Design for human connectivity - an exploration through contemporary work Situations

Abstract

This thesis presents a body of work that begins the formalisation and growth of Design for Human Connectivity (DfHC) as a distinct field of design research and practice. The research is contextualised within contemporary work situations – characterised by unfamiliarity of people and context – where the importance of a person’s connections to others is matched by the challenges faced in establishing those connections. A central proposition of this work is that a shift in research is required, away from the current predominant focus on HC outcomes (i.e., the value people derive from their connections in the form of opportunities and benefits), to better supporting people in successfully navigating the HC process. Design research and practice can play a critical role in bringing about this shift. Doing so, however, requires creating a consistent structure for DfHC to aid the scoping of HC challenges and the evaluation of HC outputs, and to support more creative and collaborative HC research, design, and practice. It requires supporting designers and practitioners with the requisite tools to guide both generative and evaluative DfHC activities. Addressing these needs is achieved by first developing a new HC process framework – the Connector’s Journey – comprising five distinct phases that specify a person’s objectives and requirements throughout the process. The introduction and interrogation of the generally overlooked first phase – Finding – grounds the journey, introduces unique tactics that may be adopted for achieving this phase, and highlights the critical links between phases. Thereafter a series of studies help deepen our understanding of the individual, social, and contextual factors that can influence the HC process. Together, this work grounds and aids the development and application of a new tool – a set of 19 design prompts – that support DfHC. Successful application and evaluation of the tool in three real-world cases confirms its usefulness and usability and provides confidence regarding its generalisability. The foundation is laid for an exciting programme of DfHC research and practice to follow.