DAT Journal

One Research Line, Two Fields, Three Phases and a Hiatus

Vinícius Fulgêncio, Lívia Nóbrega — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0300

This article maps and critically analyzes recent trends in research on the Ergonomics of the Built Environment, based on a comprehensive examination of master’s theses developed within the research line Ergonomics and Usability of the Built Environment and Systems (Line 1) of the Professional Graduate Program in Ergonomics at the Federal University of Pernambuco (PPErgo/UFPE). A corpus of 40 theses produced between 2015 and 2025 was analyzed. Employing a bibliometric approach combined with qualitative analysis, the study explores data concerning the overall research output of Line 1, with particular emphasis on works focused on the Built Environment. It also considers the students’ prior educational backgrounds and the academic engagement of faculty members. The findings reveal that the production in the Built Environment field has unfolded across four distinct phases, with a consolidated tradition in the thematic areas of ergonomic evaluation, accessibility, and environmental perception. Furthermore, the study identifies the recurrent application of specific methodological frameworks, notably MEAC, multimethod approaches, and Facet Theory.

Perspectives on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Design of Digital Interfaces for Complex Systems

Eduardo Ferro dos Santos, José Guilherme Santa Rosa, Cláudia Ferreira Mazzoni — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0300

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has driven significant transformations in the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), particularly in the design of digital interfaces for complex systems. This article investigates how AI has been applied to make interfaces more adaptive, intelligent, and responsive to dynamic and unpredictable usage contexts. An integrative literature review was adopted as the methodological approach, focusing on studies that describe practical applications, advantages, and limitations of AI in interaction design. The findings highlight a growing range of solutions based on recommended systems, conversational agents, assisted design tools, and adaptive interfaces. It is concluded that, while promising, the integration of AI into interface design requires interdisciplinary and ethical approaches that align computational capabilities with the core principles of HCI.

Ergonomic and usability evaluations of physical and digital products developed in research within a professional master’s program in Ergonomics

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0300

This article presents a systematic review of ergonomic and usability evaluation methods applied to physical and digital products in research conducted within the scope of the Graduate Program in Ergonomics (PPErgo) at the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE). Using the Snowballing technique, 13 master’s dissertations defended from 2015 to 2025 and 22 related articles were analyzed. The results indicate a predominance of subjective methods, such as surveys and discomfort scales, followed by more objective approach techniques, including electromyography and biomechanical modeling. A limited use of accessibility checklists and performance metrics was observed. Most dissertations resulted in technical recommendations. The analyses revealed good methodological practices, but also gaps in terms of standardization, accessibility, and practical experimentation. This study contributes to understanding the approaches adopted in the context of professional ergonomics education, offering insights to enhance both training and the applicability of research in the field.

Mapping of Studies in Ergonomics Applied to the Hospital Context of the Professional Master’s Degree in Ergonomics at UFPE

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0300

Hospital ergonomics involves the study of interactions between healthcare professionals, work tools and processes, furniture, equipment, and the physical environment, with the aim of adapting working conditions to human needs and limitations. The objective of this research is to present the mapping of studies in Ergonomics Applied to the Hospital Context of the Professional Master’s Degree in Ergonomics (PPErgo) of the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE). The search was carried out in the Institutional Repository of Theses and Dissertations of UFPE, from 2015 to 2025, with the descriptors Ergonomics and Hospital Environment. As a result, 22 dissertations linked to the two research lines of the program were found: Ergonomics and Usability of the Built Environment and Ergonomics and Usability of Products and Production. The main contributions of the research are recommendations for improvements in the physical, cognitive, and organizational spheres, directly impacting the quality of care and the health of workers.

