• Tangible Interaction Design: Can we design tangibles to enhance creative cognition?
  • Maher, M. L., Gonzalez, A. Grace, K., Clausner, T. (2014). Tangible Interaction Design: Can we design tangibles to enhance creative cognition?. In Gero, J.S. and Hanna, S (eds) Poster Proceedings of Design Computing and Cognition 2014, University College London.
  • Abstract
  • There is an increasing interest in tangible interaction design comprising graspable object technologies as interaction devices and their associated applications. The Sifteo cubes are one of many new graspable interactive devices that are programmable for a wide range of games and learning applications.

  • The impact of tangible user interfaces on spatial cognition during collaborative design
  • Kim, M.J. and Maher, M.L. The impact of tangible user interfaces on designers spatial cognition. HCI 23, 2 (2008), 101-137
  • Abstract
  • The use of tangible user interfaces in new design environments promises to facilitate the designers. interaction with the design model. In order to clarify the impact of tangible user interfaces we compare the design protocols of collaborative design sessions using a tabletop system and tangible user interface (TUI) with a typical keyboard/mouse/display graphical user interface (GUI) to identify changes in designers spatial cognition. We focussed on design collaboration because many tabletop systems are intended to support designers in communicating and developing a shared model of the design. The results reveal that the use of TUIs changed designers spatial cognition, and that these changes affected the design process by increasing their problem-finding behaviours leading to creative design.