Touch-based interactions have been of interest within interaction design, as they can communicate large quantities of information about materials, systems, and impact affective states. This dissertation outlines the process of developing a design method to aid designers in honing their somatic sensibilities to engage in interactions of caring touch through touch-based interactions and explorations. By utilizing a somatics-based research through design process, I performed first-person explorations of qualities of gentle and caring gestures of touch and correspondence. Correspondence refers to the moments of intimate connection with a system where the feedback is experienced as an extension of one’s body. This first-person exploration process included various estrangement exercises, explorations of touch, material affordances, and correspondence. The findings from the first-person explorations became the basis of the sensitization toolkit and method, which was later evaluated through the use of workshops with participants with knowledge of soma design. The contribution of this dissertation is threefold. Firstly by offering an accessible design method for sensitizing designers to interactions of caring touch and to further explore qualities of touch to inform multisensory design outcomes. Secondly, during the workshop, it was shown to elicit care, it is important to orchestrate small disruptions in the flow of correspondence. Lastly, by suggesting the use of subtle disruptions in correspondence as a way for designers to develop their somatic sensibilities and pique curiosity, and in turn possibly inspire new interactions and designs. / Beröringsbaserade interaktioner har varit av intresse inom interaktionsdesign, eftersom de kan kommunicera stora mängder information om material, system, och påverka känslomässiga tillstånd. Denna uppsats beskriver utvecklingsprocessen av en designmetod för att hjälpa designers att utveckla sin somatiska känslighet för att engagera sig i interaktioner med omsorgsfull beröring genom beröringsbaserade interaktioner och utforskningar. Genom en somatics-baserad research through design-metodik, utförde jag förstapersonsutforskningar av kvaliteter av beröring och korrespondens. Med korrespondens menas ögonblick av intim kontakt med system där återkopplingen upplevs som en förlängning av ens kropp. Denna förstapersonsutforskning inkluderade fjärmande övningar, utforskningar av berörning, materiella kvaliteer, och korrespondens. Resultaten från dessa utforskningarna blev grunden för verktygslådan och metoden, som senare utvärderades genom workshops med deltagare som hade kunskap inom somadesign. Bidraget från denna avhandling är trefaldigt. För det första genom att bidra med en lättillgänglig designmetod för att göra designers medvetna om interaktioner av omsorgsfull beröring och att ytterligare utforska beröringskvaliteter för att informera multisensoriska designlösningar. För det andra visade det sig under workshopen att vid avsiktligt framkallande av omsorg är det viktigt att orkestera små störningar i korrespondens. Slutligen, föreslås användningen av subtila störningar i korrespondensen som ett sätt för designers att utveckla sin somatiska känslighet och väcka nyfikenhet, och genom det möjligen inspirera nya former av interaktioner och designs.

Att ta itu med hållbarhet i livsmedel och minska livsmedelsindustrins miljöpåverkan har avgörande betydelse. Inom detta sammanhang har måltidsplanering framstått som en betydande faktor som påverkar matbeteendet och bidrar till att minska hushållsavfallet. Denna forskning fokuserar på att undersöka effekten och effektiviteten av en måltidsplanerings som syftar till att minska avfallet. För att åstadkomma detta användes en blandad Research through Design-process (RtD), som inkluderade metoder som brainstorming och observationsmetoder. Forskningsresultaten visar att genomförandet av en måltidsplanering framgångsrikt kan förbättra användningen av ingredienser inom hushållen, vilket leder till minskat avfall. Designegenskaper som stödjer individer i deras måltidsplanering identifierades: ha planeringen på ett och samma ställe, inkludera uppmaningar med syfte att uppmuntra individer att följa planen, och visa framstegen under hela måltidscykeln. Vidare identifierades designegenskaper som stödde matlagning i hemmet: att ha systemet och måltidsplanen synliga för användaren, samt att dela upp ingrediensen till måltiderna i fack. Sammantaget hjälper dessa identifierade designegenskaper individer att delta i måltidsplanering, vilket leder till minskat hushållsavfall. / Addressing food sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of the food industry are crucial concerns. Within this context, meal planning has emerged as a significant factor influencing food behaviour and contributing to the reduction of domestic waste. This research focuses on investigating the impact and effectiveness of a meal planning intervention aimed at the reduction of waste. To accomplish this, a mixed Research through Design (RtD) process was employed, incorporating methods such as brainstorming sessions and observational methods. The research findings reveal that implementing a meal planning intervention can successfully enhance ingredient utilisation within households, which leads to waste reduction. Design properties that support individuals in their meal planning efforts were identified: having the planning process all in one place, incorporating prompts to encourage individuals to adhere to the plan, and showcasing the progress throughout the meal cycle. Furthermore, design properties that supported cooking in the home were identified: having the system and the meal plan visible to the user, and dividing the ingredient for the meals into compartments. Overall, these identified design propertied collectively assist individuals in engaging in meal planning, leading to the reduction of domestic waste.

