The human modes of being in investigating user experience
pp. 191-207
in: Hannakaisa Isomki, Pertti Saariluoma (eds), Future interaction design II, Berlin, Springer, 2009Abstract
An important challenge for interaction designers is to understand factors that shape user experience, and novel approaches are being developed to establish user experience as a specific field of research. Previous attempts to provide a comprehensive theory of user experience have focused on analyzing sensations and emotions as well as perceptions and behaviors. A holistic view of human experience is still lacking. I argue that a holistic view of the human being is needed to provide the appropriate theoretical foundations for user experience analyses in diverse contexts. In this chapter I introduce a theoretical framework for understanding human experience, and discuss how such a holistic view can reveal how fundamental human modes of being contribute to and shape user experience while people interact with information and communication technologies. Investigating user experience with the help of this framework facilitates interaction designers' understanding of factors that shape a holistic user experience.