Time as a Design Material

Abstract

This thesis explores in what ways time can be used as a design material in Interaction Design, and in what ways this shapes the aesthetic expression of the resulting design artefacts. The role that time plays in a design can significantly change its aesthetic expression, yet the topic has not received enough attention in Interaction Design. Five "temporal themes" are defined through a literature review and interviews with practitioners from various creative fields. The temporal themes describe ways in which time can used as a design material. The process of using these themes as a thinking technique, for ideation and design, is demonstrated through the creation of prototypes of experimental drawing applications. The prototypes are then evaluated from an aesthetics point of view to determine how the aesthetic expression is affected through the use of time as a design material.