The recruiter’s first impression of a candidate is often formed through the candidate’s CV, and the CV plays a vital role in recruitment processes for convincing the recruiter to proceed with an applicant to a first interview. Thus, it needs to catch the recruiter’s attention and show whether the candidate is an ideal match for what the recruiter is looking for. With the aim to explore web-based CVs with interactive elements and examine users’ habits and requirements in IT consultant recruitment processes, this study asks the question: How can the user experience of an interactive CV page be improved to help facilitate the recruitment process of consultants? By applying an iterative, user-centered design approach, utilizing the Constructive Design Research framework, the study results in a prototype and proposes design suggestions drawing on knowledge generated from the prototype. Further, three characteristics essential to improve the user experience and help facilitate the recruitment process of consultants are suggested. / En rekryterareres första intryck av en kandidat bildas ofta genom kandidatens CV. Vidare spelar CV:t en avgörande roll i rekryteringsprocesser för att övertyga rekryteraren att gå vidare med en kandidat till en första intervju. Detta innebär att ett CV måste fånga en rekryterares uppmärksamhet och visa huruvida kandidaten är en idealistisk match för det rekryteraren letar efter. I syfte att utforska webbaserade CV:n med interaktiva element och undersöka användares vanor och krav i rekryteringsprocesser för IT-konsulter, ställer denna studie forskningsfrågan: Hur kan användarupplevelsen av en interaktiv CV-sida förbättras för att underlätta i rekryteringsprocessen av konsulter? Genom att tillämpa en iterativ användarcentrerad designstrategi där konstruktiv designforskning tillämpas, resulterar studien i en prototyp och föreslår dessutom designförslag utifrån kunskap genererad från prototypen. Vidare föreslås av studien tre attribut som anses vara väsentliga för att förbättra användarupplevelsen och hjälpa till att underlätta rekryteringsprocessen av konsulter.

This project explores water as a design material for interactive experiences. The project follows a Research Through Design approach, incorporating methods from both material driven design and the soma design methodology. Over a period of two months, I engaged in first person explorations where I engaged deeply with the design material. The explorations revealed three aesthetic qualities of being in and around water, with a potential to be utilized in interactive water experiences. These qualities are 1) how water reflects light, 2) touching and being touched by water, and 3) how water produces sound when it hits other surfaces. This was followed by material explorations, in which the three qualities were further explored. The material explorations informed the design of a toolkit that incorporates the three aesthetic qualities, and allows designers to explore and utilize them to design interactive water experiences. The toolkit was then used in a participatory design workshop, where 7 designers were tasked with using the toolkit to co-design interactive water experiences. Results from the workshop include three design concepts and four themes that highlight how the different aesthetic qualities might be utilized to create meaningful interactive water experiences. / Detta projekt utforskar vatten som ett designmaterial för interaktiva upplevelser. Projektet följer en Research Through Design-metod, som inkluderar metoder från både materialdriven design och soma designmetodologin. Under en period på två månader ägnade jag mig åt förstapersonsutforskningar där jag engagerade mig djupt med designmaterialet. Utforskningarna avslöjade tre estetiska egenskaper av att vara i och runt vatten, med potential att utnyttjas i interaktiva vattenupplevelser. Dessa egenskaper är 1) hur vatten reflekterar ljus, 2) att beröra eller att bli berörd av vattnet, och 3) hur vatten producerar ljud när det träffar andra ytor. Detta följdes av materialutforskningar, där de tre kvaliteterna utforskades ytterligare. Materialutforskningarna informerade utformningen av en verktygslåda som innehåller de tre estetiska egenskaperna. Verktygslådan låter designers utforska dessa kvaliteter och använda dem för att designa interaktiva vattenupplevelser. Verktygslådan användes sedan i en deltagande designworkshop där 7 designers fick i uppdrag att använda verktygslådan för att samdesigna interaktiva vattenupplevelser. Resultaten från workshopen inkluderar tre designkoncept och fyra teman som belyser hur de olika estetiska kvaliteterna kan användas för att skapa meningsfulla interaktiva vattenupplevelser.

