How an Undergraduate Group of Design Students Solved Wiring Errors during the Prototyping of an Interactive Artifact

The introduction of maker technology and personal fabrication has radically changed how we learn, design, and innovate. In recent years, a growing number of people have begun using a broad range of creative technologies. A common challenge with using these technologies is the difficulties during electronic circuit prototyping, particularly for end-users. This research investigates the causes of wiring problems and the troubleshooting strategies used during the prototyping of electronic circuits by nonexpert users. We conducted an ethnographic study of students at a university design school engaged in prototyping electronic circuits with creative technologies. We performed a microanalysis of the students’ interactions and dialogues according to the distributed cognition framework. Results show the significance of having meaningful information on the prototyping tool in addition to the importance of the students sharing common ground so that they can effectively detect and solve wiring errors. Our conclusions highlight some relations between types of wiring errors and solution strategies.