Co-experience: Understanding user experiences in social interaction

2 USER
EXPERIENCE
DEMYSTIFIED
This chapter does three things: it outlines and groups together existing frameworks
of user experience, it reviews current research approaches to emotion
and design and finally describes four design approaches that take user experience
into account in an interesting way. The frameworks presented here have
been published in a range of different sources, but what is common to each is
that they represent theoretically informed understanding of user experience.
Why should we theorise about user experience? Dourish argues that philosophies
influence both the theory and practice of design and determine what
efforts are made and what kinds of success can be expected with the results
(Dourish 2001: preface). Although Dourish focuses on interaction and computing,
his work has been helpful in looking at user experience as well, because
both hinge on the concept of meaning. The philosophy was reviewed in chapter
1, this chapter is dedicated to the theory and practice.
2.1 USER EXPERIENCE THEORIES AND FRAMEWORKS
A number of designers and researchers have put effort into creating frameworks
to describe user experience; some have reviewed the work of others and some
have chosen to reflect on their own work and process. In the following they are
organised into three loose groups according to their basic principles. The first