Characteristics of a strongly interactive system
I really appreciate how Chris Crawford clarifies the concept of Interactive Design, breaking down common misconceptions through clear, relatable, and practical examples. Before reading, I also had a mistaken perception of interactivity. Crawford’s explanation helped me understand it in its simplest form—as a cyclic process involving two actors who actively listen, process, and respond. In the context of media and graphic design, this translates to receiving input, processing it, and generating meaningful output. The core characteristics of interactivity, as highlighted in the reading, revolve around these key elements:
- Accepting user input
- Processing user input
- Providing relevant output
Another key takeaway for me was that a highly interactive system should be responsive, engaging, and adaptive, ensuring that user actions lead to unique and meaningful experiences rather than repetitive or predetermined outcomes.
improving the degree of user interaction
To enhance interactivity in my p5 sketches, I plan to incorporate more immediate user feedback and dynamic responses. For instance, I could implement gesture-based controls using mouse or keyboard input, where actions like mousePressed, mouseReleased, or cursor position trigger varied visual reactions. Additionally, introducing randomness and auto-generated elements would make the sketches feel less predictable and more engaging. By designing my sketches to respond in personalized and dynamic ways, I can create a richer and more immersive interactive experience.