Counterfactual Thinking: What Theories Do in Design

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Standard

Counterfactual Thinking : What Theories Do in Design. / Oulasvirta, Antti; Hornbæk, Kasper.

In: International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, Vol. 38, No. 1, 2022, p. 78–92.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Oulasvirta, A & Hornbæk, K 2022, 'Counterfactual Thinking: What Theories Do in Design', International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 78–92. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2021.1925436

APA

Oulasvirta, A., & Hornbæk, K. (2022). Counterfactual Thinking: What Theories Do in Design. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 38(1), 78–92. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2021.1925436

Vancouver

Oulasvirta A, Hornbæk K. Counterfactual Thinking: What Theories Do in Design. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction. 2022;38(1):78–92. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2021.1925436

Author

Oulasvirta, Antti ; Hornbæk, Kasper. / Counterfactual Thinking : What Theories Do in Design. In: International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction. 2022 ; Vol. 38, No. 1. pp. 78–92.

Bibtex

@article{71755942c20c4af5bba60770767354ee,
title = "Counterfactual Thinking: What Theories Do in Design",
abstract = "This essay addresses a foundational topic in applied sciences with interest in design: how do theories inform design? Previous work has attributed theory-use to abduction and deduction. However, design is about creating an intervention, a possible state that does not exist presently, and these accounts fail to explain how theories permit taking this leap. We argue that the practical value of a theory lies in counterfactual thinking. Theories are like “speculation pumps”: they produce (pump) counterfactual thought experiments of the type: If design was , then interaction would be . The more valid these thought experiments are and the better they direct the solution of design problems toward desirable and reliable outcomes, the more useful the theory. Counterfactual thinking sheds new light to design methods and, importantly, can reconcile an underlying tension between design sciences and applied sciences.",
author = "Antti Oulasvirta and Kasper Hornb{\ae}k",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.",
year = "2022",
doi = "10.1080/10447318.2021.1925436",
language = "English",
volume = "38",
pages = "78–92",
journal = "International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction",
issn = "1044-7318",
publisher = "Taylor & Francis",
number = "1",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Counterfactual Thinking

T2 - What Theories Do in Design

AU - Oulasvirta, Antti

AU - Hornbæk, Kasper

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - This essay addresses a foundational topic in applied sciences with interest in design: how do theories inform design? Previous work has attributed theory-use to abduction and deduction. However, design is about creating an intervention, a possible state that does not exist presently, and these accounts fail to explain how theories permit taking this leap. We argue that the practical value of a theory lies in counterfactual thinking. Theories are like “speculation pumps”: they produce (pump) counterfactual thought experiments of the type: If design was , then interaction would be . The more valid these thought experiments are and the better they direct the solution of design problems toward desirable and reliable outcomes, the more useful the theory. Counterfactual thinking sheds new light to design methods and, importantly, can reconcile an underlying tension between design sciences and applied sciences.

AB - This essay addresses a foundational topic in applied sciences with interest in design: how do theories inform design? Previous work has attributed theory-use to abduction and deduction. However, design is about creating an intervention, a possible state that does not exist presently, and these accounts fail to explain how theories permit taking this leap. We argue that the practical value of a theory lies in counterfactual thinking. Theories are like “speculation pumps”: they produce (pump) counterfactual thought experiments of the type: If design was , then interaction would be . The more valid these thought experiments are and the better they direct the solution of design problems toward desirable and reliable outcomes, the more useful the theory. Counterfactual thinking sheds new light to design methods and, importantly, can reconcile an underlying tension between design sciences and applied sciences.

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U2 - 10.1080/10447318.2021.1925436

DO - 10.1080/10447318.2021.1925436

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85106468444

VL - 38

SP - 78

EP - 92

JO - International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction

JF - International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction

SN - 1044-7318

IS - 1

ER -

ID: 283137036