01 Definition

 Bodystorming situates brainstorming in physical experience, combining role-playing and simulation to inspire new ideas and empathic, spontaneous prototyping.  

---- Universal Methods of Design p.26

 Bodystorming is a technique sometimes used in interaction design or as a creativity technique. The idea is to imagine what it would be like if the product existed, and act as though it exists, ideally in the place it would be used. Its going through an idea with improvised artifacts and physical activities to envision a solution. This User Experience Design (UXD) technique is ideal to design physical spaces (e.g. the interior design of a shop) but can also be used to design physical products or software.  

---- Wikipedia

02 Natures

Notes


• Body-storming: brainstorming using your body;
• Role-playing: done by designers, imagine you are actor/actress
• Informance: done by design researchers, collect data in order to report to stakeholder - how does the design work overtime, design communication methods, motivate
• Performance: visualization, in the interactive environments, a way to assess for existing design works

Suited Context


• Bodystorming is useful when you are designing devices or interior or exterior spaces. The method may be contained within design teams, but can also engage a wider audience of peers or clients, inviting response and dialogue. Bodystorming encourages active design ideation, concept generation, and even testing of ideas in parallel.

03 Procedures

• Get a small group together for the bodystorming..
• Define the locations were a product or service will be used. Go to those locations and observe how people interact. Watch how people interact with each other and the artifacts in their environment.
• Develop the prototypes and props that you need to explore an idea. You can do this on the cheap with cardboard, sketches, existing furniture, and whatever else you can find nearby.
• Identify the personas or roles that are important for understanding your product, service, or environment. Keep in mind that people may play the role of hardware or software as well as the roles of customer, user, or troubleshooter.
• Role play different scenarios. Feel free to improvise and role play new situations and scenarios that emerge from your initial round of bodystorming.
• Reflect on the bodystorming experience. Find new possibilities as well as gnarly problems.

04 Reflection

06 Supplement Reading

• UXD Method 11 of 100: Bodystorming
• Dennis Schleicher, D., Jones, P. & Kachur, O. (2010). Bodystorming as embodied designing. interactions 17, 6 , 47-51.