Queering Interfaces [title subject to change] is the beginning of my graduate thesis project to be completed in May '20 at the Parsons MFA Design and Technology program. This work was born out of a fascination with the oppressive tendencies that serve as a foundation for much of our digital technologies. These tendencies are often traced back to capitalist markers of success, namely efficiency, speed, and productivity. Today we see how such a system has weaponized technology to gain capital through examples such as the increased mining of personal data on social media sites, biometric-tracking devices used in the workplace, or the quantification of friendship through “likes” or “follows”.

I began to use queer theory as a framework to think through these ideas, and specifically using the political definition of “queer”, or one that refers to the embodied resistance to an oppressive system. What would this sort of embodied resistance look like if it were to exist in the world of interface design? Moving outside of theory, what might a digital expression of this resistance look like? How might we imbue queerness into the very interfaces, experiences, and designs that hold power over us? Furthermore, how might a human/computer relationship that is truly symbiotic work to encourage humans to rethink the way inhabit digital spaces?

Most importantly, how might be restore power to those disenfranchised by capitalism, and especially so through the design of our technology?

The following videos showcase the experiments I have been working on that try and answer so many of these questions. What if technology expressed silliness, poetry, anger, psychic abilities, etc?

My first set of experiments look more broadly at everyday technologies. Hover over each image to see the question that prompted each experiment.

In order, these projects address the following questions:

1. How might a close button express connection?

2. How might UI express purposelessness?

3. How might push-notifications express promiscuity?

4. How might a desktop express a bedtime ritual?

Click each image/video below to expand it.

The next set of experiments looked more closely at manipulating one’s experience of being on the interface, along the lines of a previous project, In/Bounds. I found myself manipulating the power dynamics of the internet by targeting visual elements, time, and interaction.

In order, these projects address the following questions:

1. How might a cursor express mediumship?

2. How might a click express a change in perspective?

3. How might hyperlinks express shyness?

4. How might scrolling express loneliness?

5. How might screens express warmth?

For a more detailed look at my thesis journey, you can visit my thesis blog here!