Cultural Usability is a preliminary research project funded by the University of Art and Design Helsinki UIAH and carried out at the university’s Media Lab. The research looks for critical approaches to new media design by creating exchanges between cultural studies, sociology of technology, design research and technology development.
'Cultural usability' is a working hypothesis for a design practice that takes into account the larger socio-cultural context of use, reaching beyond the functional interests of contemporary usability research and interface development.
The public seminar arranged by the project presents some of the approaches developed within the research. The aim is to activate critical discussion of technology development and design, to which the seminar’s invited speakers have significantly contributed.
The seminar is targeted to researchers, students and practitioners of new media and technology. Admission free of charge.
The seminar forms a part of a study module for doctoral students, see http://www.mlab.uiah.fi/~mkaipain/study/CU_study.htm For further information, contact Minna Tarkka, tarkka@uiah.fi
Yrjö Sotamaa, rector, University of Art and Design, Welcome
Minna Tarkka, professor, UIAH Media Lab, Introduction - towards critical design practice
Lucy Suchman, Lancaster University, Located accountabilities in technology production
Kari Kuutti, Oulu University, Hunting for the lost user
Pelle Ehn, Malmö University, The collective designer
Richard Coyne, University of Edinburgh, Computers, philosophies, practices
Minna Tarkka, Discourse and rhetoric in interactive media design
Heidi Tikka, Affective environments: boundary breakdowns in art and interface design
Online report: demos, cases, research issues presented by the Cultural Usability group
Commentaries (Mika Pantzar, Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration; Jaakko Virtanen & Yrjö Engeström, Helsinki University; Tapio Mäkelä, Turku University; Anna-Maija Ylimaula, University of Art and Design Helsinki)
Discussion