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Can Anyone Make a Smart Device?: Evaluating the Usability of a Prototyping Toolkit for Creative Computing

In: Design Thinking Research

Author

Listed:
  • Joel Sadler

    (Center for Design Research
    School of Education, Learning Sciences and Technology Design Program)

  • Lauren Aquino Shluzas

    (Center for Design Research)

  • Paulo Blikstein

    (School of Education, Learning Sciences and Technology Design Program
    School of Engineering)

  • Sakti Srivastava

    (Stanford University)

Abstract

Can anyone make a smart device? Affordable sensors, actuators and novice microcomputer toolkits are the building blocks of the field we refer to as Creative Computing. With the growing maker movement, more tools are becoming available to novices, but there is little research into the usability evaluation of these toolkits. In this chapter, we discuss the importance of closing the gap between idea and prototype, the need for systematically evaluating the usability of novice toolkits, and a strategy for doing so. Specifically, the chapter presents the Tiny Device Test, a method for evaluating the usability of novice electronics toolkits. Using a standard set of building challenges based on common household electronics, we discuss methods for evaluating the Bloctopus toolkit, which was designed for novice electronics prototyping with low-resolution materials. This work aims to contribute to the idea of “making simple things simple, and complex things possible,” with prototyping toolkits of the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Joel Sadler & Lauren Aquino Shluzas & Paulo Blikstein & Sakti Srivastava, 2016. "Can Anyone Make a Smart Device?: Evaluating the Usability of a Prototyping Toolkit for Creative Computing," Understanding Innovation, in: Hasso Plattner & Christoph Meinel & Larry Leifer (ed.), Design Thinking Research, pages 147-160, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:undchp:978-3-319-40382-3_10
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-40382-3_10
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