Current Research Projects of the IXD Group

Meta-MINT - springboard for a refreshing MINT communication

The declining number of study applicants in the fields of mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology (MINT) reveals the image problem of the respective courses especially among young people: They often view MINT as monotonous and socially isolated. But despite their image, courses in these fields offer individual freedom and a team-oriented approach to work.

The Meta-MINT project has developed ways to freshen the image of MINT with the help of new communication strategies. Their central means are metaphors that link MINT courses with experiences and emotions from other areas of life. The goal is to fundamentally change the the way MINT courses are experienced by young people.
With the help of metaphors, versatile design possibilities emerge: For example MINT can be experienced like an exciting journey by naming it an "adventurous path". Or it may be seen as a collaborative team sport by describing it as an "interplay of different disciplines". This effect can be realized not only with words, but with multimodal elements such as images or sounds.

In order to enable the effective use of metaphors in MINT communication, a digital application called MINT-Pool is emerging from the project. Here, insights into the needs of young people are combined with the effects of different metaphors. In addition, exemplary communication materials are provided for the respective metaphors. These are not only a rich source of inspiration but can also be freely used and flexibly adapted for future campaigns. In this way, the MINT-Pool forms a unique springboard for communicators to dive deep into metaphorical MINT communication and to discover new ideas.

At the current time, the MINT-Pool is in the process of being completed. However, its contents are already freely accessible via a Notion workspace - the respective link will be added soon. In case you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact the members of the Meta-MINT project team at any time via e-mail (meta.mint@hdm-stuttgart.de).

Mittelstand 4.0-Kompetenzzentrum Usability

Software and web applications, which are designed using usability and user experience (UUX) methods, result in higher productivity and custome satisfaction when used in medium-sized enterprises. Usable systems in the office and in production help to better integrate business processes, network companies more closely and, last but not least, motivate employees more. The better the UUX, the faster the digital trans-formation of small and medium-sized enterprises.

The Mittelstand 4.0-Kompetenzzentrum Usability informs small and medium-sized enterprises as well as start-ups about the added value of UUX methods and experts, supports them with the use of UUX-optimized products and helps to publish new solutions and business models. In order to address the specific needs of medium-sized enterprises, software and consulting companies, four thematic focal points are dealt with in depth at regional contact points:
- UUX - success factor for innovation and the future of work:
regional contact point south at the Hochschule der Medien in Stuttgart
- UUX and agility:
regional contact point East at the Technische Universität Berlin
- User Research and UUX Management
regional contact point: North at the Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg
- Support for medium-sized corporate networks:
regional contact center at the Institute for SME Research at the University of Mannheim

The Mittelstand 4.0-Kompetenzzentrum Usability offers free support offers in all four regions, such as events, information materials and public consultation hours for medium-sized enterprises. In addition, the center coordinates nationwide events on the exploitation of existing solutions. The competence center Usability offers a nationally distributed demonstration and demonstration infrastructure.
As a member of the Southern Region, we as the HdM deal with the topic of the future of work as part of UUX. Due to digitization, some jobs are changing radically. There is a new distribution of tasks between man and machine. Activities are taken over by machines, new tasks are created for the user and man and machine work increasingly cooperatively. It uses new digital technologies that revolutionize the interaction with technology. With Augmented Reality, for example, maintenance technicians can use a pair of display goggles to display information about the sequence of their orders and even view spare parts as virtual objects directly on the real machine. Artificial intelligence, for example, allows natural-language interaction and can adapt to the user's situation. With all these new possibilities, however, the simple use must still be given. In other words: UUX plays a new and perhaps even more important role with all the innovative interaction possibilities.