A Design Theme for Tangible Interaction: Embodied Facilitation

This paper presents parts of a design framework for collaboratively used tangible interaction systems, focusing on the theme of Embodied Facilitation. Systems can be interpreted as spaces/structures to act and move in, facilitating some movements and hindering others. Thus they shape the ways we collaborate, induce collaboration or make us refrain from it. Tangible interaction systems provide virtual and physical structure - they truly embody facilitation. Three concepts further refine the theme: Embodied Constraints, Multiple Access Points and Tailored Representations. These are broken down into design guidelines and each illustrated with examples.