Dr' Kev Hilton

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Acting on Behalf of the Concept
Dr. Kev Hilton
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Background

• Differentiation of product in the marketplace
• Product design knowledge into animation
• Animation knowledge into product design?
• Drama techniques and process
• Suspension of criticism suspension of
  disbelief
• Practice based, kinaesthetic learning

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Context

• Exercises, warm-ups and explorative techniques
• The Alexander Technique
• The Found Object
• The Object Transformed
• Machines
• Masks

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Context

• Altered States of Consciousness (Scheiffele 2001)
• Attention
• Perception
• Imagery and Fantasy
• Inner Speech
• Memory
• Higher Level Thought Processes
• Meaning or Significance of experience

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Context

• Altered States of Consciousness (Scheiffele 2001)
• Time Experience
• Emotional Feeling and Expression
• Level of Arousal
• Self-Control
• Suggestibility
• Body Image
• Sense of Personal Identity

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Context

• Thinking Style
• VISUAL That looks good to me.
• AUDITORY That sounds good to me.
• KINAESTHETIC That feels good to me.

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Context

• Thinking Style
• CONCRETE
• ABSTRACT
• SEQUENTIAL
• RANDOM

Information Process
Gregorc (1982)
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Context

• Thinking Style
• Appropriate categorisation
• Framing of meaning for subjects, objects and
  events
• Aiding awareness and sensitivity
• Understanding perception and thinking
• Appreciating individual differences

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Context

• Non-human character analysis (Hooks 2000)
• Physical attributes? Racing Green
• Locomotion? Front Wheel Drive
• Age? Two years
• Lifespan? 1,000,000 miles
• Diet? Petrol and oil
• Health / handicaps? Good Condition

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Context

• Non-human character analysis (Hooks 2000)
• Defense mechanisms? Bumpers, Lights
• Relatives? Saloon, Hatchback
• Sense of humour? Private Plate
• Fears? Bad Weather
• Goals? Destinations
• Culture? Recreational

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Context

• Non-human character analysis (Hooks 2000)
• Intelligence? ABS
• Education? GPS
• Relationship to others? Competitor Models
• Livelihood / Industry? Wish Fulfillment
• Name? Cabriolet

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Approach

• Introduce subject matter and set context
• Eliciting immediate thoughts and emotions
• Aiming to avoid leading responses
• Encouraging open feedback
• Design and animation houses consulted
• Design students actively participated

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Approach
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Approach

• Relax
• Mental and physical warm-up
• Alternative uses of an object
• Impersonation of an object
• Using a representation of an object as a mask
• Story-boarding of object character
• Discussion of character and process

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Approach
Mental and physical warm-up
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Approach
Using a representation of an object as a mask
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Approach
Story-boarding of object character
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Approach
Discussion of character and process
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Findings

• Greater response from US than UK
• Cultural differences in physical expressiveness
• Can aid consideration of form before function
• Product perspective, within a systems approach
• Self-consciousness has to be overcome
• Need for practice to develop the technique

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Findings

• Six levels of engagement
• Script writing or scenario description
• Animation or visualisation
• Puppeteering, possibly using props
• Role play to aid interaction experience
• Individual acting as concept or product
• Group performance for a system perspective

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Conclusion

• Useful in preparation and in conceptual work
• Adds to User, Client, and Designer perspectives
• A level of benefit is possible in short term
• Practice is proposed to provide deeper benefits
• Individual differences in choice of approach
• Kinaesthetic thinking is key to design
  effectiveness

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Dr. Kev Hilton (k.hilton_at_northumbria.ac.uk)