artifact and their process. We discuss the relationship between distributed critique and socio-technical systems and identify implications for future research.},
keywords = {Critique, Design Knowledge, Practice-Led Research, UX Knowledge},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Critique is an important component of creative work in design education and practice, through which individuals can solicit advice and obtain feedback on their work. Face-to-face critique in offline settings such as design studios has been well-documented and theorized. However, little is known about unstructured distributed critique in online creative communities where people share and critique each other’s work, and how these practices might resemble or differ from studio critique. In this paper, we use mixed-methods to examine distributed critique practices in a UX-focused online creative community on Reddit. We found that distributed critique resembles studio critique categorically, but differs qualitatively. While studio critique often focuses on depth, distributed critique often revolved around collective sensemaking, through which creative workers engaged in iteratively interpreting, defining, and refining the artifact and their process. We discuss the relationship between distributed critique and socio-technical systems and identify implications for future research.
2016
Gray, Colin M; Boling, Elizabeth
Designers' Articulation and Activation of Instrumental Design Judgments in Cross-Cultural User Research Proceedings Article
In: DTRS'11: 11th annual Design Thinking Research Symposium, pp. 19 pp., Copenhagen Business School, Copenhagen, DK, 2016.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research
@inproceedings{Gray2016-eo,
title = {Designers' Articulation and Activation of Instrumental Design Judgments in Cross-Cultural User Research},
author = {Colin M Gray and Elizabeth Boling},
url = {https://colingray.me/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2016_GrayBoling_DTRS11_CrossCulturalJudgments.pdf},
year = {2016},
date = {2016-10-01},
booktitle = {DTRS'11: 11th annual Design Thinking Research Symposium},
pages = {19 pp.},
publisher = {Copenhagen Business School},
address = {Copenhagen, DK},
abstract = {Cross-cultural design practices have begun to rise in prominence, but these practices have infrequently intersected with common user-centered design practices that value the participation and lived experience of users. We identified the ways in which the design team referred to co-creation workshop participants during the design and debrief of the workshop, focusing on how these references invoked or implicated the design team’s understanding of Chinese culture. We identified referents to the participants, using occurrence of third-person plural pronouns to locate projection of and reflection on participant interaction. In parallel, we performed a thematic analysis of design and debrief activities to document the team’s articulation and activation of instrumental judgments relating to culture.
The team’s instrumental judgments shifted substantially across the design and debrief session, moving from totalizing cultural references in the design phase to frequent translator- mediated interactions in the debrief phase. Translators “nuanced” the cultural meanings being explored by the design team, while team members attempted to engage with cultural concerns by “making familiar” these concerns within the context of their own culture. Implications for considering culture as a part of standard user research methods and paradigms are considered, along with practical considerations for foregrounding cultural assumptions in design activity.},
keywords = {Ethics and Values, Practice-Led Research},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Cross-cultural design practices have begun to rise in prominence, but these practices have infrequently intersected with common user-centered design practices that value the participation and lived experience of users. We identified the ways in which the design team referred to co-creation workshop participants during the design and debrief of the workshop, focusing on how these references invoked or implicated the design team’s understanding of Chinese culture. We identified referents to the participants, using occurrence of third-person plural pronouns to locate projection of and reflection on participant interaction. In parallel, we performed a thematic analysis of design and debrief activities to document the team’s articulation and activation of instrumental judgments relating to culture.
The team’s instrumental judgments shifted substantially across the design and debrief session, moving from totalizing cultural references in the design phase to frequent translator- mediated interactions in the debrief phase. Translators “nuanced” the cultural meanings being explored by the design team, while team members attempted to engage with cultural concerns by “making familiar” these concerns within the context of their own culture. Implications for considering culture as a part of standard user research methods and paradigms are considered, along with practical considerations for foregrounding cultural assumptions in design activity.
The team’s instrumental judgments shifted substantially across the design and debrief session, moving from totalizing cultural references in the design phase to frequent translator- mediated interactions in the debrief phase. Translators “nuanced” the cultural meanings being explored by the design team, while team members attempted to engage with cultural concerns by “making familiar” these concerns within the context of their own culture. Implications for considering culture as a part of standard user research methods and paradigms are considered, along with practical considerations for foregrounding cultural assumptions in design activity.