Sumário

DAT Journal — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0300

Editorial

Gilbertto Prado, Sérgio Nesteriuk — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0300

Art, Nature and Coloniality

Priscila Arantes — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0300

This article proposes a critical reflection on the interrelationships between art, nature, and coloniality, with special attention to the contributions and critiques of the concept of the Anthropocene from Latin American perspectives. To develop this reflection, the article is organized into two parts. The first presents critiques of the Anthropocene based on the contributions of thinkers such as Aníbal Quijano, Ailton Krenak, Antonio Bispo, Deborah Danowski, and Marisol de la Cadena. Their formulations highlight the urgency of overcoming Western paradigms that treat nature as an external resource to culture, denouncing the colonial and extractivist character that underpins such discourses. The second part focuses on contemporary artistic practices that address these issues and are directly linked to debates on ecology, decoloniality, and feminisms. It analyzes the works and projects of artists such as Lucas Bambozzi, Paulo Tavares, Giselle Beiguelman, and Constanza Piña, whose poetics propose critical engagements with the environment and with the marks left by historical processes of violence, domination, and cultural erasure inherited from colonialism. These works not only denounce the effects of historical colonialism but also create spaces for aesthetic and political experimentation, in dialogue with other ways of imagining and being in the world.

The use of Artificial Intelligence combined with Human-Centered Design for tech- nological interventions in the area of Mental Health

Emanuela Freitas de Souza, Magnólia — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0300

One in eight people has some type of mental disorder (WHO, 2022). The problems arising from unstable mental health lead to several impairments in life, from professional paralysis, difficulties in social relationships and even suicide. This article seeks to investigate the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in technological tools for psychological support, prevention of mental disorders or identification of disorders within the scope of the Human-Centered Design discussion and its future implications with AI. As a method used for this investigation, a Systematic Review was chosen, in which 390 works were initially raised in the applied filtering, and 15 articles were selected at the end. As a result, it was observed that AI was implemented for the prevention and detection of symptoms of mental disorders and targeting customizable treatment, in addition to monitoring, and the use of tools such as ChatBots and mental health status assessment methods used for diagnosis.

A Space-time of Serendipity

Sofia Vasconcelos Maciel, Willian das Neves Grillo — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0300

This paper investigates the role of serendipity as an innovation tool in service design, focusing on knowledge events. Serendipity, understood as the accidental discovery of value, is traditionally seen as unpredictable. However, the study proposes that it is possible to design contexts that favor the unexpected, enriching user experience and generating new interactions. Through a conceptual review and practical examples, the article explores how innovation events, such as festivals and conferences, can be designed to maximize serendipity. It argues that, by allowing chance to occur in strategically designed environments, services can facilitate unforeseen connections, insights, and innovative solutions. The article concludes that, although it is impossible to fully control chance, designers can create conditions for serendipity to flourish, offering additional value both to the user and to the innovation system.

Artificial intelligence for clothing design innovation

Wadson Gomes Amorim, Hérika Sendas Resende, Maria Regina Álvares Correia Dias — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0300

This article explores the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a potential strategy to enhance design innovation and add value to the fashion industry's value chain. Based on specialized literature, the paper discusses the profile of the textile and clothing sector in Brazil and Minas Gerais, as well as the current state of AI and its potential applications in various stages of the industry: design, materials, production, logistics and distribution, marketing, and sales. The research aims to understand and analyze the level of knowledge, adoption, interest, and importance of using AI in the product development process within the clothing industry of Minas Gerais. The study included 65 clothing manufacturing companies from 12 cities in the state. The results highlight the need for better AI education and strategies to overcome the barriers that prevent the effective implementation of AI technologies in the sector.

Urban Furniture and Collaborative Design

Ana Karla Freire de Oliveira, Romildo Dias Toledo Filho — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0300

Urban furniture plays a multifaceted role in contemporary cities, encompassing aspects such as practicality, aesthetics, ergonomics, local identity, social interaction, shelter, lighting, safety, and comfort. This article discusses the planning and design of a bus shelter in a university city, developed through collaborative design, utilizing a research-action methodology combined with design thinking. The shelter is the result of an interdisciplinary research project that integrates the fields of design, civil engineering, and architecture to propose an accessible solution that meets the needs of the local community. The article presents the creative process involved in the design of the shelter, the materials and technologies used, as well as a reflection on the importance of collaborative design in such initiatives. The project was highlighted at academic events, participated in an international fair for innovative projects, and was ultimately featured in an international report that showcased initiatives with a positive environmental impact.

