Interaction Domain of Digital Device Adoption

The 21st century is interwoven with technological innovation and expanding networks. In the midst of such change, some designers have advocated that we pause and assess the objects with which we been surround ourselves. Erik Stolterman and his colleagues wrote in Device Landscapes that “The number of interactive digital artifacts is growing surrounding personal lives, and individuals have an increasing need to describe, analyze, and interpret what it means to own, use, and live with a large number of interactive artifacts” (Stolterman et al., 2013). With the emergence and rapid proliferation of technology devices, the divide between tangible and intangible things has been questioned as information and data have emerged as important extensions of personal devices. A sea of informational artifacts, therefore, poses a challenge for users to fully adopt them into their daily interactions. In response, I conducted an inquiry-driven investigation into the domain of device adoption and highlighted seven key themes in the context of current and speculative technology. The exploration was designed on a iterative model of areal definition and research to outline the greater territory. For the sake of a sensible scope, I have limited my target users to millennials who I describe as a unique generation of early adapters that are both active participants and architects of technological change. To present the research outcome, I propose an annotated portfolio-styled exhibition that curates ideations and explorative concepts that have emerged from each round of research. The exhibited concepts simulate a range of device experiences and encourage pedagogic discourse around current and future models of device interactions. They are designed to induce informed reflection and discussion over innovation of digital devices and on how to build true agency over objects that are constantly evolving and changing.