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Towards a Methodology of Phenomenological Research through Design

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Abstract

This draft offers a preliminary suggestion for Phenomenological Research through Design (PRtD), a methodological framework that integrates phenomenological principles into Research through Design (RtD) practice. Based on Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology, the framework outlines five interrelated methodological aspects: #1 Prototyping through the Lived Body, #2 Exploring the Reciprocity of Touch and Touchback, #3 Cultivating Social Interrelation, #4 Embracing Drifting as a Method, and #5 Attuning to Intercorporeality– as tools for engaging with and reflecting on design processes that are bodily, social and material. PRtD offers a grounded, yet flexible approach to designing with and through the body. The framework is proposed as a practical contribution to Soma Design, embodied interaction design, and reflective methodologies in HCI, particularly for those seeking to centre lived experience in interaction design.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationPhenomenological Concepts and Methods for HCI Research 2025 : Proceedings of the Workshop on Phenomenological Concepts and Methods for HCI Research co-located with 20th IFIP TC13 International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (INTERACT 2025). Belo Horizonte, Brazil, September 09, 2025
EditorsDeogenes P. da Silva, Emanuel F. Duarte, Roberto Pereira, Maria C. C. Baranauskas
Number of pages11
Volume4131
PublisherCEUR Workshop Proceedings
Publication dateDec 2025
Pages29-39
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2025
EventPhenomenological concepts and methods for HCI research: Workshop on Phenomenological Concepts and Methods for HCI Research (PhenoHCI) In conjunction with INTERACT 2025 - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Duration: 9 Sept 20259 Sept 2025
https://interact2025.org/phenomenological-concepts-and-methods-for-hci-research/

Workshop

WorkshopPhenomenological concepts and methods for HCI research
Country/TerritoryBrazil
CityBelo Horizonte
Period09/09/202509/09/2025
OtherPhenomenology is the philosophical movement interested in investigating lived human experiences arising in our direct engagement with others and the world. Phenomenology is increasingly recognized as central to contemporary HCI, offering unique insights into the human experience and the bodily existence in interaction often overlooked by conventional information-processing models. This workshop invites researchers, practitioners, educators, and students to discuss and share theoretical frameworks, practical case studies, and methodological insights drawn from phenomenology, enactivism, and other post-cognitivist perspectives. Participants will examine how these perspectives can inform HCI topics such as user experience, accessibility, and affection, ultimately challenging established assumptions and inspiring fresh directions for research.<br/><br/>The workshop will highlight practical approaches, ranging from first-person methods (e.g., autoethnography) to second- and third-person approaches that address experiential, social and contextual dimensions of technology use. By the workshop’s conclusion, participants will co-create a research agenda outlining open questions and future pathways for phenomenologically informed HCI, as well as compile an open-access catalog of resources, from foundational texts to hands-on tools, supporting a growing community centered on phenomenology’s role in shaping our understanding of technology and interaction.
Internet address
SeriesCEUR Workshop Proceedings
Number4131
ISSN1613-0073

Keywords

  • Research through design
  • Phenomenology
  • Embodied interaction
  • Soma Design
  • Intercorporeality
  • Design Methodology

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