Prototyping with Uncertainties: Data, Algorithms, and Research through DesignSeen both as a resource and an obstacle to clarity, uncertainty is a concept that permeates many areas of design. As the concept gains prominence in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), this special issue specifically explores the interplay between uncertainty and prototyping in Research through Design (RtD). We first outline three histories of uncertainty in design, in relation to its philosophical significance, its role in statistical and algorithmic processes, and its importance in prototyping. The convergence of these aspects is crucial as design evolves toward more agentive and entangled systems, introducing challenges such as Design as a Probabilistic Outcome. We then investigate the design spaces for engaging with “being uncertain” that emerge from the papers: from nuancing the relationship between designers and quantitative data to blurring the line between humans, fungi, and algorithms. Finally, we illuminate some preliminary threads for how RtD can navigate and engage with these shifting technological and design landscapes thoughtfully.2025EGElisa Giaccardi et al.Prototyping & User TestingComputational Methods in HCIDIS
The Development and (Mis)appropriation of a Digital Kit for JewellersJewellers’ participation in interaction design is scarce, yet the creativity of jewellers could add value as they interpret materials and mediate personal connections in poetic ways. We investigate how to empower jewellers to experiment with the possibilities that physical computing offers to their practice. This article presents the making of a Digital Jewellery Kit, a composite of pre-assembled circuitry, used by second-year BA jewellery students during a 10-week project which brought together theory and practice. Drawing on students’ reflective accounts, we discuss what made the jewellers’ path into physical computing more meaningful to their practice, what type of artefacts they created with electronics as well as what values drove their creative process. We offer design recommendations on how to support the praxes of jewellers whilst allowing their creativity to grow through their new understanding of physical computing and contribute to the discussions around hybrid craft within HCI and educational contexts.2025NKNantia Koulidou et al.Shape-Changing Materials & 4D PrintingMakerspace CultureDIS
Exploring Anthropomorphism in Conversational Agents for Environmental SustainabilityThe paper investigates the integration of Large Language Models (LLMs) into Conversational Agents (CAs) to encourage a shift in consumption patterns from a demand-driven to a supply-based paradigm. Specifically, the research examines the role of anthropomorphic design in delivering environmentally conscious messages by comparing two CA designs: a personified agent representing an appliance and a traditional, non-personified assistant. A lab study (N=26) assessed the impact of these designs on interaction, perceived self-efficacy, and engagement. Results indicate that LLM-based CAs significantly enhance users' self-reported eco-friendly behaviors, with participants expressing greater confidence in managing energy consumption. While the anthropomorphic design did not notably affect self-efficacy, those interacting with the personified agent reported a stronger sense of connection with the system. These findings suggest that although anthropomorphic CAs may improve user engagement, both designs hold promise for fostering sustainable behaviors in home energy management.2025MGMathyas Giudici et al.Agent Personality & AnthropomorphismAI-Assisted Decision-Making & AutomationEnergy Conservation Behavior & InterfacesDIS
Diffractive Interfaces: Facilitating Agential Cuts in Forest Data Across More-than-human ScalesAs cities worldwide adopt data-driven approaches to optimize urban forests, computational tools like agent-based models (ABMs) are increasingly popular to simulate forest growth and inform planting decisions. However, ABMs often focus on individual metrics, neglecting forests as interdependent ecosystems. Rooted in anthropocentric ideals, these models risk reducing forests to infrastructures for human benefit, undermining their long-term resilience. This pictorial challenges these limitations by exploring how interface design can transcend reductive, agent-centric representations to foster relational understandings of forest ecosystems as more-than-human bodies. Drawing on feminist theorist Karen Barad’s concepts of “diffraction” and “agential cuts,” we craft a repertoire of diffractive interfaces that engage with forest simulation data, revealing how more-than-human bodies can be encountered across diverse temporal, spatial, and agential scales. Through this design exploration, we operationalize more-than- human perspectives in data practices, deepening our understanding of the performative dimensions of interfaces and advancing nuanced, practical approaches to more-than-human design.2025EGElisa Giaccardi et al.Interactive Data VisualizationSustainable HCIHuman-Nature Relationships (More-than-Human Design)DIS
GeneyMAP: Exploring the Potential of GenAI to Facilitate Mapping User Journeys for UX DesignGenerative AI (GenAI) has been widely applied in UX design, yet its potential in the Journey Map (JM) creation process remains under-explored. We conducted a formative study (N = 24) to identify designers' needs for GenAI in JM creation, resulting in six design goals implemented (e.g., Acting as Different Stakeholders) in our tool, GeneyMAP. GeneyMAP streamlines the JM creation process, allowing designers to map interview data efficiently with flexibility, uncovering design opportunities through visual inspiration. A subsequent user study (N = 20) demonstrated that GeneyMAP, compared with the common tool, accelerated JM creation and fostered creativity mainly by providing diverse inspirations and facilitating progressive discussions. Our findings proved GeneyMAP‘s utility and effectiveness while challenges in maintaining control and trust in GenAI outputs were noted. Our research highlights the promising role of GenAI in refining JM creation practices and suggests implications for incorporating GenAI in JM and design workflows.2025YMYihan Mei et al.The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, School of DesignGenerative AI (Text, Image, Music, Video)Human-LLM CollaborationCHI
