Reading Crawford’s thoughts on interactivity made me realize how often we misuse or misunderstand the term. He argues that true interaction is more than just clicking buttons or watching something respond—it’s a continuous cycle of listening, thinking, and speaking. This made me question a lot of things I previously considered interactive, like video games or even websites. Are they really interactive, or am I just reacting to what they already decided for me? Crawford’s example of a refrigerator light turning on when you open the door really stuck with me. We say it “responds,” but does it actually interact? Probably not. It makes me wonder—how many things in digital media are truly interactive, and how many just give an illusion of interactivity? I’m also curious if we, as users, even want true interactivity all the time. If everything required deep engagement, wouldn’t that be exhausting?
His perspective also makes me rethink my approach to designing p5.js sketches. If interactivity isn’t just about reacting, but about engaging in a meaningful back-and-forth, then my sketches should create that kind of loop. Right now, they mostly rely on simple user inputs like clicks or movement, but how can I make them listen better? Maybe adding more adaptive responses or making the program “think” before reacting could help. A strongly interactive system, in my view, would be one where the user feels like they are having a conversation with the system, rather than just pressing buttons to see what happens. Overall, Crawford’s ideas push me to design experiences that aren’t just visually engaging but intellectually engaging too.