コンテキスト入門および機関紙の話 | WIAD24 Fukuoka
石橋秀仁「コンテキスト入門および機関紙の話」 IA分野の名著とされるアンドリュー・ヒントン著『アンダスタンディング・コンテキスト』(2014)の概要を紹介したのち、自身の実践例を語ったトーク
コンテキスト入門および機関紙の話
Video Information
Presenter: 石橋秀仁 Hideto Ishibashi
Event: World IA Day 2024, Fukuoka
Duration: 50:00
Language
Original audio: Japanese
Subtitles: Japanese (auto-generated)
Transcript: Not available
Date Published: 2024-06-10
Format: Presentation
Tags: context
Summary
Hideto Ishibashi introduces "context" using Andrew Hinton's "Understanding Context," defining it as an agent's subjective comprehension of environmental relationships. It delves into human cognition in digital versus natural settings, highlighting embodied cognition and the dynamic nature of context. This deep dive is valuable for Information Architects as it provides a crucial framework for designing intuitive and effective digital experiences by considering users' fundamental biological and experiential understanding of information environments.
Key Takeaways
The first talk, an introduction to "context" based on Andrew Hinton's "Understanding Context", offers several key takeaways for understanding how humans perceive and interact with information environments:
Context is Subjective Understanding: Context is defined as an agent's understanding of the relationships between elements within their environment. It is inherently subjective; what one person understands as context, another may not, meaning aspects of an environment only become context if understood by the agent.
Human Cognition is Rooted in Natural Environments: Humans have not evolved to naturally understand digital information environments, such as smartphones. Our brains are adapted from tens of thousands of years of evolution in natural settings, where critical information like water sources or walkable paths was vital. This evolutionary background shapes how we process all information.
Limited Multitasking and Context Switching: Human biological limitations mean we can only focus on one thing at a time, leading to "context switching" when attention is limited. This limitation is a fundamental constraint on usability and user experience design.
Three Modes of Information: Information exists in three modes: physical/ecological (sensory input from the natural world), semantic/meaning-based (human-created for communication, like language), and digital (processed by information technology).
Pace Layers of Change: Drawing on Stewart Brand's theory, the talk illustrates that different layers of human experience and information change at varying speeds: perception/cognition (tens of thousands of years), spoken language (hundreds to thousands of years), written/visual language (hundreds of years), information organization/design (decades to hundreds of years), and information technology (very rapidly). This framework helps designers understand which aspects of user experience are deeply ingrained and which are more malleable.
Embodied Cognition is Crucial: Human intelligence is not solely in the brain but is partly distributed in the environment and through physical interaction. This model suggests that subtle environmental changes (e.g., a hot room affecting smartphone experience) or physical arrangements (e.g., books on a desk) are integral to cognitive processes and should be considered in design.
Fluidity of Agent, Subject, and Environment: The talk emphasizes that context is dynamic and fluid. The agent (user), subject (topic), and environment constantly interact and can even switch roles; for instance, a user's identity (agent) can become the subject of inquiry when navigating an airport based on their ticket class.
Ambiguous Boundary Between Context and Content: The talk challenges the traditional clear distinction between context and content, suggesting their boundaries are often ambiguous. Context is often what enables understanding but isn't the explicit content itself, making it a challenging but critical aspect for designers to grasp.
Video
This resource is maintained by Grace Lau.
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