Rethinking Fashion

Jorge Luis Pineda Garcia — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0300

In recent years, the fashion system has undergone significant deterioration. The obsession with growth, mass production, and globalized aesthetics has transformed the fashion and garment industry into a space marked by ethical and environmental neglect. In response, a complex movement has emerged within the field, seeking to challenge and transform this reality. Designing ethical and sustainable fashion has become a central challenge, opening space for new analyses and critical inquiry. This theoretical essay aims to provoke reflection on the process of ethicization in fashion and explores how certain non-hegemonic and non-Western forms of clothing can offer innovative perspectives on the key issues and challenges currently facing the field. This reflection is illustrated through the case of the Cuentepec woman, whose clothing practices, situated outside the dominant fashion system, reflect a distinct worldview and deep social integration. The essay calls for a dialogue among designers and scholars to deconstruct prevailing paradigms and foster a more comprehensive, inclusive, and culturally sensitive approach to fashion.

Exploring Playful and Technological Strategies

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0300

As human behavior becomes a significant factor in the impact of waste disposal on nature, it is crucial to explore strategies to engage the population on this topic and encourage a more sustainable relationship with the environment. The present review focuses on mapping and understanding relevant aspects provided by the literature from January 1, 2020, to May 10, 2024, for the production and use of game software and applications to teach children about environmental preservation and recycling principles. The results highlight the importance of environmental awareness from early childhood, emphasizing the role of playful and technological education in promoting sustainable practices among children.

Subverting User Experience

Debora Barauna, Victor Geuer, Marina Ciravegna da Rosa — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0300

This article investigates the practice “Subverting the Network,” an experiment in Strategic Design focused on the OLX platform. Developed in an academic context, the methodological steps applied were: engaging in a project situation and prototyping spaces for debate. Unexpectedly, the project contrasted with the concept of User Experience (UX), revealing the weaknesses of the interface’s interaction capability in the realm of feeling. The theoretical-methodological and narrative shifts made in the article aim to discuss a priori the concepts of UX and Feeling in Network. The narrative of the experiment highlights the system’s insensitivity to aesthetic and affective exchanges, critiquing the anthropocentric approach and the rhetoric of technical neutrality in interface design. The article concludes that the practiced design is situated and not generalizable, but proposes an openness in the design of digital platforms towards the sensitive dimension – a hybrid feeling engendered in an ecological sensitivity between humans and non-humans.

Color as an indicator of gender and its influence on the choice of children’s toys

Layane Alves Leite, Nathalie Barros da Mota Silveira — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0300

This article investigates the effect of color on children’s toy choices, focusing on the relationship between gender, color, and function. The study involved parents of children between the ages of 3 and 6, using a structured questionnaire with images of three toys in eight different hues. Participants were asked which colors were their favorite and which were their least favorite when purchasing toys, both as gifts for their children and for other children. The data collected showed that gender stereotypes triggered by colors influence parents’ toy purchases. However, this effect may vary depending on the intended use of the toy and the child for whom it is intended. It was found that pink and purple are the most acceptable hues for girls and the least popular for boys. Blue and red were the most popular choices for boys.

Integrative Model of Player Classifications

Victor Emanuel Montes Moreira, Márcio Fontana Catapan — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0300

Player classification models are widely studied and can be divided into two main approaches: typologies, which adopt theoretical and deductive perspectives, and taxonomies, based on empirical and inductive data. This article aims to propose an integrative model that consolidates the main player typologies and taxonomies into a unified framework. The research employs a mixed method of literature review and theoretical metasynthesis, analyzing 26 relevant studies to identify convergences and divergences among existing models. The resulting model organizes the classifi- cations into three dimensions: data sources, classification purpose, and classification model. This structure provides a comprehensive perspective for understanding player profiles and contributes to studies on their behavior.

