Milena Radzikowska Presents: "What Can We Learn From the Intersection of Feminism and HCI?"

Friday, November 1, 2019

Watch Dr. Milena Radzikowska's talk below

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Dr. Milena Radzikowska, member of qCollaborative and professor of Information Design at Mount Royal University, gave a presentation at the Games Institute on the intersection of feminism and human-computer interaction (HCI.)  This presentation focused on how feministic design practices can be implemented into standard HCI practices to improve upon interactive technology such as user interfaces.

Radzikowska discussed many elements of interface design interaction such as how to implement drastic changes in a user interface design, with several different processes to have a product undergo a complete overhaul in a way that feels as if it is a natural progression of the design.

Radzikowska brings up several challenges during her presentation, such as going outside of the boundaries of what current design interfaces have by contesting existing practices. Radzikowska uses the example of challenging normal user interface design by creating a physical object that would function in a similar way to a digital interface to see how it changes the users interaction with the product.

Radzikowska also urges people to constantly question designs by analyzing the creators privilege transparency, accountability, constraints, and location. She notes that:

"The point is to know what the boundaries are of that object, to know that it is not neutral" … "If it is not neutral then what is it?"

Radzikowska also calls for designers to focus on what is often underrepresented in design, using the example of creating an interactive product to display women's feelings on period shame. She encourages designers to practice feministic design by doing whatever is in their power to become a feminist, while recognizing your own privileges and pointing out problematic patriarchal design

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