Forgiveness, empathy, and emotion are not new concepts in the field of new media design. They are build into human computer interaction on conceptual and design levels. Computer users expect digital products to understand them and show understanding, to forgive mistakes. Designers look for ways to make their interfaces not only friendly but lovable. Information architects see empathy as a core of their workflow.
Additionally, HCI is moving to HRI, where R stays for Robots, anthropomorphic ones, i.e. computers with eyes. And the role of the designer today is to decide how big those eyes should be, and with what speed tears will run.
We also spend more and more time in VR which is seen today as not only immersion, but also an empathy machine. But what are its mechanisms?
This semester we looked at the history and principles of “human” and emphatic interfaces in GUI (Graphic User Interface) and Post GUI scenarios. We examined and revised “form follows emotion”, “NoUI”, “forgiving format” and other slogans and paradigms in modern experience design industry.
