exploring+aesthetic+ideals+in+digital+experiences

Exploring aesthetic idealsin digital experiences.Case study; Biophelia.Written by Ine Marie Vassøy,MA Interaction Design student, Umeå University 2011.

Exploring aesthetic ideals in digital experiences. Case study; Biophelia. Written by Ine Marie Vassøy, Interaction Design student, Umeå University. What makes a digital experience aesthetic? It is difficult to evaluate the aesthetics in digital experi- ences, because aesthetic is subjective. People perceive good or bad, beautiful or ugly differently. Our perception of aesthetic is individual. My perception of aesthetic is different from yours. It is shaped by personality, culture and experiences. This article explores how interaction designers can evaluate the aesthetics in digital experiences. It explore how to create digital experiences that are generally perceived aesthetic. I started to look at a model by Lundgren, that is developed to teach the aesthetic in design. I used the model as a tool to evaluate the aesthetics in one particular experience that I find beautiful; Björk's app Biophelia, developed to compliment her new album Biophelia. (From now on when talking about Biophelia, I am talking about the app and not the album.) I chose Biophelia to be my case study for evaluating the aesthetic experience because I find the app beautiful. And I would love to know why I find it beautiful. Further on, I ques- tion Lundgren’s model. Is it possible that the model is not complete? Are there other aesthetic ideals that should be included in the model, in order to create an aesthetic digital experience? I hope to discover other aesthetic ideals when evaluating Biophelia.Aesthetics in interaction design, fall 2011

Coherency Playful Efficiency Emotion Critical SensingLUNDGREN’S MODEL the user want to experience the game as long asAs mentioned, I have used Sus Lundgren’s model possible and forget about time. Still, the userto evaluate the aesthetics in Biophelia. Sus Lund- wants to understand how the game is functioning,gren did her PhD thesis in 2010, and as a result of efficiently, in order to play immediate. When itthe research she developed a model to teach and comes to booking flights, the user just want andiscuss the aesthetic in design. The model consists efficient process. Find the relevant tickets fast,of six aesthetic ideals that she argues for being order and pay.important to create a good experience of an artifact Critical design is aiming for the user to highlight,or experience. The ideals are coherency, sensing, question and criticize in the act of interaction. Weplayfulness, emotion, critical design and efficiency. can design to encourage reflection. We can alsoNot all of these ideals need to be taken into consid- design the graphic user interface in order to nudgeeration at the same time to create a good experi- the users to press the buttons we wich.ence. It is possible to combine two or more Sensing is aiming towards a rich physical interac-aesthetic ideals, ex. coherence and playfulness, tion. This aesthetic ideal is getting more and moreand still create a pleasant experience. I will explain important for companies to include as a designwhat these six ideals are, with the perspective of criteria when developing digital experiences. Thehow to evaluate digital experience by taking them reason why is the fast development in technology,into consideration, and how to apply them as which nurture competition between companies todesign criteria in the design process. produce the best experience for their costumers.Coherency is crucial to create a meaningful experi- There are three different interpretations of sens-ence. Coherency differentiate it self from the other ing; feeling, experience, and making sense of.aesthetic ideals because it can never stand alone Sensing as in a multiscensory experience is inter-as a design criteria, and an experience should also esting to include in digital experiences becausenever be without it. There are three dimensions of the product would differentiate it self, and we havecoherency that should be considered in the evalua- the technology to do it.tion of an experience. First, there is a need for Emotions is aiming to evoke emotional responses.consistency in the concept, in the core idea. We can evoke emotional responses in differentSecond, there is a need for consistency in the levels; visceral, behavioral and reflective. Thesoftware, for the user to understand how the visceral level is autonomic responses, like firstprogram behaves and why. Third, there is a need impression. The behavioral level is also autonomicfor consistency in the graphic interface design to responses, but the user judge by experience. Theunderstand how to interact with the software, to reflective level is when the user interpret the expe-create an intuitive experience. rience and thereafter reason upon it. The reflectiveIn interaction design the importance of efficiency level is powerful in terms of costumer loyalty. Weseems to vary depending on what the intention of want the user to like the experience, reflect uponthe experience is. When initiating this I am referringto digital games vs. booking flights online. In games Exploring aesthetic ideals in digital experiences. Case study; Biophelia.

Screenshot from Biophelia: Crystalline.

