February 4, 2000
This presentation will review research conducted by Interval
Research in collaboration with Cheskin Research that led to the
formation of Purple Moon, a company devoted to interactive media
for preteen girls. Purple Moon was formed in 1996, with initial
product launch in the fall of 1997.
The company was acquired by Mattel in 1999. During its life,
ongoing research played a major role in the formation of new
product concepts and designs. This talk will discuss research
methods and key findings, how research was translated into design
and marketing decisions, and the other cultural forces that influenced
the company's products and its fate.
|
![](Resources/Pictures/laurel.jpg)
Brenda Laurel
is a designer, researcher and writer. Her work focuses on interactive
narrative, human-computer interaction, and cultural aspects of
technology. Her career in human-computer interaction spans
over twenty years. She holds an M.F.A. and Ph.D. in theatre from
the Ohio State University. Her doctoral dissertation was the
first to propose a comprehensive architecture for computer-based
interactive fantasy and fiction. Brenda was one of the founding
Members of the research staff at Interval
Research Corporation in Palo Alto, California, where she
coordinated research activities exploring gender and technology,
and where she co-produced and directed the Placeholder
Virtual Reality project. She was also one of the founders and
VP/Design of a spinoff company from Interval
- Purple Moon - formed
to market products based on this research. Purple
Moon was acquired by Mattel in 1999. In 1990 she co-founded
Telepresence Research, Inc. to develop virtual reality and remote
presence technology and applications. She has worked as a software
designer, producer, and researcher for companies including Atari,
Activision, and Apple. Brenda has published extensively on topics
including interactive fiction, computer games, autonomous agents,
virtual reality, and political and artistic issues in interactive
media. She is editor of the book, The Art of Human-Computer
Interface Design [Addison-Wesley 1990] and author of Computers
as Theatre [Addison-Wesley 1991; 2nd edition 1993], and a
collection of essays entitled Severed
Heads.
|
|