Interaction design · Sensory experience · Tangible prototype

Making Sense of Senses

This project explored how sensory experiences, such as tasting whisky, are shaped by the social situation around them.

At whisky fairs, exhibitors often took the role of expert, while participants were left to confirm or follow their descriptions. I designed and built a tangible whisky wheel with a laser cutter to make the tasting experience more participatory. The prototype gave people a simple way to describe, compare and share what they sensed.

Focus: Sensory experience, participation and social interaction

Disciplines: Interaction design · Social design · Participatory design

Approach: Design thinking · Video ethnography · Prototyping · User testing · Gamification

Output: Laser-cut tangible whisky wheel prototype

The process moved through observation, video ethnography, sketching, physical prototyping using laser cutters and testing in a real tasting context.