Bringing Aesthetic Interaction into Creativity-Centered Design

Abstract

The authors discuss a series of experimental studies targeting ubiquitous musical activities. The studies explore the application of time tagging as an aesthetically oriented interaction design metaphor. A new support mechanism is proposed: the stripe. The stripe works as an entry point to the sound data providing a functional unit that features both interaction and audio manipulation. A new prototype based on the stripe metaphor was implemented. Twenty four subjects participated in the assessment of three creative sonic products produced with and without support for time tagging. Results indicate that – provided equivalent conditions – creative products obtained through asynchronous activities demand a larger temporal investment but do not necessarily yield more creative outcomes. The authors discuss the implications of these results for aesthetically aware interaction design.