Embodied knowledge as a design probe in a user-centered design study of a sonification system for crochet

The design of spatial user interaction systems requires knowledge of the actions performed in the environment and the underlying system that detects these actions. While studies that utilize spatial data collected from sensors recognize these aspects as valuable, more research can be done to investigate how users with differing embodied knowledge of a task can improve the design of spatial user interaction systems. We present a user-centered design study of a prototype system that allows users to share their hand gestures through sound as they crochet to enhance the experience of this embodied creative task. We recruited novice crocheters (N = 10), experienced crocheters (N = 9), and subject matter experts (N = 5) in sonification, audio technology, and human–computer interaction to holistically uncover opportunities to improve our prototype. We present our qualitative results and a set of guidelines that can support researchers in utilizing differences in embodied knowledge to further their design process.