Immersive Biography: Supporting Intercultural Empathy and Understanding for Displaced Cultural Objects in Virtual RealityDisplaced cultural objects often act as mediators of intercultural understanding due to their connection between the original and host communities. This study explores how immersive embodied VR biography enhances intercultural empathy and understanding of displaced cultural objects. We took the famous Chinese painting, the Admonitions Scroll, housed at the British Museum as an example to design an Immersive Biography in VR. We conducted an empirical study with 24 participants from source and non-source communities. Findings suggested that interacting with biographical narratives of displaced cultural objects in a personified embodied way can effectively promote intercultural empathy and understanding. Additionally, simulated intercultural scenarios and dialogues with personified cultural objects fostered intercultural empathy in both groups, with a stronger effect observed in non-source communities due to differences in cultural identity and personal connections. Our study provided the potential and practical insights of immersive technologies to inspire intercultural communication for displaced cultural objects.2025KZKe Zhao et al.Wuhan University, School of Information Management; Duke Kunshan UniversityIdentity & Avatars in XRMuseum & Cultural Heritage DigitizationInteractive Narrative & Immersive StorytellingCHI
Embracing Gender Diversity: Designing an Adaptive Pleasure Object for a Changing BodyTrans and non-binary individuals undergoing hormone therapy face unique and evolving needs for sexual wellness products that current solutions often overlook. The transition process involves significant anatomical and psychological changes, highlighting the necessity for more inclusive approaches to Human-Computer Interaction and overall well-being. Within this framework, this study presents the development of a pleasure object designed to be fluid, adaptive, and responsive to the evolving anatomical and psychological changes experienced during hormone therapy. To this end, authors conducted comprehensive research, including an online survey on the autoerotic habits of trans and non-binary individuals, followed by three sensitive interviews and clinical integration. They observed significant themes that highlight the unique requirements and experiences of this community. By leveraging advanced technologies and selected materials, authors provide design considerations and discuss the potential of these methods to create sexual wellness products that offer meaningful and inclusive experiences for the trans and non-binary community.2025VRValeria Regis et al.Politecnico di Milano, Design DepartmentInclusive DesignGender & Race Issues in HCIEmpowerment of Marginalized GroupsCHI
How to Design with Ambiguity: Insights from Self-tracking WearablesNearly 20 years ago, Gaver et al. introduced ambiguity as a design resource, proposing tactics to reflect everyday uncertainty into interactive systems. This approach is especially relevant for self-tracking wearables, which often obscure the inherent ambiguity of system design and tracked phenomena with seemingly clear, prescriptive data and insights. Although scholars recognize the importance of ambiguity, its practical application in the design process remains underexplored. To address this, we conducted a two-week workshop with 60 designers, examining the application of Gaver et al.’s tactics into 11 design concepts, and performed interviews with 16 participants. Our findings reveal eight relevant ambiguity tactics for self-tracking and offer insights into participants' experiences with designing using ambiguity. We discuss prescription and overlooked ambiguity as levers for the operationalization of ambiguity, the potential benefits and downsides of ambiguity tactics for users, future directions for HCI research and practice, and the study limitations.2025CLChiara Di Lodovico et al.Politecnico di Milano, Design DepartmentVisualization Perception & CognitionBiosensors & Physiological MonitoringUser Research Methods (Interviews, Surveys, Observation)CHI
AI, Help Me Think—but for Myself: Assisting People in Complex Decision-Making by Providing Different Kinds of Cognitive SupportHow can we design AI tools that effectively support human decision-making by complementing and enhancing users' reasoning processes? Common recommendation-centric approaches face challenges such as inappropriate reliance or a lack of integration with users' decision-making processes. Here, we explore an alternative interaction model in which the AI outputs build upon users' own decision-making rationales. We compare this approach, which we call ExtendAI, with a recommendation-based AI. Participants in our mixed-methods user study interacted with both AIs as part of an investment decision-making task. We found that the AIs had different impacts, with ExtendAI integrating better into the decision-making process and people's own thinking and leading to slightly better outcomes. RecommendAI was able to provide more novel insights while requiring less cognitive effort. We discuss the implications of these and other findings along with three tensions of AI-assisted decision-making which our study revealed.2025LRLeon Reicherts et al.University College London, UCL Interaction CentreExplainable AI (XAI)AI-Assisted Decision-Making & AutomationCHI
