Blended Interaction-Toward a Framework for the Design of Interactive Spaces

In this paper, we propose Blended Interaction as a conceptual framework for the design of interactive spaces. We argue that for realizing a natural computer-supported collaboration in smart environments or interactive spaces, designers must achieve a holistic understanding and design of the users’ individual interactions, social interactions, workflows and their physical environment. To thoughtfully blend the power of the digital world with the users’ pre-existing skills and practices, we propose and explain conceptual blending as a potential design methodology. We illustrate our framework by discussing related theoretical and conceptual work and by explaining the design decisions we made in recent projects. In particular, we highlight how Blended Interaction introduces a new and more accurate description of users’ cognition and interaction in interactive spaces that can serve as a tool for HCI researchers and interaction designers.