Shit! Towards an experimental multiple-perspective approach to human-microbiome relations

For HCI to move beyond human exceptionalism requires embracing morethan-humans, humans as parts of ecosystems, as multispecies assemblages and events. In short, decentering the human. Yet, human experience sits at the center of HCI. We report from Shit!, an experimental research inquiry into the relationship between people suffering intestinal dysbiosis and their gut microbiome. We discuss a series of Shitty workshops and the method's suitability for fostering multiple-perspectives on human-microbiome relations. We reflect on the possibilities and challenges of conducting intimate, more-than-human design inquiries through workshops: carefully curated tasks undertaken collaboratively, in social settings, with facilitation. Our contribution is threefold: (1) we trace the lineage of workshops in HCI and Participatory Design; (2) we highlight and problematize humanmicrobiome relationships in sensitive participatory health-care contexts;