Abstract
As a response to the call for theoretical perspectives on how to move human-computer interaction closer to the human and remove barriers to flexibility, I outline that a key part of the solution involves changing the way we model, and think about, our data – that we must build for the totality of individuals’ digital lives, and in recognition of the increasing complexity that keeps our data scattered and trapped within data formats, services, devices and file formats. We must create a new genre of free data interaction interfaces that allow productive interaction with our personal data at an abstracted, platform- and technology-independent level. Data should be indexed represented with proxies where needed rather than favoring centralized storage. Interaction metaphors such as lifestreams, semantic dashboards and locational interfaces are proposed. Technologists and designers must work together to build useful applications that users can operate at a semantic, not technology-centric, level
Read the paper
This position paper is for the “Rethinking Interaction” Workshop at CHI 2018 in Montreal on 22nd April.
You can read it here: PDF Download. The images and diagrams from the paper can be viewed in higher resolution here.
Dr. Alex Bowyer 