Augmenting Mood Boards: Flexible and Intuitive Interaction in the Context of the Design Studio

In our studies aimed at understanding design practice we have identified the creation of mood boards as a relevant task for designers. In this paper we introduce an interactive table that supports one part of the mood-board making process (i.e. image browsing) by providing flexible and intuitive interaction for designers in the context of their design studios. We propose an image browser that: 1) merges with the real context allowing designers to work in the comfort of their existing design studio environment, 2) captures the current flexibility of interaction with physical images by allowing designers to work using hand movements, and 3) provides an alternative solution to a cluttered desk and messy design studio by using the space above the table for interaction. Exploratory evaluations show that designers were able to use the system with no prior training, and to see a practical use of the proposed image browser in their design studios.