Week 1
Questions this week
This week, I conducted broader research around Design Friction, the topic I want to pursue. In particular, I considered smoothness in digital environments not simply as a visual or functional quality, but as a system connected to time and speed, structures of choice, data collection, habitual behavior, and invisible labor. Based on this research, I asked whom seamless interfaces are designed for, whether users are truly making free choices in digital environments, and what kinds of data and labor remain hidden behind convenient experiences. I also considered whether Design Friction could create an opportunity for users to recognize these underlying structures.
Research discoveries
Through my research, I discovered that seamless interfaces are more deeply connected than I had expected to social and economic systems that influence user behavior, collect data, and turn that data into platform operations and profit. I was particularly interested in how experiences that appear to offer users simple convenience are actually shaped by various technological structures and the economic objectives of digital platforms.
Other work
This week, I revisited my thesis research on Design Friction from last semester and considered how I could expand it through my thesis.
Other questions or notes
I do not have any additional questions or personal notes at this time.
References
- Reading
- Design Frictions for Mindful Interactions: The Case for Microboundaries
- Better Slow than Sorry: Introducing Positive Friction for Reliable Dialogue Systems
- Reference
- https://tacticaltech.org/projects/data-detox-kit/
- https://www.theglassroom.org/about-us/
- Article
- https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3749893.3749969
- https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.18803