A scheme for representing beneficial inconvenience

Abstract

This paper proposes a representation scheme of humanmachine interaction that provides users with beneficial inconvenience. The scheme consists of three layers. The top layer represents userdependent subjective matters, and the middle layer describes inconvenience as an objective phenomenon that creates opportunities to get objective benefits. The bottom contains a task-achievement model whose basic structure is a triangle relation among user, object, and system, based on Vygotsky’s insight into human activities. This paper demonstrates the performance of our scheme by representing typical situations for obtaining beneficial inconveniences in a uniform construction. This scheme can also be used as a testing ground of fuben-eki designs. Fubeneki stands for the benefits of inconvenience, and a fuben-eki design means a design that appreciates the concept of fuben-eki.