Experience and design methods: cross-dressing and border-crossings

We are pleased to present this special issue on experience and design methods. This issue has its origins in a workshop organised by Ron Wakkary, Thecla Schiphorst and Jim Budd (2004), titled ‘Cross-dressing and border crossing: exploring experience methods across disciplines’, held as part of the ACM SIGCHI 2004 conference in Vienna, Austria. The workshop was to all appearances among the strangest gatherings at SIGCHI 2004. Blindfolded researchers were spied wandering the fluorescent-lit lower concourse of the Austria Center in Vienna, or dashing from table to food-court table in a tag-like game whose rules remained obscure. But the playful, seemingly aimless movement of the participants belied a serious purpose. The practice of designing interactive objects, environments and systems has outgrown its roots in Human Computer Interaction (HCI), with its residual load of cognitive science. We engage in interactive experiences out of choice, in search of the pleasures of the mind and senses we have hitherto found in performance, art or our experience of architectural spaces. For the workshop organisers and participants, a provocation is required: hence, cross-dressing, the opportunity to try on new roles and experience design methods coming from art and design— disciplines often marginalised by the research community. The workshop received an overwhelming response and unfortunately only about fifteen percent of the position papers submitted were accepted. The Experience and design methods: cross-dressing and border-crossings