research-article

Metaprobes, Metaphysical Workshops and Sketchy Philosophy

Authors:

Enrique Encinas,

Abigail C. Durrant,

Mark BlytheAuthors Info & Claims

CHI '20: Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

Pages 1 - 13

https://doi.org/10.1145/3313831.3376453

Published: 23 April 2020 Publication History

Abstract

The intersection of philosophy and HCI is a longstanding site of interest for the field that has been attracting special attention in recent years. In this paper, we present metaphysical probes (Metaprobes) as a tool for design-led philosophical inquiry. A Metaprobe is a design artifact used to study a metaphysical idea without concealing the philosophical tools mobilized by the designers or the designerly knowledge attained after deployment. We introduce the concept of a Metaphysical Workshop. This is the set of sketchy philosophical notions that a designer mobilizes in order to research a philosophical idea through design. We then present a case study that comprises: the philosophical issue under examination, the Metaprobes designed to study it, the metaphysical workshop used and the designerly insight produced. We conclude with a discussion of the potentials and weaknesses of Metaprobes in relation to other critical and speculative research-through-design practices. We aim to provide one way to make philosophies already present in design more explicit and make other philosophical concepts relevant to HCI more accessible and workable for designers.

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Cited By

Jensen REncinas EStrengers YDannesboe CKruuse ESkovby JBach MTietze PChristensen S(2023)Provotyping Accountability: Exploring Smartphone Use in the Home through DesignProceedings of the 2023 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference10.1145/3563657.3596024(1595-1609)Online publication date: 10-Jul-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3563657.3596024
Mensonge K(2023)Historically Informed HCI: Reflecting on Contemporary Technology through Anachronistic FictionACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction10.1145/351714429:6(1-39)Online publication date: 4-Apr-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3517144
Chen QZhang MZhang MHuang RPang JYang AYang JYi HYuan WZhang CZhang GZhang YZhang ZJimenez Garcia JGao YHou SLiao QYang SZhu D(2023)As with Wine, Life Gets Better with Age. Redefining Mobile User Interface (UI) Components in the Age-Friendly Design TransformationCross-Cultural Design10.1007/978-3-031-35936-1_12(161-171)Online publication date: 23-Jul-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/978-3-031-35936-1_12
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Index Terms

Metaprobes, Metaphysical Workshops and Sketchy Philosophy
1. Human-centered computing
  1. Human computer interaction (HCI)

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cover image ACM Conferences

CHI '20: Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

April 2020

10688 pages

ISBN:9781450367080

DOI:10.1145/3313831

General Chairs:
Regina Bernhaupt
Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands
,
Florian 'Floyd' Mueller
Monash University, Australia
,
David Verweij
Newcastle University, UK
,
Josh Andres
RMIT, Australia
,
Program Chairs:
Joanna McGrenere
University of British Columbia, Canada
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Andy Cockburn
University of Canterbury, New Zealand
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Ignacio Avellino
University of Maryland Baltimore County, USA
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Alix Goguey
Grenoble Alpes University, France
,
Pernille Bjørn
University of Copenhagen, Denmark
,
Shengdong (Shen) Zhao
National University of Singapore, Singapore
,
Briane Paul Samson
Future University Hakodate, Japan & De La Salle University, Philippines
,
Rafal Kocielnik
University of Washington, USA

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Cited By

Jensen REncinas EStrengers YDannesboe CKruuse ESkovby JBach MTietze PChristensen S(2023)Provotyping Accountability: Exploring Smartphone Use in the Home through DesignProceedings of the 2023 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference10.1145/3563657.3596024(1595-1609)Online publication date: 10-Jul-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3563657.3596024
Mensonge K(2023)Historically Informed HCI: Reflecting on Contemporary Technology through Anachronistic FictionACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction10.1145/351714429:6(1-39)Online publication date: 4-Apr-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3517144
Chen QZhang MZhang MHuang RPang JYang AYang JYi HYuan WZhang CZhang GZhang YZhang ZJimenez Garcia JGao YHou SLiao QYang SZhu D(2023)As with Wine, Life Gets Better with Age. Redefining Mobile User Interface (UI) Components in the Age-Friendly Design TransformationCross-Cultural Design10.1007/978-3-031-35936-1_12(161-171)Online publication date: 23-Jul-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/978-3-031-35936-1_12
Wakkary ROogjes DBehzad A(2022)Two Years or More of Co-speculation: Polylogues of Philosophers, Designers, and a Tilting BowlACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction10.1145/351423529:5(1-44)Online publication date: 20-Oct-2022
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Jensen REncinas ERaptis D(2022)Spicing It Up: From Ubiquitous Devices to Tangible Things Through ProvocationProceedings of the Sixteenth International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction10.1145/3490149.3502257(1-15)Online publication date: 13-Feb-2022
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Economidou E(2021)Moving Walls and Talking Floors: Design Considerations on Magical Media Architecture ExperiencesProceedings of the 5th Media Architecture Biennale Conference10.1145/3469410.3469431(194-199)Online publication date: 28-Jun-2021
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Çerçi SE. Cecchinato MVines JKitamura YQuigley AIsbister KIgarashi TBjørn PDrucker S(2021)How Design Researchers Interpret ProbesProceedings of the 2021 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3411764.3445328(1-15)Online publication date: 6-May-2021
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Kong BLiang RLiu MChang STseng HJu CKitamura YQuigley AIsbister KIgarashi TBjørn PDrucker S(2021)Neuromancer Workshop: Towards Designing Experiential Entanglement with Science FictionProceedings of the 2021 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3411764.3445273(1-17)Online publication date: 6-May-2021
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