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The relationship between Uncertainty and HCI
Topic: Uncertainty
by Xi, 2019 Cohort
The meaning of uncertainty#
Uncertainty is a subject that spans many disciplines, professions, and fields, such as philosophy, statistics, psychology, sociology, etc. In the meantime, because of its compatibility it is precisely that uncertainty does not completely belong to any discipline, profession, or field. It exists independently in the human research cognition. Due to its independence between disciplines, discussions about uncertainty are generally unclear and not straightforward, and it is often challenging to understand its meaning in depth (Smithson, 2008). Therefore, uncertainty is conceptually overloaded, and it is also a common characteristic in contemporary life. In the academic field, there are many related concepts, e.g., risk, ambiguity, and instability, which can be used interchangeably with the phrase uncertainty. Hence, from my perspective, critical thinking is essential when performing investigation activities in uncertainty. We ought to think about the following content: as a polysemous word, what it represents, how it relates to the user experience field, and how put into practice. The mentioned thoughts can bring a new thinking mode and strategies to cope with challenges in the field I am discussing, human-computer interaction.
Uncertainty in Contemporary Context#
Researchers in HCI field judge uncertainty as a contemporary structural thing arising from the relationship between politics, ideology, and practice. In this mindset, uncertainty can be seen as an entry point for thinking about how contemporary political and cultural contexts can shape participation in uncertainty, rather than being as a problem to be solved. There are many related questions for people to ponder, such as: how can uncertainty be strategically deployed at the political level in order to make decisions around climate change, global pandemics, etc.?
In HCI research field, the uncertainty of the design method level for technical work is increasing significantly [2], and the uncertainty brought to these design methods include global politics and ecological environment. Judging from this perspective, this model of handling uncertainty can promote people’s understanding of the relationship between HCI and today’s political, cultural, and social backgrounds.
Uncertainty in HCI#
In the field of human-computer interaction, the methodology for addressing uncertainty is a dilemma. Although the efforts made to mitigate the impact of uncertainty in the social system are valuable, the impact is inevitably limited. Therefore, in reality, in order to actively respond to the affect that uncertainty causes, research and practice frameworks can be further developed, so that uncertainty can be developed into a place for experimentation and exploration, rather than seeking for solutions.
Hence, in the HCI field, if uncertainty is used wisely as a tool, it can become a resource for product and system design. For example, under the current HCI research framework, designers and researchers have adopted ambiguity as a method to motivate users to explore product features or technologies that are beyond the designer’s initial intentions [3]. In the same way, uncertainty can be treated as a strategy in design, with the purpose of diluting the design intention and allowing users to consider about the relationship between product experience and technology. Using it as a medium, designers can deploy uncertainty in gaming experience, product design, etc., to communicate and interact with users by creating surprises and suspense, allowing people to think critically while experiencing products or systems.
Additional Resources#
- Smithson, M. 2008, ‘The Many Faces and Masks of Uncertainty’, in G Bammer & m Smithson (eds), Uncertainty and Risk, Routledge London, pp. 13-25.
- Wajcman, J. and Dodd, N. 2016, The sociology of speed: Digital, organizational, and social temporalities. Oxford University Press, viewed 04 September 2021, https://oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198782858.001.0001/acprof-9780198782858
- Rodriguez, H. 2006, ‘The playful and the serious: An approximation to Huizinga’s Homo Ludens’, Game Studies, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 1604-7982.
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If there are inaccuracies, or opportunities for significant improvement on this topic, feedback is welcome on how to improve the resource.
You can improve articles on this topic as a student in "Unravelling Complexity", or by including the amendments in an email to: Chris.Browne@anu.edu.au
The meaning of uncertainty#
Uncertainty is a subject that spans many disciplines, professions, and fields, such as philosophy, statistics, psychology, sociology, etc. In the meantime, because of its compatibility it is precisely that uncertainty does not completely belong to any discipline, profession, or field. It exists independently in the human research cognition. Due to its independence between disciplines, discussions about uncertainty are generally unclear and not straightforward, and it is often challenging to understand its meaning in depth (Smithson, 2008). Therefore, uncertainty is conceptually overloaded, and it is also a common characteristic in contemporary life. In the academic field, there are many related concepts, e.g., risk, ambiguity, and instability, which can be used interchangeably with the phrase uncertainty. Hence, from my perspective, critical thinking is essential when performing investigation activities in uncertainty. We ought to think about the following content: as a polysemous word, what it represents, how it relates to the user experience field, and how put into practice. The mentioned thoughts can bring a new thinking mode and strategies to cope with challenges in the field I am discussing, human-computer interaction.
Uncertainty in Contemporary Context#
Researchers in HCI field judge uncertainty as a contemporary structural thing arising from the relationship between politics, ideology, and practice. In this mindset, uncertainty can be seen as an entry point for thinking about how contemporary political and cultural contexts can shape participation in uncertainty, rather than being as a problem to be solved. There are many related questions for people to ponder, such as: how can uncertainty be strategically deployed at the political level in order to make decisions around climate change, global pandemics, etc.?
In HCI research field, the uncertainty of the design method level for technical work is increasing significantly [2], and the uncertainty brought to these design methods include global politics and ecological environment. Judging from this perspective, this model of handling uncertainty can promote people’s understanding of the relationship between HCI and today’s political, cultural, and social backgrounds.
Uncertainty in HCI#
In the field of human-computer interaction, the methodology for addressing uncertainty is a dilemma. Although the efforts made to mitigate the impact of uncertainty in the social system are valuable, the impact is inevitably limited. Therefore, in reality, in order to actively respond to the affect that uncertainty causes, research and practice frameworks can be further developed, so that uncertainty can be developed into a place for experimentation and exploration, rather than seeking for solutions.
Hence, in the HCI field, if uncertainty is used wisely as a tool, it can become a resource for product and system design. For example, under the current HCI research framework, designers and researchers have adopted ambiguity as a method to motivate users to explore product features or technologies that are beyond the designer’s initial intentions [3]. In the same way, uncertainty can be treated as a strategy in design, with the purpose of diluting the design intention and allowing users to consider about the relationship between product experience and technology. Using it as a medium, designers can deploy uncertainty in gaming experience, product design, etc., to communicate and interact with users by creating surprises and suspense, allowing people to think critically while experiencing products or systems.
Additional Resources#
- Smithson, M. 2008, ‘The Many Faces and Masks of Uncertainty’, in G Bammer & m Smithson (eds), Uncertainty and Risk, Routledge London, pp. 13-25.
- Wajcman, J. and Dodd, N. 2016, The sociology of speed: Digital, organizational, and social temporalities. Oxford University Press, viewed 04 September 2021, https://oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198782858.001.0001/acprof-9780198782858
- Rodriguez, H. 2006, ‘The playful and the serious: An approximation to Huizinga’s Homo Ludens’, Game Studies, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 1604-7982.