Contextualizing Public Interfaces for Meaningful Human–Environment Interactions with <i>Traces in Use</i>

Meaningful interactions positively impact users’ meaning-making and feeling socially and culturally connected with their surroundings. However, creating such interactions is a continuous, complex challenge. We present the Traces in Use design concept supporting interface contextualization for meaningful human–environment interactions in public places. The concept was developed and evaluated in three steps: (I) exploring traces of use characteristics as inspiration for design, (II) introducing the concept definition, its theoretical evaluation, and a supporting framework, and (III) practically evaluating the concept by developing, contextualizing, and testing three interfaces (a lion interface, a drum, and a storyteller) in two empirical field studies (N = 40). The results show that the concept promotes meaningful interaction by supporting users’ feelings of socio-cultural connectedness and meaning-making. With this, our work contributes the Traces in Use design concept, its development, and its methodological application for meaningful human–environment interactions and interface contextualization in public places.