Project: 
Arts & Crafts
Abstract: 
The material foundations of computer systems and interactive technology is a topic that gained an increased interest within the HCI community during the last years. In this paper we discuss this topic through the Japanese concept of Wabi-Sabi, a philosophy that embraces three basic realities of the material world: ‘nothing lasts’, ‘nothing is finished’, and ‘nothing is perfect’. We use these concepts to reflect on four unique interactive artefacts, which all in different ways embrace aspects of Wabi-Sabi, in terms of their design gestalt, materiality, but also in terms of use practices. Further, we use our analysis to articulate three high-level principles that may help addressing the long-term realities faced in physical interaction design, and for the design of interactive systems in general.
Authors: 
Tsaknaki, V., and Fernaeus, Y.
Published in: 
In Proceedings of CHI 2016, San Jose, CA, USA.
Date: 
Wednesday, January 20, 2016 - 13:30