"Sense and Sensibility: Evaluation and Interactive Art"

Sense and Sensibility: Evaluation and Interactive Art

Kristina Höök, Phoebe Sengers, and Gerd Andersson

Abstract

HCI evaluation methods are useful for improving the design of interactive systems, yet they may be rejected by nontraditional technology disciplines such as media art. We have developed a two-tiered evaluation model which responds to the concerns of interactive artists and have used it to improve the design of an interactive artwork, the Influencing Machine, exploring issues in affective computing. The method was interpretative, focusing on giving the artists a grounded feeling for how the machine was interpreted and their message was communicated. We brought in users in groups and did not attempt to ?average? over normal users, but instead focused on each group?s interpretation of the artist?s message.