Christopher A. Le Dantec

Values play an integral role in design: they inform the kinds of trade-offs the make when considering different solutions; they create a basis for assessing a particular artifact or system may fit into their lives; and they are an important part of negotiating common understanding in collaborative design settings. Work in this project area focuses on the various ways values become expressed through the design of artifacts and systems.

Related Publications

1. C. DiSalvo, A. Light, T. Hirsch, C. A. Le Dantec, L. Goodman, and K. Hill. HCI, Communities and Politics. In CHI’10: Proceeding of the twenty-eighth annual SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems. April 10–15 2010.

   Abstract [+]

   Working with communities around social change presents a challenge to common HCI methods, as politics often comes to the fore. In some cases, the politics of a community are explicit, for example, when working with activists or advocacy groups. In other cases, political aspects are less explicit but surface in considering the allocation of resources or in groups wherein issues of race, gender or class are of major importance. To address these dynamics, HCI researchers have to go beyond traditional HCI tools and metrics, which too often bracket out the political in an effort to focus on the instrumental issues and uses of technology. This panel juxtaposes several community-based HCI research projects in which politics have been a significant factor as asks “How do we address the politics inherent in community-based HCI research?”

2. C. A. Le Dantec, E. S. Poole, and S. P. Wyche. Values as Lived Experience: Evolving Value Sensitive Design in Support of Value Discovery. In CHI ’09: Proceedings of the 27th international conference on Human factors in computing systems, pages 1141–1150, New York, NY, USA, 2009. ACM.
   Acceptance rate 25%

   Abstract [+]

   The Value Sensitive Design (VSD) methodology provides a comprehensive framework for advancing a value-centered research and design agenda. Although VSD provides helpful ways of thinking about and designing value-centered computational systems, we argue that the specific mechanics of VSD create thorny tensions with respect to value sensitivity. In particular, we examine limitations due to value classifications, inadequate guidance on empirical tools for design, and the ways in which the design process is ordered. In this paper, we propose ways of maturing the VSD methodology to overcome these limitations and present three empirical case studies that illustrate a family of methods to effectively engage local expressions of values. The findings from our case studies provide evidence of how we can mature the VSD methodology to mitigate the pitfalls of classification and engender a commitment to reflect on and respond to local contexts of design.

3. C. A. Le Dantec and E. Y. Do. The Mechanisms of Value Transfer in Design Meetings. Design Studies, 30(2):119–137, March 2009.

   Abstract [+]

   Values play an integral role in design: they inform the kinds of trade-offs the designer makes when considering different solutions; they create a basis for the client to assess how a particular artefact may fit into their lives; and they are an important part of negotiating a common understanding in collaborative design settings. In this paper, we examine the interactions in meetings between architect and client to better understand how different values are brought into the design discourse. By analysing the verbal content and non-verbal communication between the architect and client, we identify patterns of discourse that imbue design problem-solving with the language and concepts that express values. From this analysis, we develop a theory of value transfer and describe the social mechanism that facilitates this transfer during design negotiation. This work provides an observational basis for understanding value transfer in the context of collaborative design and is relevant to design domains beyond architecture.

4. C. A. Le Dantec and E. Y. Do. The Mechanisms of Value Transfer in Design Meetings. In J. McDonnell and P. Lloyd, editors, About: Designing – Analysing Design Meetings. Taylor and Francis, 2009.

   Abstract [+]

   Values play an integral role in design: they inform the kinds of trade-offs the designer makes when considering different solutions; they create a basis for the client to assess how a particular artifact may fit into their lives; and they are an important part of negotiating a common understanding in collaborative design settings. In this chapter, we present a grounded analysis of a collaborative architectural design process. We examine the interactions between architect and client to better understand how different values are brought into the design discourse. By analysing the verbal content and non-verbal communication between the architect and client, we identify patterns of discourse that imbue design problem-solving with the language and concepts that express values. From this analysis, we develop a theory of value transfer and describe the social mechanism that facilitates this transfer during design negotiation. Our theory provides an observational basis for understanding value transfer in the context of collaborative design and is relevant to design domains beyond architecture.

5. E. S. Poole, C. A. Le Dantec, J. R. Eagan, and W. K. Edwards. Reflecting on the Invisible: Understanding End-User Perceptions of Ubiquitous Computing. In Ubicomp08: Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Ubiquitous Computing. pages 192–201, New York, NY, USA, 2008. ACM.
   Acceptance rate 19%

   Abstract [+]

   How can designers of ubiquitous computing technologies ensure that they understand the non-functional needs, values, and expectations of end-users? In this paper, we use a qualitative method from public policy to elicit reflective feedback from end-users about technologies that they may not yet have used nor fully comprehend. Our study uncovers information about end-user perceptions of RFID, including a range of “folk theories” held by the public about this technology, and their associations of it with certain social groups and values. We argue that these perceptions can limit technological adoption, and conclude with a discussion of challenges for the design and deployment of ubiquitous computing systems.

6. C. A. Le Dantec. Feature: Life at the Margins: Assessing the Role of Technology for the Urban Homeless. interactions, 15(5):24–27, 2008.

   Abstract [+]

   Are food and shelter more important than a mobile phone? For the urban homeless, the answer to this question is unclear. Public phones are disappearing from cities, job services are increasingly accessible mainly through digital means, and modern society has become ever more accustomed to instant availability and dependent on personal communication devices. Each of these factors raises the importance of a mobile phone for finding and securing basic needs.

7. C. A. Le Dantec and E. S. Poole. The Value of Pictures: Photo Elicitation Techniques for Engaging Users. Position Paper: CHI Workshop: Values, Value and Worth. April 2008.

   Abstract [+]

   In this paper we present two case studies illustrating how qualitative research techniques from disciplines outside of HCI can be useful for engaging in value- centered design activities. These case studies also provide example domains for discussing the challenges of addressing human-values in HCI.

8. C. A. Le Dantec and W. K. Edwards. Designs on Dignity: Perceptions of Technology Among the Homeless. In CHI ’08: Proceeding of the twenty-sixth annual SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems, pages 627–636, New York, NY, USA, 2008. ACM.
   (Best Paper)
   Acceptance rate 22%

   Abstract [+]

   Technology, it is argued, has the potential to improve everyone’s life: from the workplace, to entertainment, to easing chores around the home. But what of people who have neither job nor home? We undertook a qualitative study of the homeless population in a metropolitan U.S. city to better understand what it means to be homeless and how technology—from cell phones to bus passes—affects their daily lives. The themes we identify provide an array of opportunities for technological interventions that can empower the homeless population. Our investigation also reveals the need to reexamine some of the assumptions made in HCI about the relationship people have with technology. We suggest a broader awareness of the social context of technology use as a critical component when considering design innovation for the homeless.