Mime-based creative drama implementations for exploring gestural interaction

Abstract

We observed that students are used to employ the graphical user interface (GUI) elements such as icons and texts in gestural interaction designs, depending on their prior experiences. However, prior knowledge of GUI design often leads the students to create cliché and impractical designs for gestural interaction. To solve the problem, our study aims to explore feedback as an alternative education method, enhanced by an exercise we call ‘gestural shadow mapping’, which is based on the art of mime, within the concept of creative drama. Using a basic setup for shadow representation, a group of design students practised expressing prepared visual compositions as gestural shadow maps for an audience of their peers. After several observations, feedback showed that the method based on gestural shadow mapping does afford students a better understanding of gestural interaction, free from the inhibitions of their prior experiences of GUIs and the limitations of current commercial examples.

Keywords:

• gestural interaction
• design education
• creative drama
• mime

Acknowledgement

This publication is conducted as a part of a research project funded by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey.

Additional information

Adviye Ayça Ünlüer received her Bachelor's Degree in the Communication Design Program, Art and Design Faculty, Yildiz Technical University (YTU) and her MA degree in the Interactive Media Design Program, YTU, where she also works as a lecturer and continues her PhD studies. She teaches typographic animation, icon design and multimedia project classes in Yildiz Technical University and concept development classes in İstanbul Bilgi University. Her current interests are experimental typography and interaction design.

Oğuzhan Özcan is currently Professor of Interactive Media and Visual Arts at Koç University. He is specialised in interactive design education and practice. He is supervising a number of research projects, publications and book contribution relating to interactivity and design art. He was awarded a UNESCO Aschberg Fellow in 2003. Özcan also consulting several Turkish companies involved in interactive media design such as VESTEL Electronic Research Group, PARDUS, Operating System Development Group in National Science and Research Foundation of Turkey. His other publications can be accessed at http://http://oguzhan.ozcan.info.