Carla Diana

This talk explores how designers can create more meaningful interactions through products that behave in socially intelligent ways. Carla Diana shares case studies from her work in robotics, consumer electronics, and industrial design to show how objects can communicate through expressive behaviors such as light, sound, and motion. These elements enable subtle, nuanced interactions that foster emotional connection. Drawing from her book, "My Robot Gets Me: How Social Design Can Make New Products More Human," she also offers a behind-the-scenes look at work developed by students in the Interaction Design MFA at Cranbrook, where projects often blur the lines between physical and digital experience. The session invites attendees to think beyond screen-based interfaces toward product ecosystems that behave with empathy and responsiveness.

Takeaways:

• Social behaviors can enhance emotional resonance in product design.
• Subtle, expressive cues often communicate more effectively than traditional interfaces.
• Design frameworks from social robotics can inspire more intuitive smart objects.