Beyond "Couch Potatoes": From Consumers to Designers

The fundamental challenge for computational media is to contribute to the invention and design of cultures in which humans can express themselves and engage in personally meaningful activities. Cultures are substantially defined by their media and tools for thinking, working, learning, and collaborating. New media change (1) the structure and contents of our interests, (2) the nature of our cognitive and collaborative tools, and (3) the social environment in which thoughts originate and evolve, and mindsets develop. Unfortunately, a large number of new media are designed from a perspective of seeing and treating humans primarily as consumers. In personally meaning and important activities, the possibility for humans to be and to act as designers (in cases in which they desire to do so) should be accessible not only to a small group of "high-tech scribes," but rather to all interested individuals and groups. While the core message of the article applies to cultures, mindsets,...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 1998
• Where: APCHI
• Authors: Gerhard Fischer
• Keywords: APCHI 1998, Computational Media, Fundamental Challenge, Human Computer Interaction, Meaningful Activities