it, like the experience even more, and then decide BIOPHELIA: THE APPto come back to try it again. When you enter the app the screen is dark, andThe last aesthetic ideal is playfulness. It’s a pow- you are met by a dynamic image of the universe.erful ideal when it comes to communicating the The universe is slowly moving around. In theconcept or the product. Make complex simple. universe there are several planets, and eachPlayful communication encourages the user to planet represent a song from Björk's album. Someplay and interact with the product. of the planets are lighted with beautiful colors,CASE STUDY: BIOPHELIA which encourages me to explore them further. The\"Biophilia\" for iPad and iPhone will include around universe have a three dimensional feel. You canten separate apps, all housed within one \"mother\" drag to rotate, zoom into the universe, or tap onapp. Each of the smaller apps will relate to a differ- the planets to get close to them. In the backgroundent track from the album, allowing people to there is ambient music playing, it puts me in aexplore and interact with the song's themes or melancholic mood. The music sounds like windeven make a completely new version of them. It blowing, it is the voices of choir singing, somewill also be an evolving entity that will grow as and instruments playing, and occasionally Bjork sing-when the album's release schedule dictates, with ing phrases of music. After a little while younew elements added. Every app includes a game discover that the sound changes in relation torelated to the song.” where you are in the universe. Björk is singingThe reason for Biophelia to be the case study in phrases of the songs when you are close to thethis paper, is because as an interaction designer, planets. It is beautiful. I am seduced. I want toeverything with aesthetic value fascinates me, and enter the planets. I want to explore what is there,that triggers my curiosity. When evaluating this and create the music my self.digital experience with the six aesthetic ideals asparameters, I will keep an open mind, and explore BIOPHELIA: CRYSTALLINEthe possibilities to find new aesthetic ideals to Crystalline was Björk's first single released, andcompliment Lundgren’s model. I believe that my also the firs app to be experienced through thefascination for Biophelia will be to my advantage, Biophelia app. The app consists of a story of thethe reason of that is Donal Norman´s philosophy concept, a game and an animation. Crystallineon ideation and creativity. “When you are happy connects spatial relationships in nature and music,the body spread dopamine to your head, which and uses them to represent emotional states.makes you more open to problem solving and out Crystalline reflects Björk's spatial experience ofof the box thinking.” I hope there will be enough verse-chorus Form, and this spatial analogy isdopamine in my body when exploring Biophelia, used in the app as a tool for learning about songfor my creative thoughts to discover new aesthetic structure. The game challenge the user to collectideals for Lundgren’s model. crystals through the universe by tilting the device towards the crystals. Each crystal represent an electronic instrument or rhythm, so you are in an abstract way creating music while you play. You can hear Björk singing throughout the game expe- Exploring aesthetic ideals in digital experiences. Case study; Biophelia.

Screenshot from Biophelia: Virus.

Coherency Playful Efficiency Emotion Critical Sensingrience. Another part of the app is the animation. when navigating in the universe is consistent withHere you can se the structure of the music and the the ambient music, and I find the experience richerlyrics. Its a karaoke version where you follow the because the technology is behaving slow. Themusic on the screen, and you can se how all the slowness encourage the user to explore theinstruments are related to each other. The graph- music, the concept, and to reflect.ics are beautiful, abstract and with bright colors.BIOPHELIA: VIRUS The educational aspect of the app is the reasonVirus is the second single released from Björk's for me to give the experience an high rate foralbum. The app also contains a story, a game and critical design. Biophelia show the user how differ-an animation. Virus is a love song that revels the ent instruments compliment each other, how thedangerous relationship between virus and host. music is put together by different parts, just like theThe game display the cells in your body, and you universe is put together by millions of differentneed to destruct the virus before it infuses into parts.your cells. If the virus manage to enter a cell it will There are several senses activated when interact-reproduce it self, an it will be more difficult to keep ing with Biophelia. Touch, visuals and sound.the virus away. Eventually your cell will die. The Touch is when you navigate in the universe.user creates the melody by moving the cells and Visual because of the beautiful graphic. Sound,the virus. The lyrics is created when the cells are the ambient music in the background. The app onattracting, they are hurt and communicate danger. its own do not get a full score on sensing, but IThe animation is a karaoke version where you can believe that the app together with the live concertse the relationships between the different melo- would make a sensorial experience.dies and lyrics. Biophelia correspond to all levels of emotion ;EVALUATING BIOPHELIA WITH THE visceral, behavioral and reflective. First impres-AESTHETIC IDEALS AS PARAMETERS sion you are amazed by the graphic and theThe coherency is corresponding to all of the three music. When exploring the app you get fascinatedlevels; concept, software and the graphic user by the behavior of the software, the slow move-interface. The core idea of the universe showing ment in the universe and ambient music. Suddenlyhow it’s all related and how the planets, atoms, one hour is passed, and all you did was playingviruses and crystals interact with each other is the games and listening to music. The musiccommunicates beautifully. The information archi- together with the app, emphasizing the concept oftecture emphasize the concept; the “mother” app the album, makes its smart and beautiful. And itis the universe, and the planets represent each makes you hungry for more.song. Each planet got its own galaxy, just like each Biophelia has a playful approach when it comes tosong has its own story. communicating the complex concept of theBiophelia is not efficient. The intention of Biophelia universe. I also encourage the user to play andis to play, create and listen to music. The slowness create music. Exploring aesthetic ideals in digital experiences. Case study; Biophelia.

CoherencySensing EfficiencyCritical Playfulness Creation EmotionMY APPROACH ON AESTHETIC IDEALSIN DIGITAL EXPERIENCESAfter exploring Biophelia I am left with the “wow”feeling. It is an aesthetic experience to me. Andwith the high production of dopamine in my body,as a result of exploring the beautiful app andlistening to the beautiful music, I am wondering ifthe aesthetic ideals from Lundberg’s model isexplaining my total experience with Biophelia. Arethe six ideals enough to evaluate the aesthetics ofthe experience? And, is coherency, sensing, play-fulness, emotion, critical design and efficiency theultimate design criteria we need to develop greatdigital experiences for the future?When I was exploring the app, playing the gamesand composing the music, I felt good. Tthe reasonfor that good feeling was that I was creating themusic. I was creating the music by playing thegames, and the music was beautiful. The experi-ence of Biophelia was total to me. It was totalbecause I was creating the experience. The musicI created with Crystalline will only be for me toexperience. No one can make exact the samemusic, it will always be a little bit different. So,should creation be the seventh aesthetic ideal inLundberg’s model? Is creation significant enoughto stand on its own, to be an independentaesthetic ideal in the model?I think creation as an independent ideal wouldenhance the digital experience, because the userwant to feel significant and smart when interactingwith technology. In my philosophy of aesthetics indigital experiences, creation is the seventh designcriteria. It should be a criteria for designing futuredigital experiences. To engage users to interact,and to let the user create their own significantexperience. Creation will enhance the experienceof digital interaction.Aesthetics in interaction design, fall 2011