REACT Working Paper Commission: “Exploring the role of the Arts and Humanities in design for the Internet of Things”

Duration: March – September 2014

REACT is looking to commission an energetic, curious and experienced investigator to research and deliver a working paper for REACT.

The commission will entail working alongside our Objects Sandbox teams to explore how intellectual approaches common to arts and humanities disciplines - where research exhibits a rich and deep understanding of society, culture and human experience - might influence design in new Internet-connected objects.

This is an opportunity to explore the cutting edge field of experience and interaction design in the Internet of Things.

The work will involve:

• Producing a full written report to a brief provided by REACT
• Collecting necessary data for the production of the above, including but not limited to interviews with collaborators working on REACT Objects Sandbox
• Attending and documenting Objects Sandbox workshops at the Pervasive Media Studio in Bristol as part of the data collection process
• Collating notes, data and evidence for use by the REACT team in its evaluation and advocacy activities
• Working where appropriate with the REACT team to achieve the above

You will need:

• Knowledge of the field of Design Anthropology, Material Cultures, Design/Art History or similar, ideally in the form of a PhD or industry experience
• Demonstrable experience of planning and producing written reports to spec
• A track record of writing for academic and non-academic audiences
• To be highly organised, self-motivated and self-administering
• To have experience in methods of data collection appropriate for this commission
• The ability to work as part of a team
• A willingness and ability to travel across the REACT region (Exeter, Bath, Cardiff, Bristol) if appropriate
• An understanding of the field for collaborative work between Universities and Creative Economy businesses

Full details, including a brief, can be found here, on the REACT website