Abstract
This research study examines the notion of posthuman welfare in communication design, focusing on the affordances of assistive and interactive technologies recontextualised within more-than-human-centred frameworks. The study furthers the ongoing critique of anthropocentrism in design, highlighting the necessity of integrating nonhuman agency and emotive value into technology systems. The study employs a mixed-methods approach that integrates mini-surveys with participatory design workshops, involving actual users, designers, caregivers and advocates for nonhuman perspectives, thereby amalgamating multiple small-scale hands-on methodologies. The findings indicate that emotional design elements – empathy, flexibility and ethical sensitivity – are essential factors for enhancing well-being, attachment and future involvement with technology. The participants recognise that inclusive and collaborative procedures are crucial to design and that acknowledging both human and nonhuman stakeholders is vital. The study's significance lies in its contribution to post-humanist design theory, offering practical guidance for the creation of affective, morally responsible, and sustainable communication technologies that promote flourishing in both human and non-human groups.
Keywords
Posthumanism; emotional design; distributed agency; participatory communication design
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.224
Citation
Ho, A.G.(2025) Posthuman Emotional Well-being: Rethinking Assistive and Interactive Technologies as Co-agents., IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taipei, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.224
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 1 - More Than Human-centered Design
Posthuman Emotional Well-being: Rethinking Assistive and Interactive Technologies as Co-agents
This research study examines the notion of posthuman welfare in communication design, focusing on the affordances of assistive and interactive technologies recontextualised within more-than-human-centred frameworks. The study furthers the ongoing critique of anthropocentrism in design, highlighting the necessity of integrating nonhuman agency and emotive value into technology systems. The study employs a mixed-methods approach that integrates mini-surveys with participatory design workshops, involving actual users, designers, caregivers and advocates for nonhuman perspectives, thereby amalgamating multiple small-scale hands-on methodologies. The findings indicate that emotional design elements – empathy, flexibility and ethical sensitivity – are essential factors for enhancing well-being, attachment and future involvement with technology. The participants recognise that inclusive and collaborative procedures are crucial to design and that acknowledging both human and nonhuman stakeholders is vital. The study's significance lies in its contribution to post-humanist design theory, offering practical guidance for the creation of affective, morally responsible, and sustainable communication technologies that promote flourishing in both human and non-human groups.