Activism For Designers in Portugal

Tarcisio Torres Silva — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0300

This work presents the activities developed in a discipline of higher education in Design in Portugal that had the intention to contextualize, discuss and encourage the practice of design activism. Conceived by a Brazilian visiting professor, the proposal aimed to show this growing trend in the scenario of his country of origin, mainly with regard to communication design. It is presented the main authors who served for conceptualization and theoretical support followed by the methodologies applied in order to engage students with the sociopolitical perspectives of design. Finally, it is discussed some of the final works presented, showing the results obtained after the theoretical and practical stimuli of the course. The experience has shown that local conditions directly interfere with the practical motivations of design activism, even though the cultural connection between the two countries and the globalized context have also raised similarities

A Synergy Between Systems Thinking and Design Thinking

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0300

Design Thinking and Systems Thinking are two sets of theories and guidelines that address the organization and standardization of elements. While Design Thinking is based on the organization of processes in stages and phases in order to solve a problem that involves a context and mainly people, Systems Thinking seeks to understand the relationships of interconnected entities and how they exchange information between themselves and between the environment in which they are inserted. Both premises have similar and complementary guidelines, which can be intertwined through the so-called Systems Design. This work aims to analyze the intertwining between Design Thinking and Systems Thinking through the analysis of two case studies of projects from the company IDEO based on points established through a qualitative and exploratory literary review.

The importance of professional ethics in the work action of Brazilian interior designers

Maira Pires Corrêa, Edson José Carpintero Rezende — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0300

Respecting ethical standards and values is a significant factor for professional consolidation. With that said, this article is the result of a descriptive research. Using the snowball sampling technique, 10 interior designers who work in the Belo Horizonte and the metropolitan region market were interviewed. The objective was to collect information about important ethical principles in professional practice. For this purpose, data were obtained through bibliographic references, codes of professional conduct, Brazilian legislation, as well as one interview form. It was observed that is necessary for interior designers to take a closer look at the code of ethics suggested by ABD in the country, as well as the sections of Law 13.369/2016. However, each designer must question themselves regarding the relevance of their actions and project choices, because it affect directly the exercise of the activity.

From Metal to Jewel: the Artisan’s Path

Marcos Antonio Spinassé, Mauro Cateb — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0300

This article examines jewelry design from a project-oriented perspective, detailing the artisanal goldsmithing process proposed by Spinassé and Cateb (2022). The study outlines five key stages in handmade jewelry creation: melting precious metals to obtain ingots or rilhas; producing metal components through techniques such as rolling, wire drawing, and cutting; assembling the parts using brazing and mechanical fixation; setting gemstones and applying complementary materials with various stone-setting styles; and finally, finishing the piece, including polishing, surface texturing, or electroplating. Drawing on systematic observations in the atelier and supported by specialized literature, the article aims to expand the technical repertoire of jewelry designers by offering practical and conceptual insights into the transformation from raw metal to decorative object. Additionally, the work discusses the evolving distinction between design and production in contemporary jewelry-making, emphasizing the importance of mastering fabrication methods to enhance design quality.

Human Factors as an object of research

Laura Bezerra Martins, Rosiane Pereira Alves — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0300

This article presents the Postgraduate Program in Ergonomics (PPErgo) at the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), which began its activities in 2013 with the implementation of the Professional Master’s Degree in Ergonomics, thereby establishing itself as a pioneer in Brazil. PPErgo aims to build knowledge linked to practice, dealing with contemporary experiences and socio-cultural issues. From this perspective, it considers the way and conditions in which people interact with environments, products, systems and production, based on social, psychological, cultural, physiological and organizational aspects, taking into account the needs, abilities and physical, cognitive and sensory conditions of human beings. In turn, UFPE seeks to carry out actions that transform the living conditions of society, based on the inseparability of teaching, research and extension. Thus, the article highlights the beginning and protagonism of PPErgo in the Northeast region, its mission and objectives, areas of concentration, lines of research, professors, course structure and interdisciplinary approach, articulation among teaching, research and extension, and finally it concludes with its new developments and areas of future research.