From Alien to Ally: Exploring Non-Verbal Communication with Non-Anthropomorphic Avatars in a Collaborative Escape-RoomDespite the spread of technologies in the physical world and the normalization of virtual experiences, non-verbal communication with radically non-anthropomorphic avatars remains an underexplored frontier. We present an interaction system in which two participants must learn to communicate with each other non-verbally through a digital filter that morphs their appearance. In a collaborative escape room, the Visitor must teach a non-anthropomorphic physical robot to play, while the Controller, in a different location, embodies the robot with an altered perception of the environment and the Visitor’s companion in VR. This study addresses the design of the activity, the robot, and the virtual environment, with a focus on how the Visitor’s morphology is translated in VR. Results show that participants were able to develop emergent and effective communication strategies, with the Controller naturally embodying its avatar’s narrative, making this system a promising testbed for future research on human-technology interaction, entertainment, and embodiment.2025FEFederico Espositi et al.Politecnico di Milano, Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e BioingegneriaSocial & Collaborative VRIdentity & Avatars in XRSocial Robot InteractionCHI
Policy Sandboxing: Empathy as an Enabler Towards Inclusive Policy-MakingDigitally-supported participatory methods are often used in policy-making to develop inclusive policies by collecting and integrating citizen's opinions. However, these methods fail to capture the complexity and nuances in citizen's needs, i.e., citizens are generally unaware of other's needs, perspectives, and experiences. Consequently, policies developed with this underlying gap tend to overlook the alignment of multistakeholder perspectives, and design policies based on the optimization of high-level demographic features. In our contribution, we propose a method to enable citizens understand other's perspectives and calibrate their positions. First, we collected requirements and design principles to develop our approach by involving stakeholders and experts in policymaking in a series of workshops. Then, we conducted a crowdsourcing study with 420 participants to compare the effect of different text and images, on people’s initial and final motivations and their willingness to change opinions. We observed that both influence participant's opinion change, however, the effect is more pronounced for textual modality. Finally, we discuss overarching implications of designing with empathy to mediate alignment of citizen's perspectives.2024AMAndrea Mauri et al.Session 3c: Speculative Design and Emerging TechnologiesCSCW
Art Digital Jewellery as Atmospheres: An Autobiographical RtD Exploration into IoT for Poetic ContextsIn a process of Research-through-Design two art digital jewellery pieces were created on the same bespoke IoT device that connects a person with the sea: a hand-held piece (SeaVessel) and a necklace (Thalassa). Drawing on the notion of atmosphere, the design development (2020-21) and the first author’s lived experience with the pieces (2021-2022) are illustrated and narrated. We share insights into how the pieces augmented intimacy with a significant place and offer a space for self-reflection for the first author to explore their connection with the sea and ultimately the self. We offer insights gained from working with IoT, live data and online servers in such a poetic context. We contribute to experiential approaches to designing reflective and curious ways of interacting with digital technology with the notion of atmosphere as a concept for aesthetics for interaction design and an understanding of data as poetic data.2024NKNantia Koulidou et al.Smart Home Interaction DesignDigital Art Installations & Interactive PerformanceDIS
Shaping and Being Shaped by Drones: Programming in Perception-Action LoopsIn a long-term commitment to designing for the aesthetics of human–drone interactions, we have been troubled by the lack of tools for shaping and interactively feeling drone behaviours. By observing participants in a three-day drone challenge, we isolated components of drones that, if made transparent, could have helped participants better explore their aesthetic potential. Through a bricolage approach to analysing interviews, field notes, video recordings, and inspection of each team’s code, we describe how teams 1) shifted their efforts from aiming for seamless human–drone interaction, to seeing drones as fragile, wilful, and prone to crashes; 2) engaged with intimate, bodily interactions to more precisely probe, understand and define their drone’s capabilities; 3) adopted different workaround strategies, emphasising either training the drone or the pilot. We contribute an empirical account of constraints in shaping the potential aesthetics of drone behaviour, and discuss how programming environments could better support somaesthetic perception–action loops for design and programming purposes.2024MSMousa Sondoqah et al.Shape-Changing Interfaces & Soft Robotic MaterialsDrone Interaction & ControlDance & Body Movement ComputingDIS
Defining Patterns for a Conversational WebConversational agents are emerging as channels for a natural and accessible interaction with digital services. Their benefits span across a wide range of usage scenarios and address visual impairments and any situational impairments that may take advantage of voice-based interactions. A few works highlighted the potential and the feasibility of adopting conversational agents for making the Web truly accessible for everyone. Yet, there is still a lack of concrete guidance in designing conversational experiences for browsing the Web. This paper illustrates a human-centered process that involved $26$ blind and visually impaired people to investigate their difficulties when using assistive technology for accessing the Web, and their attitudes and preferences on adopting conversational agents. In response to the identified challenges, the paper introduces patterns for conversational Web browsing. It also discusses design implications that can promote Conversational AI as a technology to enhance Web accessibility.2023EPEmanuele Pucci et al.Politecnico di MilanoIntelligent Voice Assistants (Alexa, Siri, etc.)Conversational ChatbotsVisual Impairment Technologies (Screen Readers, Tactile Graphics, Braille)CHI