Gray, Colin M
It's More of a Mindset Than a Method: UX Practitioners' Conception of Design Methods Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the 2016 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. 4044–4055, ACM, Santa Clara, California, USA, 2016, ISBN: 9781450333627.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Design Knowledge, Design Methods, Practice-Led Research, UX Knowledge
@inproceedings{Gray2016-pa,
title = {It's More of a Mindset Than a Method: UX Practitioners' Conception of Design Methods},
author = {Colin M Gray},
url = {http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=2858036.2858410},
doi = {10.1145/2858036.2858410},
isbn = {9781450333627},
year = {2016},
date = {2016-05-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 2016 CHI Conference on Human Factors
in Computing Systems},
pages = {4044--4055},
publisher = {ACM},
address = {Santa Clara, California, USA},
abstract = {There has been increasing interest in the work practices
of user experience (UX) designers, particularly in
relation to approaches that support adoption of
human-centered principles in corporate environments. This
paper addresses the ways in which UX designers conceive of
methods that support their practice, and the methods they
consider necessary as a baseline competency for beginning
user experience designers. Interviews were conducted with
practitioners in a range of companies, with differing
levels of expertise and educational backgrounds
represented. Interviewees were asked about their use of
design methods in practice, and the methods they
considered to be core of their practice; in addition, they
were asked what set of methods would be vital for
beginning designers joining their company. Based on these
interviews, I evaluate practitioner conceptions of design
methods, proposing an appropriation-oriented mindset that
drives the use of tool knowledge, supporting designers'
practice in a variety of corporate contexts. Opportunities
are considered for future research in the study of UX
practice and training of students in human-computer
interaction programs.},
keywords = {Design Knowledge, Design Methods, Practice-Led Research, UX Knowledge},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
There has been increasing interest in the work practices
of user experience (UX) designers, particularly in
relation to approaches that support adoption of
human-centered principles in corporate environments. This
paper addresses the ways in which UX designers conceive of
methods that support their practice, and the methods they
consider necessary as a baseline competency for beginning
user experience designers. Interviews were conducted with
practitioners in a range of companies, with differing
levels of expertise and educational backgrounds
represented. Interviewees were asked about their use of
design methods in practice, and the methods they
considered to be core of their practice; in addition, they
were asked what set of methods would be vital for
beginning designers joining their company. Based on these
interviews, I evaluate practitioner conceptions of design
methods, proposing an appropriation-oriented mindset that
drives the use of tool knowledge, supporting designers'
practice in a variety of corporate contexts. Opportunities
are considered for future research in the study of UX
practice and training of students in human-computer
interaction programs.
of user experience (UX) designers, particularly in
relation to approaches that support adoption of
human-centered principles in corporate environments. This
paper addresses the ways in which UX designers conceive of
methods that support their practice, and the methods they
consider necessary as a baseline competency for beginning
user experience designers. Interviews were conducted with
practitioners in a range of companies, with differing
levels of expertise and educational backgrounds
represented. Interviewees were asked about their use of
design methods in practice, and the methods they
considered to be core of their practice; in addition, they
were asked what set of methods would be vital for
beginning designers joining their company. Based on these
interviews, I evaluate practitioner conceptions of design
methods, proposing an appropriation-oriented mindset that
drives the use of tool knowledge, supporting designers'
practice in a variety of corporate contexts. Opportunities
are considered for future research in the study of UX
practice and training of students in human-computer
interaction programs.
