Pick a piece of interactive technology in public, used by multiple people. Write down your assumptions as to how it’s used, and describe the context in which it’s being used. Watch people use it, preferably without them knowing they’re being observed. Take notes on how they use it, what they do differently, what appear to be the difficulties, what appear to be the easiest parts. Record what takes the longest, what takes the least amount of time, and how long the whole transaction takes. Consider how the readings from Norman and Crawford reflect on what you see.
Everybody loves water fountains. They’re the one example of public art that works but in some ways they’re lacking. This photo was taken outside of Lincoln Center and although it isn’t “interactive” the modern sense of the word, it demonstrates the underlying need for more interactive water falls, fountains or installations. ”Hmm”, you might be asking yourself, “I don’t really know of any interactive water falls” and I guess that’s my point. How immersive cool would it be to play with an installation that’s reactive to your presence rather than just running off a predetermined timer controlling lighting and fountain size? Imagine you’re on a big date, you’ve both run out of things to say but you’re feeling the sparks. If only you had some really wondrous water fountain to play with to break the ackward silence, wouldn’t that be dreamy? Ok, by now I’ve veered way off onto a tangent of my personal fantasies but hey that’s what we’re here for right?