Crafting Electronic Textiles as a Participatory Design Material for Slowing Down
Anna Blumenkranz
Abstract
To counteract the fast-paced and efficiency-driven nature of technological development, Slow Technology philosophy calls for designing technology for reflection and mental rest. However, its focus lies mainly on interaction with artifacts on the user side. There is a lack of understanding of how applying this philosophy can influence designers and shape design processes. The goal of my PhD is to investigate notions of slowing down within participatory design processes through the lens of handcrafting with e-textiles, to uncover alternative design strategies for envisioning future technologies. To achieve this, I will probe slowing-down properties of crafts like state of flow, rhythm, and repetitiveness that have a peaceful and relaxing effect. I will apply these qualities to participatory design processes, allowing time for creativity, reflection, and diverse paths of participation. My findings will provide an understanding of how temporal affordances of e-textiles can shape PD processes, and offer strategies to facilitate and document slow design processes.