Analysis of Gender Stereotypes for the Design of Service Robots - Case Study on the Chinese Catering MarketService robots are entering all kinds of business areas, and the outbreak of COVID-19 speeds up their application. Many studies have shown that robots with matching gender-occupational roles receive larger acceptance. However, this can also enlarge the gender bias in society. In this paper, we identified gender norms embedded in service robots by iteratively coding 67 humanoid robot images collected from the Chinese e-commerce platform Alibaba. We then generated four-step guidance for designers to identify and challenge the gender norms in the robot design. Our research provides both the fundamental grounding and practical guidance for designing catering robots that challenge gender norms and promote social equality.2021ZWZixuan Wang et al.Social Robot InteractionEmpowerment of Marginalized GroupsTechnology Ethics & Critical HCIDIS
Interactive Multisensory Environments for Primary School ChildrenInteractive Multi-Sensory Environments (iMSEs) are room-sized interactive installations equipped with digitally enriched physical materials and ambient embedded devices. These items can sense users' presence, gestures, movements, and manipulation, and react by providing gentle stimulation (e.g., light, sound, projections, blowing bubbles, tactile feel, aromas) to different senses. Most of prior research on iMSEs investigates their use for persons with disabilities (e.g., autism). Our work focuses on the use of iMSEs in primary education contexts and for mixed groups of young students, i.e., children with and without disability. The paper describes the latest version of an iMSE called Magic Room that has been installed in two local schools. We report two empirical studies devoted to understand how the Magic Room could be used in inclusive educational settings, and to explore its potential benefits.2020FGFranca Garzotto et al.Politecnico di MilanoEarly Childhood Education TechnologySpecial Education TechnologyInclusive DesignCHI
Emotional Footprints of Email InterruptionsWorking in an environment with constant interruptions is known to affect stress, but how do interruptions affect emotional expression? Emotional expression can have significant impact on interactions among coworkers. We analyzed the video of 26 participants who performed an essay task in a laboratory while receiving either continual email interruptions or receiving a single batch of email. Facial videos of the participants were run through a convolutional neural network to determine the emotional mix via decoding of facial expressions. Using a novel co-occurrence matrix analysis, we showed that with batched email, a neutral emotional state is dominant with sadness being a distant second, and with continual interruptions, this pattern is reversed, and sadness is mixed with fear. We discuss the implications of these results for how interruptions can impact employees' well-being and organizational climate.2020CBChristopher Blank et al.University of HoustonNotification & Interruption ManagementWorkplace Wellbeing & Work StressCHI
Embodied Learning in Immersive Smart SpacesThis paper presents the design and evaluation of IMAGINE, a novel interactive immersive smart space for embodied learning. In IMAGINE children use full-body movements and gestures to interact with multimedia educational contents projected on the wall and on the floor, while synchronized light effects enhance immersivity. A controlled study performed at a primary school with 48 children aged 6-8 highlights the educational potential of an immersive embodied solution, also compared to traditional teaching methods, and draws some implications for smart-space technology adoption in educational contexts.2020MGMirko Gelsomini et al.Politecnico di MilanoFull-Body Interaction & Embodied InputK-12 Digital Education ToolsCHI
Empowering End Users to Customize their Smart Environments: Model, Composition Paradigms, and Domain-Specific ToolsResearch on the Internet of Things (IoT) has devoted many efforts to technological aspects. Little social and practical benefits have emerged so far. IoT devices, so-called smart objects, are becoming even more pervasive and social, leading to the need to provide non-technical users with innovative interaction strategies for controlling their behavior. In other words, the opportunities offered by IoT can be amplified if new approaches are conceived to enable non-technical users to be directly involved in “composing” their smart objects by synchronizing their behavior. To fulfill this goal, this article introduces a model that includes new operators for defining rules combining multiple events and conditions exposed by smart objects, and for defining temporal and spatial constraints on rule activation. The article also presents the results of an elicitation study that was conducted to identify possible visual paradigms for expressing composition rules. Prototypes implementing the resulting visual paradigms were compared during a controlled experiment and the one that resulted most relevant for our goals was used in a study that involved home-automation experts. Finally, the article discusses some design implications that came out from the performed studies and presents the architecture of a platform supporting rule definition and execution.2018GDGiuseppe Desolda et al.University of Bari Aldo MoroContext-Aware ComputingSmart Home Interaction DesignSmart Home Privacy & SecurityCHI