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Playful engagements in product design: Developing a theoretical framework for ludo-aesthetic interactions in kitchen appliances Bahareh Jalalzadeh Moghadam Shahri Ph.D. The University of Edinburgh 2014 Declaration I composed this thesis and the work is my own. No part of this thesis has been submitted for any other degree or qualification. Bahareh Jalalzadeh Moghadam Shahri 13 Novmber 2014 Playful engagements in product design Abstract This research is an investigation into the playful aspects of designed products. Defining playfulness in products, besides and beyond utilitarian functions and aesthetics, is at the heart of this thesis. In product design research, playfulness, this indispensable element of our mediated world, is either superficially limited to visual seduction or entangled with new technologies that it seems as if play appears as peripheral. The main objective of this research, therefore, is to understand how play can be embodied within a product at the design stage. The research has been supported by a considerable body of literature on the definition of play, product reviews and qualitative fieldwork studies. The fieldwork and ethnographic research was conducted in three stages. First, a series of semi- structured interviews were carried out with second-year product design students at the Edinburgh College of Art. The aim was to examine their understanding of the playful aspects in their own interactive design. The second stage was a series of focus group discussions held with women over the age of 65 to explore how they understand and interpret playfulness in the context of kitchen appliances, and how the change of functions may affect their attitudes toward the activities of their everyday life. Finally, through using a number of ethnographic research methods, five Edinburgh women, aged between 25 and 35, were observed in their kitchens to assess their style of cooking and the way they interacted with their chosen household products. As a result of these field studies, four main aspects of playfulness in these interactions were discovered: communicative and social aspects, dynamic and bodily engagement, the distractive and immersive quality of play and finally, the ‘self- reflective’ aspects of play. The latter is indebted to the idea of ‘ludification of societies’ proposed by Jos De Mul (2005), who draws attention to the increase of playful activities in Western societies in the 21st century and the emergence of a new state of identity, or ‘ludic identity’. In considering this exploration, I have developed a new framework for the ludo-aesthetics of interaction based on the ‘aesthetics of i Playful engagements in product design interaction’ which aims to explain the deeper meanings of playful engagements in product interactions. By defining play and reviewing the possibilities of playfulness in products, I have created a taxonomy of playful products, providing a broad spectrum of play, from visually and functionally playful to more subtle and hidden agendas, which only can be highlighted through the active role of users. The findings to emerge from this study are, firstly, playfulness in product design is not an emotion elicited from using a product but rather is a mode, with a broad range of interactions, from objective to subjective, and from personal to social. Second, to assign any attribute of playfulness to a product without considering the contribution of the user, the socio-cultural environment of use and the reflective and constructive interactions of users with products is reductive and superficial. In order to make these findings more tangible for designers and students in product design, I have visualised four food-related scenarios by imaginative personas based on the observations I made in the course of the fieldwork. In addition, I have drawn upon the term ‘replay’ (normally associated with gaming) to demonstrate that playfulness can occur through recalling the objects of the past, the culture of reusing and recycling, and retro style. In essence, this PhD sets the parameters of what designers should be aware of while dealing with people’s playful interactions with products. It is my belief that such awareness, as a complementary element of aesthetic interactions, will help designers to expand their territory of research and widen their scope for design practices. Keywords Emotional design, playful design, playful kitchen appliances, playful interaction, aesthetics of interaction, ludo-aesthetics of interaction, playful and ludic identity, fun-led kitchen. ii Acknowledgements This thesis has involved a number of professional and personal relationships with people to whom I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation. First, I would like to thank my supervisors, Dr. Juliette MacDonald and Prof. Alan Murray, for guiding this PhD research. What I learned from both of them goes beyond the task of being an academic teacher and adviser. Their kindness, consideration and positive approach supported me all the time throughout this project. I was privileged, also, to receive advice from Alex Milton, Dr. Ann Marie Shillito, Andy Law and Douglas Bryden. They are due my heartfelt thanks for sharing their knowledge and experience. Also, I would like to thank a wonderful man who, sadly, is not among us anymore but his academic and humanistic virtues remain an exemplar for any researcher. Prof. Kees Overbeeke at Eindhoven University of Technology kindly allowed me to visit their Department of Industrial Design in 2011 and gave me invaluable advice. Thanks to Dr. Sophia Lycouris and Elaine Dickson, who both kindly assisted in the administrative procedures of my studies and tried to provide a satisfactory environment for all postgraduate students, especially after the merger of eca with the University of Edinburgh. My sincere appreciation is extended to Anne Boyle for her editorial help with the English revision of the thesis. I would like to thank Marilyn Minchom at the old eca Language Support department who kindly helped me with the academic writing at the beginning of my studies. Thanks to everybody who participated in my research projects, their support made this research possible. In particular, I offer my heartfelt thanks to the second-year product design students at Edinburgh College of Art in 2010, (Fionn, Gessica, Aimee, Helen, Rodney, Mairi and Louis), also to Brian Wilson, David Pervis and Tatiana from the Bristo Baptist Church and other nice people I met in that community, indeed to Anne Finlay, Jon Busby, Susan Kesson, Stan Reeves from The Welcoming Association and Tollcross Community Centre, for their kind support and assisting my fieldwork, also Hamid Hazrati from the Google’s London Headquarter. Playful engagements in product design Of course, this thesis would not have been possible without the love, emotional support and patience of my family and close friends. I give my thanks to my mother and siblings, especially Afshin for his care and time after the birth of my son, Dana. Truly, without his support, I would not have managed to finish this thesis. Thanks must go to my in-laws in Iran for their patience and appreciating my choice, especially my sister-in-law, Behnaz, who helpfully and kindly gave me her support over the years of my study. To all my friends in Edinburgh who supported me in difficult times I owe them heartfelt thanks, particularly Helen, Eva, Pedro, Jen, Khursheda, Maaike along with my other friends from the Iranian community and Persian society, especially Parastoo, Arman, Bijan, Ehsan, Anna, Shaghayegh and her mother (Mrs Parsa), Vida and Sara. Special thanks must go to my university fellows Lore, Susan, Francisca, Esra, Beatriz, Maria, Che, Omar and Omid with whom I shared many beautiful moments and joy and they have been a real family to me over all these years. I would like to devote all my gratitude to my husband for his unconditional support and endurance over all these years of companionship. Without his support, thoughtful advice, positive attitude and love, I could not have achieved any step on my way. Finally, I would like to dedicate this thesis to the memory of my father, Jalal Jalalzadeh, who taught me to enjoy life and pursue my dreams. iv Playful engagements in product design Contents Abstract ..................................................................................................................... i Keywords ................................................................................................................. ii Acknowledgements ................................................................................................. iii Contents ...................................................................................................................