The topic of smart cities is growing in importance. However, a field study in the city of Malmö, Sweden shows that there is a discrepancy between the ongoing activities of urban planners and companies using analytical and digital tools to interpret humans’ behavior and preferences on the one hand, and the visibility of these developments in public spaces on the other. Citizens are affected by the invisible data and software not only when they use an application, but also when their living space is transformed. By Research through Design, this thesis examines ways of triggering discussion about smart city issues, which are hidden in software and code. In this thesis, a specific solution is developed: a public, tangible, and interactive visualization in the form of an interactive signpost. The final, partly functioning prototype is mountable in public places and points in the direction of the most beautiful walking path. The design refers to a smart city application that analyzes geo-tagged locative media and thereby predicts the beauty and security of a place.The aim is to trigger discussion about the contradictory issue of software interpreting the beauty of a place. Through its tangible, non-digital, and temporary character, the interactive representation encourages passers-by to interact with the prototype.

This thesis project explores how interactive technologies can facilitate a sense of social connectedness with others whilst remotely located. While studying the way humans use rituals for emotional management, I focused my interest on the act of commensality because it is one of the oldest and most important rituals used to foster togetherness among families and groups of friends. Dining with people who do not belong to the same household is of course hard during a global pandemic, just like many of the other forms of social interactions that were forcibly replaced by the use of technological means such as video-chat apps, instant messaging and perhaps an excessive use of social networking websites. These ways of staying connected, however, lack the subtleties of real physical interaction, which I tried to replicate with my prototype system, which consists of two sets of a lamp and a coaster which enable to communicate through light and tactile cues. The use of such devices creates a new kind of ritual based on the simultaneous use of the devices by two people, thus enabling a new and original form of commensality that happens through a shared synchronized experience.

Uppmärksamhet på miljön och att uppnå ett mer hållbart sätt att leva har ökat bland allmänheten och företag under flera år. Denna artikel har som ändamål att undersöka hur ett företag kan förmedla sina värderingar om hållbarhet inte bara genom ord och texter utan också genom grafisk design och visuell kommunikation. Artikeln djupdyker i grafiska profiler och identiteter och undersöker hur man med hjälp av dem kan visuellt uttrycka ett företags fokus på och värderingar kring hållbara tillverkning, förpackning samt hållbarhet för företaget och dess anställda. Artikeln bidrar med forskning som kan hjälpa designers att kommunicera specifika värderingar, i denna kontext hållbarhet, genom grafik samt visuella element, och dessutom hur man potentiellt kan förhålla sig till ämnen som “greenwashing”. Resultaten baseras på relevant litteratur i området, information samlad ifrån metoder som fokusgruppdiskussion och internetenkät, samt en visuell gestaltning i form av en grafisk profil för ett mock-up företag. / Awareness of the environment and achieving a more sustainable way of life has increased among the general public and companies for several years. The purpose of this article is to investigate how a company might convey its values ​​of sustainability not only through words and texts but also through graphic design and visual communication. The article delves into graphic profiles and brand identities and examines how they can be used to visually express a company's focus on, and values ​​around sustainable manufacturing, packaging, and sustainability for the company and its employees. The article contributes research that could help designers, in the context of sustainability, deliver specific messages and values through graphics and visual elements, as well as how one can potentially approach topics such as "greenwashing". The results are based on relevant literature in the area, information gathered from methods such as focus groups and surveys, as well as a practical design in the form of a graphic profile for a mock-up company.

