Expressive Signals

Degree Project 2023

How do we design for connection? How might we introduce quirkiness, personal expression and a little bit of magic to our unified, unemotional black screens? I argue to open up rigid design systems and loosen their boundaries to elicit something new that’s cute, weird, and so unique: it becomes magical. I apply research through design and user-centred methods to gain insights while prototyping to tweak communication features. The result is "Expressive Signals," a repository of explorations promoting personalised digital communication. Expressive Signals break traditional norms, allowing users to generate strong connections and enhance expression. They enrich digital communication, prioritising play, joy, and new elements that promote empathy through connecting. This passion project dwells on my interest in language, communication, storytelling, and cognitive science, exploring how to combine and tweak new features to design for self-expression and unexpected magic.

Background

Working with design systems can have perks, but something gets lost when we systemise how we communicate. The aesthetic universalisation of modern technology contributes to the perception that diversity is lost. The web has a consistent look and feels, leaving little room for unanticipated cultural variety. lf these are the platforms we mostly use to connect with our loved ones these days, I am asking the question: How much can we express ourselves when we communicate digitally? I argue to open up rigid design systems and loosen their boundaries to elicit something new that's cute, weird, and so unique: it becomes magical. I apply research through design and user-centred methods to gain insights while prototyping along the way to test and tweak communication features.

Result

The result is "Expressive Signals," a repository of explorations promoting personalised digital communication. Shifting micro-interactions from visual appeal and individual pleasure to expressivity and newness.

Expressive Signals allow users to cut through the noise and generate strong signals to enhance expression in digital systems. The focus is on combining, tweaking, and exploring new digital communication elements to enhance expression and connect on a deeper level. They utilise micro-interactions and tools with purposefully loose constraints to invite to be braken, to elicit what we don't expect.

I designed five examples of how these signals could come into play, following a flow of steps to have each represent a different feature. The design proposals are:

  1. Presence's Poise: What if we could play with presence, visually enter conversations and give a sneak-peek at what's about to come, adding an element of anticipation and engagement.
  2. Tactful Treasures: Deprived of comics, while texting speech bubbles do a great job of visually differentiating content. What if they could match their content.
  3. Personal Palette: Emojis are the hand gestures of the internet. What if they could become even more unique, like your way of speaking.
  4. Twinkling Trove: Similar to holding onto cherished letters, this feature allows users to keep messages that hold sentimental value, creating a digital repository of meaningful exchanges.
  5. Dedicated Delivery: For some messages, there needs to be the right place, the right time or the right mood. What if we could ensure our message doesn't drown somewhere in between.

To make an empathic connection with people in their context. Expressive signals promote play, joy, and other aspects of life that have been neglected in favour of utility or pragmatism in digital communication spaces.

Design bursts with self-expression. I intend to design for precisely that.

This passion project dwells on my interest in language, communication, storytelling and every nerdy cognitive science bit around it. It explores how to combine and tweak new features to enhance expression, ultimately aiming to design for self-expression and unexpected magic.

To all the misunderstood and those who over-interpret, To the emoji-tweakers and message decorators who know how to perfect, For the letter-writers, silent fighters, and oppressed-speakers too, Heart-sharers, know that we hear you. Your voice rings true.

Linda Kraft

Master's Programme in Interaction Design

UID23 | Linda Kraft – Grad Project Presentation

The art of connecting: Expressive Signals Image:Umeå Institute of Design

The art of connecting: Expressive Signals

Designing design systems for communication Image:Umeå Institute of Design

Designing design systems for communication

Image:Umeå Institute of Design
Image:Umeå Institute of Design
Structure is not rigid, it’s a flow in constant flux. And so should systems be. Image:Umeå Institute of Design

Structure is not rigid, it’s a flow in constant flux. And so should systems be.

Presence’s Poise: What if we could play with presence, visually enter conversations and give a sneak peek at what’s about to come. Image:Umeå Institute of Design

Presence’s Poise: What if we could play with presence, visually enter conversations and give a sneak peek at what’s about to come.

Tactful Treasures: Deprived of comics, while texting speech bubbles do a great job of visually differentiating content. What if they could match their content. Image:Umeå Institute of Design

Tactful Treasures: Deprived of comics, while texting speech bubbles do a great job of visually differentiating content. What if they could match their content.

Personal Palette: Emojis are the hand gestures of the internet. What if they could become even more unique, like your way of speaking. Image:Umeå Institute of Design

Personal Palette: Emojis are the hand gestures of the internet. What if they could become even more unique, like your way of speaking.

Twinkling Trove: Similar to holding onto cherished letters, this feature allows users to keep messages that hold sentimental value, creating a digital repository of meaningful exchanges. Image:Umeå Institute of Design

Twinkling Trove: Similar to holding onto cherished letters, this feature allows users to keep messages that hold sentimental value, creating a digital repository of meaningful exchanges.

From clay-crunching workshops to prototype-potpourri: it was all part of crafting, tweaking, and finding: Expressive Signals. Image:Umeå Institute of Design

From clay-crunching workshops to prototype-potpourri: it was all part of crafting, tweaking, and finding: Expressive Signals.

What if you could create a bond, that is so unique, it can be exhibited in a museum. You are the artist, we all are-with our unique style of communicating. Image:Umeå Institute of Design

What if you could create a bond, that is so unique, it can be exhibited in a museum. You are the artist, we all are-with our unique style of communicating.

From clay-crunching workshops to prototype-potpourri: it was all part of crafting, tweaking, and finding: Expressive Signals. Image:Umeå Institute of Design

From clay-crunching workshops to prototype-potpourri: it was all part of crafting, tweaking, and finding: Expressive Signals.