About the Project

The research project

“Evaluation-Driven Design” is a research project oriented toward exploring and defining adequate research and design methods for Full-Body Interaction Learning Environments. The project is funded by Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Grant TIN2014-60599-P) and has a three-years duration (01/2015-12/2017).

What is Full-Body Interaction?

Recent technological developments have witnessed the explosion of post-desktop models of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Grounded in the embodied cognition paradigm, these approaches have shed new light on previously neglected design aspects by moving away from the conception of the user as ‘fingers and eyes’ and by incorporating the body and space in the interactive experience. Following the principles of embodied interaction, understood as “the use of the physical world to interact with digital technologies”, several novel interaction modalities have been developed. Within them, Full-Body Interaction is an interaction modality where users can interact with digital technology through the use of their bodies in the physical space.

Why Full-Body Interaction Learning Environments?

According to embodied cognition and experiential pedagogies, physicality can support learning and concrete experiences are crucial in grounding knowledge. Furthermore, the features of Full-Body Interaction can support conditions for learning by doing, allow offloading cognition in the environment and facilitate collaboration. Building on this panorama, several Full-Body Interaction Learning Environments (FUBILEs), aimed at supporting diverse learning processes, have been designed and evaluated in the last years.

Why appropriate research and design methods for Full-Body Interaction Learning Environments?

The increasing importance of the field  demands to go beyond the initial novelty factor and technological optimism, to better understand the specificities of this research area. Often research in Full-Body Interaction Learning Environments derives from a standpoint where only the surface features of embodiment and experiential learning are considered (e.g. move the body to interact with technology), without fully acknowledging the implications of these frameworks. As a consequence, the proposed solutions and the employed design and research methods often end up just superficially scratching the potential of this research area, hence providing only a limited understanding of it. Starting from this perspective, this project focuses on exploring research methods that can allow a deeper understanding of FUBILEs in order to inform their design and their evaluation.

The research

To carry out this research we analyze, explore and define design and evaluation techniques for Full-Body Interaction Learning Environments. This research will be carried out through the evaluation of three already existing Full-Body Interaction Learning Environments (Archimedes, Ecosystem and Between Bodies) and through the design and development of two novel ones. As main outcome, we will derive a set of guidelines for design and evaluation.

About Us

Narcís Parés is a Tenure Associate Professor in the ICT Department of Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona, Spain). He has an interest in the possibilities of Full-Body Interaction based on current Embodied Cognition theories in areas such as Learning, Play and Special Needs. This research is undertaken from the standpoint of Interaction Design, Interactive Communication and Interactive Playgrounds, focusing attention mainly on interaction for children and using non-invasive technologies. He is senior member of the Cognitive Media Technologies Group and leader of the Full-Body Interaction Lab.

Laura Malinverni is a researcher, educator and artist working in the field of education innovation, art and new technologies. She holds a BS in Fine Arts, a MS in Cognitive Systems and Interactive Media and a PhD in Information and Communication Technology. Currently, she is a postdoc at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona, Spain), researching on Participatory Design and evaluation techniques for novel interfaces. She has been organizing and teaching several workshops both with children and adults and worked in the field of formal and informal education. As an artist her works have been exposed in several international events and exhibitions and, as a researcher her works have been published in international conferences and journals.

Marie-Monique Schaper is a researcher and UX designer who specializes in merging technology and design research. Working in concept development, game and interaction design, she benefits from her interdisciplinary educational background. Marie holds a German Diploma degree in Graphic Design from the HAWK University of Applied Science and Arts (Hildesheim, Germany) and a Master of Science degree in Cognitive Systems and Interactive Media from Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona, Spain). Before returning to academe, Marie spent 5 years in the new media industry working as designer. Currently, she is PhD candidate and research assistant at ICT Department of Universitat Pompeu Fabra focusing her research on new strategies for Participatory Design methods for children, interaction design and embodied cognition. Her work has been published in international conferences (CHI, IDC, ACE) and journals.