The use of autonomous agents is an ever-growing possibility in our day-to-day life and, in some cases, already a reality. One future use might be autonomous robots performing last mile deliveries, a service the company HUGO delivery is currently developing. The goal of developing their autonomous delivery robot HUGO is to reduce the emissions from deliveries in the last mile by replacing delivery trucks with emission free autonomous robots. However, this new way of receiving deliveries introduces new design challenges since most people have little to no prior experience of interacting with autonomous agents. The user interface is therefore of great importance in making the user understand and be able to interact comfortably with the autonomous agent, thus also a key aspect in reaching user adoption. This thesis work examines how an interface for an autonomous food delivery service, such as the HUGO delivery, could be designed by applying a Human-Centered Artificial intelligence and Activity Centered Design focus in the design process, resulting in a design proposal for a web app. The conclusion of the thesis includes identification of the six essential interactions present in an autonomous food delivery service, as well as how HCAI and which of its guidelines can be applied when designing an interface for the interaction with an autonomous delivery robot.

The fast technology development for military unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) has led to a considerable demand to explore the soldier’s role in an interactive UGV system. This thesis explores how to design interactive systems for UGVs for infantry soldiers in the Swedish Armed Force. This was done through a user-centered design approach in three steps; (1) identifying the design drivers of the targeted military context through qualitative observations and user interviews, (2) using the design drivers to investigate concepts for controlling the UGV, and (3) create and evaluate a prototype of an interactive UGV system design. Results from interviews indicated that design drivers depend on the physical and psychological context of the intended soldiers. In addition, exploring the different concepts showed that early conceptual designs helped the user express their needs of a non-existing system. Furthermore, the results indicate that an interactive UGV system does not necessarily need to be at the highest level of autonomy in order to be useful for the soldiers on the field. The final prototype of an interactive UGV system was evaluated using a demonstration video, a Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and semi-structured user interviews. Results from this evaluation suggested that the soldiers see the potential usefulness of an interactive UGV system but are not entirely convinced. In conclusion, this thesis argues that in order to design an interactive UGV system, the most critical aspect is the soldiers’ acceptance of the new system. Moreover, for soldiers to accept the concept of military UGVs, it is necessary to understand the context of use and the needs of the soldiers. This is done by involving the soldiers already in the conceptual design process and then throughout the development phases.

Providing context behind customer feedback remains a challenge for company’s who rely on approaching Customer Experience (CX) through standardized Customer Satisfaction (CS) metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT), and Customer Effort Score (CES). Practical guidelines for monitoring CS throughout the customer journey are limited, creating a gap in academic research. This study addresses this gap by offering practical guidelines for CS, actionable insights, and alternative survey design strategies within the context of invoicing. Utilizing a Research-through-Design (RtD) approach guided by the Double Diamond design model, the study consists of four phases: Discover, Define, Develop, and Deliver. From a service design perspective using qualitative methods, the study acquires and analyzes both organizational and customer insights. Synthesized empirical findings emphasize the need for a more comprehensive approach that targets specific phases of the customer journey utilizing a more customer- centric approach, paving the way for alternative methods that reaches beyond just simply measuring CS. Introducing the concept of a personal companion, the study presents a dialogical approach where surveys are experienced as ongoing interactions rather mere tasks. By highlighting the importance of contextualization, alternative survey approaches, and a dialogical approach, this research aims to guide company’s in managing customer feedback strategies.