Interaction Design

Based on the writings of Nathan Shedroff – the unified field theory of design (Interaction Design) is the intersection of the disciplines of Information Design, Interaction Design, and Sensorial Design. (Shedroff, Unified, pg. 1 ) The act of creation is what differentiates interaction design with the traditional definition of information design. Information designers, according to Shedroff, organize and present data in valuable and meaningful ways. They take data that already exists – they may need to research and discover the data, but it’s there.

Figure 1.1 - Interaction Design diagram (Shedroff)

The creation of data (something all humans do to some extent) has only recently been identified as a discipline with proven processes that can be employed or taught. (Shedroff, Unified, pg. 1 ) In simple terms, interaction design is story creating and telling. As you might notice, this derivative of information design is not dependent on the medium. Stories have been created, recorded, and told for thousands of years. Today, the technology many of us use provides a new forum to create and tell stories.

How is this related to Information Design?

The information designer is telling a story through communication. If one is able to communicate a story through the design, the information may translate more clearly to the recipient. Shedroff gives and example of information design that also tells a story in his Interaction Design essay. He writes about the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C. Shedroff states,

“The names of all of the US military personnel who died in the Vietnam War are inscribed on the surfaces of two long, black granite walls. The walls start out short (around twelve inches) and grow to more than nine feet in the center where the two meet. They are constructed this way for a special reason. All of the names are arranged by time (date of death), from the first who died during the “police action,” to the mounting death toll at the height of the war, trickling off as the US pulled out of the area. The names thus chart the pattern of US involvement in Vietnam and the personal stories of the real people involved and most affected. Imagine how different the monument would be without this organization. Suppose the names were organized by alphabet (which was actually proposed once the design was accepted). While it might be easier to find a particular person, the search and the names themselves would be reduced to a mechanical list, a granite White Pages. Lost would be the individuality of each name and life. In a list of seventeen John Smiths, which one is yours?” (Shedroff, Unified, pg. 7 )

Using information as a tool to tell a story may help people understand (consciously or unconsciously) the magnitude and importance of the information. Organizing information based on a story can provide a powerful end result. Organizing information with the traditional tools (e.g. alphabetical, numerical, etc.) can make the information impersonal.