Exploring the design and use of IT from a humanistic perspective
I’m Peter Dalsgaard, Professor of Interaction Design at Aarhus University. I explore the use and design of digital systems from a humanistic perspective. My research focuses on the theory and practice of interaction design, participatory design, and the role and nature of digital tools in creativity and innovation. I currently direct a series of research projects that examine how digital tools may help people think and create in new ways.
News and updates
[December 13]: Article accepted for CHI 2021: J Frich, M Nouwens, K Halskov & P Dalsgaard: “How digital tools impact convergent and divergent thinking in design ideation“.
[November 9]: Chapter in the book “Tanker i lockdown” now published: P Dalsgaard: “Når kreativiteten går i lockdown“. [Free access here].
[November 2]: Article accepted for Behaviour and Information Technology: J Frich, M M Biskjaer, C Remy, L M Vermulen, P Dalsgaard: Revisiting the Role of User Research in Design Creativity: Three Insights for Future Studies.
[November 2]: Article accepted for ECCE 2021: C Remy, G Harboe, J Frich, M M Biskjaer, P Dalsgaard: Challenges and Opportunities in the Design of Digital Tools for Distributed Affinity Diagramming.
[September 1]: New project, Reinvent, funded by Innovation Fund Denmark, to develop a collaborative system for communities to share examples of rethinking society during the COVID-19 pandemic.
[June 23]: Article accepted for NordiCHI 2020: Frankjaer, R. & Dalsgaard, P. 2020: “Knowledge-creation Processes in Crafts-based HCI Research: Introducing a Sympoietic Framework“. [Download preprint PDF]
[May 18]: New 4-year project, Managing Ideas in Creative Work, funded by Independent Research Fund Denmark. We will study how creative professionals capture, manage & develop ideas.
[May 8] Article and video presentation for Programming 2020 now available: Fox, A. R., Guo, P., Klokmose, C. N., Dalsgaard, P., Satyanarayan, A., Xia, H., & Hollan, J. D. 2020. “Towards a Dynamic Multiscale Personal Information Space“. [Download PDF] [Watch video presentation]
Current projects
CoCreate
Studying the benefits and shortcomings of digital tools used in collaborative creative work. Read more on the project website.
Managing Ideas in Creative Work
Examining the role and nature of tools that designers use to capture, manage, and develop ideas, specifically in the domain of design. Read more on the project website.
Reinvent
Creating a participatory platform for communities to develop, discuss and present best- practice examples of solutions for how to rethink society after the COVID-19 lockdown. Read more on the project website.
PLACED
Developing digital services to help libraries transform into vibrant urban innovation hubs by supporting knowledge creation activities among citizens and turning this knowledge into an ever-growing part of the urban community’s shared resources. Read more on the project website
Experimenting, Experiencing, Reflecting
A collaboration between science and art led to examine perception, decision-making, action, notions of togetherness, collaboration, and the transmission of knowledge. Read more on the project website
Human-Centered Information Spaces
Envisioning a future in which the existing world of documents and applications is linked to multiscale personalized information spaces that behave in accordance with the context and history of activity. Read more on the project website
Short bio
Full professor of Interaction Design at Aarhus University.
Founder and co-director of the Centre for Digital Creativity.
Currently principal investigator of the projects CoCreate, PLACED, Creative Tools, and Reinvent.
Member and head of the Research Policy Committee of the Young Academy at the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters.
My profiles elsewhere: Aarhus University | Google Scholar | Twitter | Linkedin
For prospective students
I am currently accepting new Masters and PhD students, particularly in the topics of interaction design, digital tools in creativity and innovation, participatory design, design processes, and the interplay between digital and physical phenomena in Human-Computer Interaction. Please email me at dalsgaard[at]cavi.au.dk, sending a CV and a project outline, if you’re interested in supervision or mentoring, possibly in connection to one of our current projects