Brief
In this exercise, we will focus on crafting effective prompts, an essential ability for interacting with generative AI systems.
We will use the paper “Technology as Experience” by McCarthy and Wright (2004) as our reference material to test your questions and prompts.
Ask the AI to summarize that paper and identify key points, before delving deeper. More nuanced and targeted questions tend to yield more accurate and insightful outputs from AI.
A central question we will evolve around: What are some of the strategic questions you might pose to thoroughly interrogate a research paper?
Preface
For this project, I tried utilizing ChatGPT3.5 but like many others, I was informed that it did not have access to this book or its contents.
I decided to utilize perplexity.ai instead to give it a try, as I have heard about this platform in recent AI workshops that I’ve attended, and wanted to take a look at the functionality.
One benefit of using this platform is that you don’t need to login or create an account to use it, albeit with limited functions that are only available when you sign up.
Prompt #1:
What are some examples of how technology can be seen as experience, as discussed in the paper “Technology as Experience” by McCarthy and Wright (2004)?
The result that I got was a breakdown of three main concepts mentioned in the paper, including:
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Brenda Laurel's Concepts: The paper borrows concepts from Brenda Laurel, who discussed the idea of extending our minds via computer engagement, highlighting the transformative and experiential nature of human-computer interaction.
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John Dewey's Notion of an Active Self: The authors draw on John Dewey's concept of an active self, which shapes action and the internal dynamics of experience. This perspective emphasizes the role of the individual in shaping their technological experiences, framing it as an active and participatory process.
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Mikhail Bakhtin's Emphasis on Felt Life: The paper also references Mikhail Bakhtin's emphasis on the primacy of felt life, suggesting that technology is intertwined with our non-technical 'lived life' experiences. This perspective underscores the deep integration of technology into our everyday experiences and its influence on society
Prompt #2
What are some of the challenges when it comes to designing technology as experience?
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Creating the Best Technology Experience: Ensuring that technology provides the best possible experience for users, encompassing factors such as productivity, collaboration, and engagement.
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Understanding Technology as Experience: Shifting the perspective from viewing technology as a tool to understanding it as an integral part of human experience, encompassing intellectual, sensual, and cultural aspects.
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Evaluating Technology as Experience: Developing frameworks and methods for evaluating technology in terms of the experiences it offers, going beyond functional aspects to consider emotional, aesthetic, and societal dimensions.
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Focusing on User Experience: Emphasizing that user experience is not just about technology, industrial design, or interfaces, but about creating meaningful and personally encountered events through technology. This requires a shift from a purely practical view to one that considers the richness of human experiences.
Addressing these challenges requires a shift in perspective, a focus on holistic user experiences, and the development of frameworks for evaluating and designing technology to encompass its full experiential potential.
Prompt #3
What are some drawbacks of perceiving technology as experience?
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Dehumanization and Social Isolation: Improper use of technology can lead to dehumanization and foster social isolation, as individuals may become overly reliant on digital interactions, potentially diminishing face-to-face socialization and interpersonal skills.
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Security and Privacy Concerns: The lack of online security and exposure of sensitive data pose significant drawbacks, as both companies and individuals are exposed to the dangers lurking on the Internet, leading to potential theft, data hijacking, and major economic loss.
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Potential Job Losses: The rapid growth of e-commerce and digital platforms can have a detrimental impact on traditional industries and professions, potentially leading to job losses and the decline of established practices
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Costly Consequences of Malfunctions: When technology systems fail, the consequences can be expensive, resulting in financial costs for repairs and replacements, as well as lost productivity
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Reduction in Face-to-Face Socialization: Technology may reduce face-to-face socialization and interpersonal skills, as individuals increasingly rely on digital communication platforms, potentially impacting traditional forms of social interaction
Reflection
In Prompt #1, the response provided the theoretical frameworks of the scholars mentioned within the paper, with a perhaps overly generalized summarization of their ideas.
Upon further prompting (i.e. Can you expand on Brenda Laurel’s concepts within this paper?), I was given a response that referenced Laurel’s other works before reapplying it to the current context, which I found helpful for an introduction level of understanding.
In Prompt #2, it focused in on the “metacognitive” level of recognizing that a perspective shift is needed in order to implement “technology as experience” in practical ways.
Upon further prompting the difference between “technology as experience” versus “user experience”, it made the distinction that the former offers a theoretical lens for understanding the broader impact of technology on human experiences; whereas the latter was a practical approach to design and evaluation of specific experiences created through technology.
Lastly, in Prompt #3, I wanted to ask about the some aspects that we might be overlooking when we think about technology as experience. It provided some examples of what overreliance on technology could look like, and the dangers of being overly enmeshed with technology such that it becomes our sole experience.
Overall, I think Prompt #1 and Prompt #3 results could be conjured up through human brainstorming and critical thinking in general. Prompt #2 was more helpful when it comes to clarification and understanding the nuances which I found useful.