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The implications of improvisational acting and role-playing on design methodologies

Published: 10 April 2010 Publication History

Abstract

For decades designers have used theatre metaphors to describe design methodologies and have used performance techniques to enhance the design process, two of which are improvisational acting and role-playing. Unfortunately, most design literature does not differentiate between these two practices even while using them in combination with various design methods. This paper discusses how improvisation and role-playing have been employed during the design process and why they are distinct from one another. The authors draw upon their current research involving improvisational acting and compare it with other role-playing research which examines role-playing from both a serious and entertainment angle. They conclude through this comparison that both performance techniques have their place in the design process and that more informed definitions of each technique can aid designers in deciding which technique's properties will benefit them the most.

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    cover image ACM Conferences
    CHI '10: Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
    April 2010
    2690 pages
    ISBN:9781605589299
    DOI:10.1145/1753326
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    Published: 10 April 2010

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    Author Tags

    1. design methodologies
    2. improvisation
    3. performance
    4. role-playing
    5. theatre

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    • (2024)"Is There Anything Else...?" Role-Play Exploration To Use Response Times As A Relationship-Building Effect With Voice AssistantsProceedings of Mensch und Computer 202410.1145/3670653.3677500(474-478)Online publication date: 1-Sep-2024
    • (2023)Influence and Improvisation: Participatory Disinformation during the 2020 US ElectionSocial Media + Society10.1177/205630512311779439:2Online publication date: 7-Jun-2023
    • (2023)Hands-On Workshop on Tabletop Role-Playing for Inclusive Design: Imagining Sustainable Futures for ‘Older Adults'Proceedings of the 26th International Academic Mindtrek Conference10.1145/3616961.3616977(289-293)Online publication date: 3-Oct-2023
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    • (2022)Mine Yourself!: A Role-playing Privacy Tutorial in Virtual Reality EnvironmentExtended Abstracts of the 2022 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3491101.3519773(1-7)Online publication date: 27-Apr-2022
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