Continuing Design in Use of Tangible Computing Environments

Abstract. We reflect on the opportunities offered by tangible computing in allowing an explicit and active role of users in the co-development of uses and systems. We introduce basic concepts and past approaches related to user participation and change in systems and system use, which we group in changing design and designing for change. We present a development of a tangible computing environment for learning architecture design. We have observed architecture students in their practical projects and we have learned how they configure their spaces, learn and practice design. We used these observations to inform the concurrent development of tangible computing applications. These applications were adapted and further developed with students in situated experiments. We reflect on different strategies of system development to cope with the particular challenges of mixed reality applications and change in use.