2015
Gray, Colin M; Dagli, Cesur; Demiral-Uzan, Muruvvet; Ergulec, Funda; Tan, Verily; Altuwaijri, Abdullah A; Gyabak, Khendum; Hilligoss, Megan; Kizilboga, Remzi; Tomita, Kei; Boling, Elizabeth
Judgment and Instructional Design: How ID Practitioners Work In Practice Journal Article
In: Performance Improvement Quarterly, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 25–49, 2015, ISSN: 0898-5952.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Design Judgment, Instructional Design, Practice-Led Research
@article{Gray2015-qi,
title = {Judgment and Instructional Design: How ID Practitioners Work In Practice},
author = {Colin M Gray and Cesur Dagli and Muruvvet Demiral-Uzan and Funda Ergulec and Verily Tan and Abdullah A Altuwaijri and Khendum Gyabak and Megan Hilligoss and Remzi Kizilboga and Kei Tomita and Elizabeth Boling},
url = {https://colingray.me/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2015_Grayetal_PIQ_JudgmentInstructionalDesign.pdf
http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/piq.21198},
doi = {10.1002/piq.21198},
issn = {0898-5952},
year = {2015},
date = {2015-10-01},
journal = {Performance Improvement Quarterly},
volume = {28},
number = {3},
pages = {25--49},
publisher = {Wiley Online Library},
abstract = {In this study, we address the relative lack of rigorous research on instructional design (ID) practice via an exploratory study in which pairs of researchers observed design judgments made by eight practicing instructional designers in two consulting environments as they went about their normal work activi- ties. In our analysis, we sought to char- acterize their practice on its own terms, rather than through superimposition of existing ID models or frameworks. A nonprescriptive, philosophical frame- work of design judgment by Nelson and Stolterman (2012) was operationalized and used to frame two phases of analy- sis: identifying and coding design judg- ments and creating holistic summaries of the observed practice. We found that design judgments occur quite frequently throughout design, often in clustered or layered ways, rather than in “pure” forms. These judgments appeared to be shaped by factors unique to the firm, the role or position of the designer, and proj- ect, client, or other external factors.},
keywords = {Design Judgment, Instructional Design, Practice-Led Research},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
In this study, we address the relative lack of rigorous research on instructional design (ID) practice via an exploratory study in which pairs of researchers observed design judgments made by eight practicing instructional designers in two consulting environments as they went about their normal work activi- ties. In our analysis, we sought to char- acterize their practice on its own terms, rather than through superimposition of existing ID models or frameworks. A nonprescriptive, philosophical frame- work of design judgment by Nelson and Stolterman (2012) was operationalized and used to frame two phases of analy- sis: identifying and coding design judg- ments and creating holistic summaries of the observed practice. We found that design judgments occur quite frequently throughout design, often in clustered or layered ways, rather than in “pure” forms. These judgments appeared to be shaped by factors unique to the firm, the role or position of the designer, and proj- ect, client, or other external factors.
Gray, Colin M; Toombs, Austin L; Gross, Shad
Flow of Competence in UX Design Practice Honorable Mention Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the 33rd Annual ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. 3285–3294, ACM, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 2015, ISBN: 9781450331456, (Awarded Best of CHI Honorable Mention, top 5%).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Design Knowledge, Practice-Led Research, Translational Science, UX Knowledge
@inproceedings{Gray2015-ma,
title = {Flow of Competence in UX Design Practice},
author = {Colin M Gray and Austin L Toombs and Shad Gross},
url = {https://colingray.me/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2015_GrayToombsGross_CHI_FlowofCompetence.pdf
http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=2702123.2702579},
doi = {10.1145/2702123.2702579},
isbn = {9781450331456},
year = {2015},
date = {2015-04-01},
urldate = {2015-04-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 33rd Annual ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems},
pages = {3285--3294},
publisher = {ACM},
address = {Seoul, Republic of Korea},
series = {CHI '15},
abstract = {UX and design culture are beginning to dominate corporate priorities, but despite the current hype there is often a dis- connect between the organizational efficiencies desired by executives and the knowledge of how UX can or should address these issues. This exploratory study addresses this space by reframing the concept of competence in UX to include the flow of competence between individual design- ers and the companies in which they work. Our reframing resulted in a preliminary schema based on interviews con- ducted with six design practitioners, which allows this flow to be traced in a performative way on the part of individuals and groups over time. We then trace this flow of individual and organizational competence through three case studies of UX adoption. Opportunities for use of this preliminary schema as a generative, rhetorical tool for HCI researchers to further interrogate UX adoption are considered, including accounting for factors that affect adoption.},
note = {Awarded Best of CHI Honorable Mention, top 5%},
keywords = {Design Knowledge, Practice-Led Research, Translational Science, UX Knowledge},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
UX and design culture are beginning to dominate corporate priorities, but despite the current hype there is often a dis- connect between the organizational efficiencies desired by executives and the knowledge of how UX can or should address these issues. This exploratory study addresses this space by reframing the concept of competence in UX to include the flow of competence between individual design- ers and the companies in which they work. Our reframing resulted in a preliminary schema based on interviews con- ducted with six design practitioners, which allows this flow to be traced in a performative way on the part of individuals and groups over time. We then trace this flow of individual and organizational competence through three case studies of UX adoption. Opportunities for use of this preliminary schema as a generative, rhetorical tool for HCI researchers to further interrogate UX adoption are considered, including accounting for factors that affect adoption.
2014
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: competence, design capability, Design Education, Design Knowledge, expertise, HCI Education, identity, Practice-Led Research, ux practice, UX Knowledge
@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 = {competence, design capability, Design Education, Design Knowledge, expertise, HCI Education, identity, Practice-Led Research, ux practice, UX Knowledge},
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.