Topography of Human-Computer Interaction

Method

The Topography of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) is more than a metaphor — it’s a physical and digital representation of the many peaks, valleys, and connections that make up the HCI community. At its heart, the topography is built collaboratively.

At the Aarhus 2025 conference, participants were invited to add a piece of modeling clay to a shared table. Each piece represents their own area of expertise, research method, or perspective within HCI.

Over time, the clay pieces merge into a collective landscape:

  • Peaks represent areas of strength, activity, or specialization.
  • Valleys reveal common ground, overlaps, or underexplored connections.

Participants could mark their clay with small flags to label methods, theories, or ideas — turning the sculpture into a conversation piece and map at the same time.

To make this evolving landscape accessible after the conference, we regularly captured the sculpture using a 3D scanning app (Scandiverse on iPad). With each scan we produced a:

  • 3D digital model — preserving the shape in detail
  • Contour map — highlighting elevations and patterns

All models were cleaned up and shared on this website as open-access files under a CC0 license, so others can view, download, and reuse them.

Why This Matters

Traditional papers and textbooks describe fields in text — but this method makes the field tangible. By sculpting together, participants reflect on their own position, see where others stand, and discover new connections.

It’s a playful, open-ended way to map the shape of Human-Computer Interaction as it exists right now — and to imagine how it might shift in the future.

Make Your Own Topography

Would you like to recreate The Topography of Human-Computer Interaction in your own community, lab, or classroom? You’re welcome to reuse or adapt our instructions, poster and models. Visit the GitHub Repository to find our materials.

Here is what we used:

  • Modeling clay or any sculpting material (we used Plastellina)
  • A flat base (wooden board, cardboard, or a table)
  • Small flags (paper + toothpicks or pins)
  • Markers to write keywords on the flags
  • An optional 3D scanning app (like Scandiverse, Polycam, or any phone-based LiDAR scanner)

We’d love to hear about your version—please share your topography with us!

Topography of Human-Computer Interaction