3.3.2.4. Outcomes
The success and the impressive outcome of the ‘~worn~’ workshop is based on the respect of the collaborators, and the balanced interplay between playful exploration and an open approach towards the technology. The technology was introduced to the students in a human-centred approach. Through the introduction of consumer electronics, the technology entered the arena as a soft component, allowing for hands-on soldering, hacking, re-engineering and repurposing. The role of the workshop leader was of crucial importance as she acted as a mediator between the students’ art and design concepts and the hardware developers. She facilitated the Third space or neutral ground for the students and the developers to meet, collaborate, create and learn. This Third space worked well as it provided a workable model without too much waiting time, or need for expert knowledge (either from the technological or the artistic / design side). The low-tech consumer hardware kits worked well as boundary objects, and enabled the artists, designers and technicians to meet in a semi-neutral space.
A key indication of the workshop’s success is that several students are planning the next version or steps in product development from the prototypes developed in the ‘~worn~’ workshop. A paper about the process and methodology of the workshop was presented during Wearable Futures[269], a conference at the University of Wales (UK). Currently V2_ is negotiating the options for showing the students’ works in a scientific and multimedia research context, as the work was perceived as user-centred innovative design by the MultimediaN consortium.
(fig.30. Methods from ‘~worn~’ (bold))
