What is the CoLab? Founded in 2023, CoLab is an interdisciplinary design research laboratory directed by Dr. Carlye Lauff and Dr. Ji Youn Shin, which focuses on understanding the human side of design across diverse contexts.
Research Focus
We investigate the human side of design:
- Design practice: Understanding how designers think, communicate, and collaborate.
- Human-centered approaches: Exploring ways for users, designers, and stakeholders to interact respectfully while ensuring that users’ values and needs guide the process.
- Human-Computer Interaction: Understanding how individuals engage with emerging technologies, and designing these interactions to foster meaningful user experiences.
- Design methods: Studying and improving tools, techniques, and activities that drive effective design.
- Prototyping and representation: Examining the roles and impact of prototypes and other design artifacts.
- Use in context: Learning how people engage with designed products and services in health, education, and beyond—and addressing challenges through future technologies.
Research in Action
Our projects span diverse contexts:
- Caregivers and patients managing chronic conditions
- Families of young children navigating routine management behaviors
- Outpatient healthcare in small communities
- Rural farming communities
- Food insecurity
- Development of children’s toy
- Medical device design
