Developing a language of interactivity through the theory of play

In a world increasingly influenced by interactive interfaces, devices and services both in the commercial and non-commercial spheres, understanding interactivity and its underpinnings is essential. We have moved into a state of flux in which both culture and technology are in constant interplay and the only constant is change itself. The only future-proof approach to designing for and dealing with an environment of constant change in these systems and forms is to look for a mechanism and theoretical framework that underpins them all. Drawing upon a range of disciplines – from design, art, cognitive science, linguistics and more – this thesis argues that play is such a fundamental building block of culture, society, technology and cognition that it is the ideal lens through which to examine the interactive experience. It is versatile enough to cross boundaries and fundamental enough to be understood intuitively. Through an understanding of the intersection between movement, embodied cognition, metaphor and play, a set of principles of interactivity are developed that are flexible enough to analyse and be applied to a broad spectrum of interactive experiences, from interactive artworks to services to individual user interface elements. Finally, it is proposed that these principles provide a way to examine the phenomenal growth of social networks and the fundamental cultural shifts we are experiencing today as a result of the friction generated between emerging networked technologies and the industrial age structures they are dismantling. ii ©2010 ANDREW POLAINE – PhD Thesis, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, University of Technology, Sydney. CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS i ........................................................................... ABSTRACT ii .......................................................................................... PART I PLAY, FLOW, METAPHOR & COGNITION 1 ....................................... Introduction 1 .......................................................................................... What is interactivity? 6 ........................................................................... Interactivity and the HCI field 10 ............................................................... Towards a language of interactivity 11 ......................................................... CHAPTER 1 The Role of Play in Interactivity 13 ................................................ Play as a design process, interactivity as content 14 ....................................... Playful interaction and direct manipulation 17 ................................................ Cameras and the body as affordance 20 ................................................... CHAPTER 2 – Flow, Interactivity & Suspension of Disbelief 23 .............................. Interactive Flow versus Narrative Flow 23 ................................................... Willing Suspension of Disbelief and Interactivity 25 ....................................... CHAPTER 3 Interactivity, Metaphors and the Mind 28 ....................................... The role of metaphors 28 ........................................................................ Interfaces are both metaphorical and physical 30 .......................................... A metaphor too far 36 ........................................................................... Direct control and manipulation in interfaces 40 ............................................. CHAPTER 4 Thinking Outside of the Brain 43 ................................................... Scripts, Schemata, Mental Models and Automotive Action 43 ........................... Scripts 44 ............................................................................................. Schemata 47 ....................................................................................... The embodiment of AI 51 ........................................................................ Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain 53 ....................................... Are we automata? 54 .............................................................................. Not today, I’m not in the mood 56 ............................................................ The Mojave Experiment 58 ..................................................................... PART II DEVELOPING THE PRINCIPLES OF INTERACTIVITY 63 ........................... CHAPTER 5 – The State of Play 63 .................................................................. Homo Ludens 63 ................................................................................. Les Jeux et les Hommes 65 ..................................................................... Love is... 75 .......................................................................................... From Physics Lab to Living Room to the Bus 77 .......................................... Game Studies 82 ................................................................................. The Magic Circle 89 .............................................................................. CHAPTER 6 – Principle 1: The Invitation to Play 91 ............................................. Form, function, medium and message 92 ................................................... Case Study: Time Sketches 103 .................................................................. Case Study: Body Movies – public play and interaction 110 .............................. iii ©2010 ANDREW POLAINE – PhD Thesis, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, University of Technology, Sydney. CHAPTER 7 – Principle 2: The Playing Field & the Rules 114 .................................... The Rules of Play 115 .............................................................................. The Lusory Attitude 116 ........................................................................... Using the lens of gameplay 118 .................................................................. We are all hackers 121 .............................................................................. CHAPTER 8 – Principle 3: Challenge, Boredom and Anxiety 123 .............................. The border between boredom and anxiety 127 ............................................. CHAPTER 9 – Principle 4: Triviality, Open-endedness, Promises 133 ........................ Playing in the Gallery 133 ........................................................................... Delivering the promise 136 ........................................................................ Case Study: Eavesdrop – an opportunity missed 140 ....................................... CHAPTER 10 – Social Interaction and Playing with Friends 145 .............................. APIs as invitations 147 .............................................................................. PART III Conclusion 151 .............................................................................. CHAPTER 11 Understanding Interactivity Through Play 151 ................................. POSTSCRIPT 155 ....................................................................................... Social Play & Cultural Disruption 155 .................................................................. REFERENCES 162 ....................................................................................... Appendix A – Time Sketches Research Interview Instructions 176 ........................... Interview Questions 178 ........................................................................... Appendix B – Time Sketches Research Interviews 180 .......................................... Subject 1 Interview 180 ........................................................................... Subject 2 Retrospective Report 182 ......................................................... Subject 2 Interview 183 ........................................................................... Subject 3 Retrospective Report 185 ......................................................... Subject 3 Interview 186 ........................................................................... Subject 4 Retrospective Report 188 ......................................................... Subject 4 Interview 190 ........................................................................... Subject 5 Retrospective Report 193 ......................................................... Subject 5 Interview 194 ........................................................................... Subject 6 Retrospective Report 196 ......................................................... Subject 6 Interview 198 ........................................................................... Subjects 7 & 8 Retrospective Report 201 ................................................... Subjects 7 & 8 Interview 205 .................................................................. iv ©2010 ANDREW POLAINE – PhD Thesis, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, University of Technology, Sydney.