Isolating and Addressing Theoretically-Grounded Limitations from the Rapid Translation of Interaction Design across Media Platforms
Rebecca Planchart, Mitchell Dunning, Matthew Peterson, Cesar Delgado, Karen B. Chen · Proceedings of DRS · 2024
Designers must frequently work rapidly under deadlines to produce minimum viable products (MVPs) in collaboration with other disciplinary experts. While results may be good enough for now, it is important that limitations of hasty work are not codified as permanently acceptable design solutions. A method called function mapping has previously been shown to aid in the translation of theoretically-derived functions across media platforms, where functionally equivalent products may need to appear superficially dissimilar, thus complicating true equivalency. Here we demonstrate function mapping’s efficacy at the threshold between MVPs and revisions. We use function mapping to explain the process of translating a virtual environment for a VR headset into an exhibition gallery with 90 feet of touchscreens, which raised fundamental issues about the nature of graphic design in the interaction of environment and surface. We then revisit function mapping to isolate solution shortcomings and strategize next steps.