Haakon Faste
CCA
Posthuman-Centered Design

What is the future of Human-Computer Interaction as humans become increasingly non-human (robotic, virtual, cyborg) beings? Does it even make sense to be designing for “humans” when the humans in question are no longer human? And how do these changes affect those “human-centered” design methodologies—through which we establish and satisfy “usefulness”—that have become increasingly central to HCI research? This talk introduces the topic of “posthuman-centered design” as the field of research addressing these and similar questions. The design implications as humans increasingly interact with virtual and robo/cyborg “posthumans” will both reframe and challenge many of the underlying assumptions of contemporary HCI practice, especially with regard to its ethical positioning and goals.

Haakon Faste is Assistant Professor of Interaction Design at California College of the Arts in San Francisco. From 2010-2013 he served on the faculty of the Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, where his research centered on socially responsible innovation, design education, and computer assisted collaborative creativity. Haakon holds a Ph.D. in Perceptual Robotics from the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, Italy, and a BA in physics and studio art from Oberlin College. A former leader of IDEO's Software Experiences design practice, he has led design strategy, implementation, technology innovation and IP strategy on creative projects for some of the world's most innovative corporations including Toyota, Microsoft, Yahoo!, Intel and Cisco Systems. He has also been active in technology design in the cultural arena, having led interactive media projects with clients including Rolling Stone, the Whitney Museum of American Art and DavidBowie.com.