Special Issue on Design Research

The paper Erratic Appliances and Energy Awareness by Anders Ernevi, Samual Palm, and Johan Redström is one of nine selected papers in a Special issue on design research by the journal Knowledge, Technology & Policy, edited by Caroline Hummels (TU/E, Eindhoven, The Netherlands), Ilpo Koskinen (UIAH, Helsinki, Finland) and Johan Redström. The papers have been selected from from Designing Pleasurable Products and Interfaces 2005 and Nordes 2005.

Abstract:
We are exploring how to increase energy awareness through critical interaction design, creating objects that expose issues related to energy consumption in various ways. To draw attention to energy beyond ordinary conceptions as a technical solution in everyday life, we enquire into other ways of relating to energy in design and to uncover the properties of energy as design material. To learn more about how energy can be made more present in product design, we have been redesigning a series of everyday objects around the theme of 'Erratic Appliances'. As household energy consumption increases, these appliances start to behave strangely. The aim was to user designerly and experience-based means to make people aware of their energy consumption instead of measuring energy consumption solely with meters and numeric displays.

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Journal: Knowledge, Technology & Policy (Springer)
Special issue on design research (Issues 20:1 and 20:3, 2007)
Edited by Caroline Hummels (TU/E, Eindhoven, The Netherlands), Ilpo Koskinen (UIAH, Helsinki, Finland) and Johan Redström.