Under the surface of animal playfulness : the transformative experience of co-designing with bottlenose dolphins and game design as a diagnostic tool

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to “dive” under the preconceived anthropocentric notions of what is nonhuman animal play, with a special focus on bottlenose dolphins. The research in this thesis has come mainly from experiential creative Research through Design as a result from a six-month internship as “marine mammal animal carer and veterinarian assistant researcher” under the constant guidance of professionals. After multiple observations of a specific group of bottlenose dolphins, a number of tailor-made playful prototypes were made, from which seven are being featured in this documentation. The utility of these artifacts was to create a safe space of interspecies communication between human and non-human animal. The ultimate goal was to co-design with the b. dolphins to embrace and listen to their needs instead of projecting anthropocentric notions of playfulness. Multiple ways of approaching designing for animals and designing with animals, mostly under human care, are being mentioned in this paper while concluding to the most efficient ones. The optimal way proposed through this project is the embracing of experimental creative Research through Design, along with Participatory Design and Intuitive Design among others. The Animal Computer Interaction Manifesto is being mentioned and juxtaposed to the research done for this thesis while underlining the strengths and the weaknesses that have made their appearance through the passage of time. Additionally, the MDA framework is also examined and found dysfunctional when applied to non-human animal users/players. This realization is then followed by a detailed explanation on why doing Research through Design should be an acceptable way of producing knowledge and how to successfully evaluate the knowledge produced. This project constantly revolves around the concepts of “care” “intra-action” and “attention through dis-attending”. The research had two main objectives: 1. the production of playful prototypes that would function both as interspecies meeting points but also as a form of tangible enrichment for the individuals involved 2. The creation of a tailor-made Ethogram constructed from all the exhibited playful behaviors ready to use for future projects. The Ethogram produced along with an updated model of evaluating whether a prototype can be considered successful or not, opens up the possibility of using artifacts as diagnostic tools. There are multiple areas for possible future research proposed by the end of the document. The whole project revolves around the transformative experience of the participants/players’, the viewers’ and the designers’; questioning what the potential of change is through game design for all those involved. The artifacts produced are being treated as Diagnostic Tools towards “dolphin realities”.