Probing human-soundscape interaction using observational user experience methods

Abstract

Sound, whose perception depends on spatial, temporal and cognitive factors, is an intangible issue within interaction design. It is not very easy for interaction designers to explore, understand, or ideate on this intangible and complex phenomenon as they mostly rely on visual language, sketches, or physical prototypes. In this paper, we present initial insights to the design of an interactive mediated sound reality system, which refines the users' interaction with a soundscape. The main contribution of this study is the insights gathered through the use of three observational user experience (UX) methods: (1) note-taking in soundwalks; (2) soundscape visualization; (3) auditory journey maps to overcome the above-mentioned difficulty in rationalizing the intangibility of human-soundscape interaction with focusing, recording and reflecting spatial, temporal and interactive aspects of soundscape.