Creative Figures of Users

Abstract

In this chapter, the reader will follow the trail of the “user”. Many disciplines claim to best represent her: ergonomics and engineering research focus on the system made of humans and machines, aesthetics concentrates on the sensitive experience, media studies focus on audiences and spectators. Rather than trying to catch the reality of the user, the chapter shows that the design process relies on several “figures” of the user. These figures are poetic productions and “indirect representations” of user models that support the expansion of the design project beyond a mere replication of standard uses.