Talk by Dr. Fiona Carroll

Dr. Fiona Carroll gives a talk on Aesthetic Interaction - Understanding why we need to consider the aesthetic in the design of interactive user experiences on July 20, 2022 at the VIXI lab. The talk starts at 12:30pm.

Aesthetic-interaction is a type of interaction that focuses primarily on how one can affectively engage with a user interface (UI). This extends from semiotics where one cognitively interacts with interface metaphors (signs), often to indicatively trigger other events (i.e., activating certain aspects of an UIs functionality). Aesthetics, as presented in this talk, is doing more than just representing something else, it exists and is valued for itself (e.g., it affords/embodies feelings and sensations which play an intrinsic part in the creation of the user experience). This talk will use examples from different projects to demonstrate the role of the aesthetic in UX; by concentrating on the visual sense, it aims to highlight its value for user engagement.

Dr. Fiona Carroll is a reader with the Cardiff School of Technologies, Cardiff Metropolitan University (CMet), Wales. She obtained her PhD in Human Computer Interaction (HCI) from Edinburgh Napier University in 2008. Her research over the past twenty years has focused on the fast-changing relations between humans and digital technologies.  She has been particularly proactive in applying aesthetics to digital graphics, visualization and HCI. For example, a recent DAPTEC project (European Regional Development Fund, 2020- 2022) extends the visualisation aesthetic to ‘physicalisation’ to provide users with a more engaging and tangible means to access and understand environmental data.  At CMet, she co-leads the creative computing research centre and is also passionate about exploring new multidisciplinary approaches to engage more girls in STEM. As an accomplished academic, she has numerous peer reviewed publications and has partaken in cutting-edge research projects both at national and international levels.