The real thing: artifacts, action, and authenticity in a student-led stakeholder session

Abstract

This paper analyses video recordings of a student-led prototyping session to consider stakeholders' use of artifacts, a cardboard prototype toaster and a real toaster. Its focus was prompted by an observation that stakeholders treated the toasters very differently. Stakeholders handled the real toaster more frequently and for particular interactional value. Unlike the prototype, it could be physical and visible evidence to authenti~ate actions for design discussion, such as claims, descriptions, and demonstrations. The real toaster could be a resource to coordinate with talk relating to actual toaster features, functions, and uses, or to participants' actual past experiences, or to make suggestions for specific design innovations. Show more