Advanced electronic connections challenges for design students engaged with constructing prototypes of interactive artefacts

Creating advanced connections in the electronic circuits of an interactive prototype can be challenging for design students. Today, studies on design students’ circuit construction tasks on prototypes of interactive artefacts are scarce. This research investigates how students assemble advanced circuits in interactive prototypes and identifies the factors that influence these activities. This study involved undergraduate students using technologies to prototype interactivities at a design school. We analyzed the students’ prototypes and discussions using the grounded theory framework. We observed that clear contextual information might affect advanced complex circuit connections. This information might depend on the connections’ types and prototype properties. Our results shed light on the need for additional study and the redesign of construction tools and early prototyping courses for design students.