Sato, Chihiro

写真a

Affiliation

Graduate School of Media Design (Hiyoshi)

Position

Associate Professor
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Books 【 Display / hide 】

  • Service Design for Innovating Hospitality Business in Japan

    Sato C., Design Research Foundations, 2025

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    This research elaborates the challenges of Japanese traditional inns known as ryokan to shift from traditional hospitality practices, where the author worked closely for several years with Ibusuki Hakusuikan, a luxurious ryokan located in southern Japan. The research aimed to co-create service together with various stakeholders of the ryokan and the entire service ecosystem of the region located from a macro lense. This article articulates a service design integrating last-mile mobility for both guests and the employees of the ryokan and contributes in a beneficial way to each actor in the landscape, not just towards themselves but also in a larger scope for further business growth in the hospitality sector. Reflecting on qualitative data such as ethnographies, diaries, interviews, and user study analysis, it investigates how the service design journey went, and concludes by giving practical recommendations as design principles for academics and practitioners who plan to co-create value in similar projects dealing with shifts from traditional customs.

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Papers 【 Display / hide 】

  • Explore Movement Skills Development in Individuals with Profound Intellectual Disabilities through Collaborative Art Creation

    Chen S., Barbareschi G., Xu Y., Kuo C.L., Chen D., Sato C.

    Assets 2025 Proceedings of the 27th International ACM Sigaccess Conference on Computers and Accessibility  2025.10

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    Individuals with profound intellectual disabilities (ID) often experience limited physical activity due to a lack of accessible exercise programs and difficulty understanding abstract health concepts. This study presents a preliminary qualitative exploration of Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) in this population. Six participants engaged in a large-scale, collaborative art workshop designed to encourage physical movement through creative expression. We categorized participants' existing FMS and investigated how art-making could serve as a motivating medium for further FMS development. Through observational data and caregiver feedback, we identified current FMS competency and concluded design recommendations for the HCI community. Our findings highlight the importance of low-cognitive-load, embodied activities and inclusive design strategies that foster both movement engagement and creative participation.

  • Crafting the Unspoken: Engaging Japanese Older Adults with Data Physicalization Workshops

    Li C., Zhao J., Nohara K., Sato C.

    DIS 2025 Proceedings of the 2025 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference    2062 - 2074 2025.07

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    Engaging individuals in creating physical representations of personal data facilitates storytelling and collaborative reflection. However, its potential to encourage older adults to share their personal stories remains underexplored. This study introduces a craft-centered data physicalization approach where participants create tangible representations of their emotions and experiences related to community events, involving both event attendees and event organizers, through a series of workshops. This collaborative crafting process encourage group discussions and collective reflections on past experiences, enabling participants to express thoughts and feelings that would otherwise remain unspoken. Our work contributes a practical workshop approach that merges craft practice with data physicalization to support deep social expressions and connections among older adults.

  • A Reflective Journey for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities: Rediscovering Competency Through AI-Enhanced Iron Beads Crafting

    Chen S., Peng D., Barbareschi G., Chen D., Sato C.

    Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Proceedings  2025.04

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    In addition to trained work skills, employed individuals with intellectual disabilities (IDs) possess unique competencies that are often insufficiently supported or overlooked by both themselves and their work environments. This study proposes using reflective practices to help employees with IDs and employers rediscover competencies beyond job-related skills. To facilitate participation, we employed personalized crafting with iron beads, supported by a custom-developed application integrated with text-to-image generative AI. We conducted two workshops involving 5-7 employees with IDs to explore and enhance our approach to competency discovery. In the first workshop, facilitators manually created templates for participants, while in the second, we leveraged an AI-assisted application for self-creation of personalized templates. Findings from group discussions reveal (1) the development of a framework that positions AI-enhanced crafting activities as an effective way for uncovering and fostering competencies, and (2) insights into reflection on self-concept as a foundation for competency development.

  • The Role of ICT Tools through a Community Program Co-creation in a Japanese Aging Community

    Zhao J., Chen D., Barbareschi G., Sato C.

    Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Proceedings  2025.04

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    As the global aging population grows and technology advances rapidly, integrating technology into community-based initiatives for older adults has become an increasingly important topic among HCI researchers. This research explores the role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools in the co-creation and maintenance of a community gardening program involving researchers, older adult residents, and supporting organizations. A follow-up study, conducted eight months after the program's initiation assessed its sustainability, revealing how stakeholders navigated diverse ICT preferences and challenges by employing a hybrid communication system that integrated both digital and face-to-face methods to foster collaboration and sustain the initiative. This research contributes to the understanding of community preferences and needs, and the importance of contextualizing technology use within Japanese local community for collaborative community development.

  • TangiBuild: A Tangible Learning Tool for Children’s Structural Exploration with Real-Time Feedback

    Zaidi A., Barbareschi G., Sato C., Yamaoka J.

    Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Proceedings  2025.04

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    We present TangiBuild, a smart tangible manipulative designed to create interactive learning experiences around 3D structures that leverage children’s natural familiarity with traditional tools while integrating technology for effective scaffolding. TangiBuild aims to enhance children’s grasp of structural stability, an abstract STEM concept, through engaging hands-on activities supported by real-time feedback and guided exploration. By combining the physical advantages of tangible interfaces with the layered guidance of scaffolding principles, TangiBuild bridges the gap between physical manipulatives and virtual tools. Iterative workshops involving a total of 82 children aged 6–12 revealed that TangiBuild fosters exploration of STEM concepts by enabling participants to improve 3D structures using feedback iteratively. These findings demonstrate how TangiBuild’s interactive activities help children acquire and apply abstract concepts in real-life contexts. By encouraging active participation, guided learning, and creativity, TangiBuild promotes innovative approaches to STEM learning.

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Papers, etc., Registered in KOARA 【 Display / hide 】

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Courses Taught 【 Display / hide 】

  • SERVICE DESIGN PROJECT C

    2025

  • REAL PROJECT (CEMS BUSINESS PROJECT)

    2025

  • REAL PROJECT

    2025

  • METHODOLOGIES FOR SERVICE DESIGN

    2025

  • MEDIA DESIGN RESEARCH 3

    2025

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