Rekindling Connections: The ILA 23 Experience
After 4 years, Interaction Latin America has returned to its in-person format. This year, we were fortunate that it took place in the city of La Plata, therefore, those of us with Argentine passports felt at home. Additionally, I had the pleasure of attending with members of the Flux IT design team whom I have the honor of leading.
This event always has two interesting components. On one hand, the content: understanding what is being discussed in the design community, what conversations we are having, and the most relevant projects in the region. And on the other hand, the fact of getting together: meeting face-to-face with people we had not seen in a while and also getting to know new faces. I must say that both components were present once again. It was a pleasure to chat, think, discuss, and share some time with prominent individuals in our field, such as Mariana Salgado, Eduardo Mercovich, Luis Parker, Juan Ortiz, and Nicolás Jaureguiberry, among many, many others. With regard to the content, I identified some themes that were present throughout the entire event in this edition, and I would like to summarize them in this article.
Remote Working Remains on the Agenda
Working remotely vs in-person was the subject of several presentations. In this regard, Beatriz Paulo and Rebeca Cabral shared the results of an investigation they conducted on designers to analyze how working remotely affects their professional activities. They discussed how to prevent burnout by properly organizing documentation, including more robust onboarding processes, and by setting boundaries. They shared many insights, but one stands out: working remotely functions so much better with people who have previously experienced working on-site.
Dave Malouf shared his thoughts on the conditions that are pushing companies into rigidly enforcing the return to offices. According to Dave, the massive lay-off that left thousands of unemployed individuals combined with the fact that companies are attempting to revive the corporate real estate sector are leading many companies to break agreements made during the pandemic and to demand for a return to the workplace without substantial reasons.
Erica Jorgensen did not exclusively focus on the dynamics of remote working, instead, she also focused on collaboration and how we must protect our mental health. She spoke about achieving a mental flow state in which we maintain a deep focus on a topic that allows us to abstract from our surroundings and achieve greater productivity. A simple chat can put an end to that state, and while being in this state generates a certain level of enjoyment at the brain level, repeated interruption creates stress. She shared another tip that was the most highly praised moment at ILA: suggesting that Fridays should have no meetings.
Everything discussed at ILA regarding this topic led me to ponder on such a topic and to think of the concept “meaningful in-person work.” Taking a cue from Dave Malouf, we need to shift the focus of the discussion away from whether returning to offices is mandatory or not. We should allow team leaders to arrange visits to the office, not to replicate what they do from home but to use in-person working to drive projects, connect more humanly with peers, and learn.
Artificial Intelligence and Design
Claudia Gutierrez delivered an excellent presentation on the subject. Now, we must not only understand users, but also comprehend what a machine needs to fulfill the users’ goals. To this end, the iterative process of prototyping data that feeds AI algorithms is fundamental. Gustavo Soto Miño talked about how market pressures will drive us to use AI as a co-pilot, an assistant in design that takes on tasks that we currently perform and that add little value. According to Gustavo, since AI understands and replicates patterns from the past, it cannot devise future strategies. This is where we, designers, need to add more value.
Demián Calderón did not only speak about the positive promises of AI uses, but he also addressed more concerning aspects, such as overreliance on AI decisions, behavior manipulation through algorithms, cognitive dissociation, or disruption in the labor market. He shared how they have created a work framework called Expanded IA Design Sprint that provides them with a better approach when they take on projects involving AI. Emi Cosenza introduced the concept of conversational natives which refers to the generations currently in infancy that communicate with machines through conversation. Hence, he invited us to leave behind the idea that screens are the sole way to interact with systems.
Many other presentations tackled the challenges posed by artificial intelligence. The idea that AI is altering production means and processes was present throughout the event. Therefore, as design professionals, we need to adapt and understand that by doing so, we can continue to add value in crucial areas in which AI falls short.
Work Ethics in Design
Similar to previous editions of ILA, ethics was a prominently featured theme. Almost all the presentations I listened to addressed it in one way or another. In an increasingly polarized world with growing inequalities, escalating war and poverty, and aggravating climate change that is increasing at an exponential rate, what can we do from a designer’s perspective? There is not only one answer or an easy one. Many people shared their “small contribution” ranging from the conception of systems for reducing violence against trans individuals in healthcare to the use of educational platforms for vulnerable groups, thus addressing mental health, (both ours and that of people in general) and envisioning ourselves as urban planners for a new world shaped by apps, with the responsibilities that it entails.
These were three days of presentation, reunions, thoughts, and a lot of fun. Choosing only one favorite presentation is challenging, so I will go with a top 3.
“I Feel! I Am!” by Andrés Rodríguez
Andrés is one of the few individuals I know who stays at the “lab” exploring new interaction-related aspects. On this occasion, he shared a theoretical presentation on tactile interaction. While this type of interaction is commonly used in video game controllers, its uses go much further. The sense of touch is so crucial that merely making the phone vibrate when pressing the purchase button has increased Amazon’s purchase intent by 35%. Touch is a sense we tend to overlook in design, yet it can significantly impact the quality of interaction and the overall experience of a digital product.
“Questioning What We Take for Granted in the UX Revolution” by Sergio Rossillo
Sergio took a highly critical stance on the current state of our discipline. He discussed how the industrialization of design leads to standardization, in contrast with an increase in value proposition. He also questioned the current state of design education in which many institutions offer courses that create unrealistic expectations of our discipline and prioritize profitability over educational quality.
“What Design Can Do?” by Kees Dorst
The closing presentation of the event was a recollection of the characteristics of today’s world problems. These problems are open, complex, dynamic, and interconnected. Thinking in cause-and-effect solutions does not make sense. We must consider interventions that disrupt the system and lead to a better state. So, what can design do? Kees proposes a frame shift, a reframing to create these interventions iteratively. The event concluded with Kees’ thought-provoking remark which challenged us to abandon traditional linear solutions if we want to address the open and interconnected nature of contemporary problems.
After the final presentation, we gathered together as a community to celebrate the end of this fantastic event. The IxDA La Plata team worked tirelessly, and their efforts paid off. ILA always encourages us to think.
Our discipline extends far beyond delivering screens. As design professionals, we must strive to increase the value we bring to companies, organizations, and society. The world is changing rapidly, and unfortunately, not for the better. The magic of ILA is rediscovering that, to some extent, we also design the future. These were three incredible days full of sharing, learning, and thinking. Three days of joy and community spirit during which we could say, “Hey, it has been great to see each other again!”
