Dr Daniel Harrison

Assistant Professor

Department: Northumbria School of Design, Arts and Creative Industries

I am an Assistant Professor in the School of Design, Arts, and Creative Industries at 51��, where I serve as EDI and Athena SWAN Co-Lead and lead the HCI+Design Research Group. My academic journey began at UCL's Interaction Centre (UCLIC), where I earned my PhD in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), alongside research positions at Georgia Institute of Technology and Microsoft Research Cambridge. These experiences have shaped my interdisciplinary expertise, spanning design, computer science, and social sciences, with a focus on digital health and wellbeing.

My research is situated at the intersection of technology, inclusivity, and sports, positioning me as a leading figure in the emerging field of SportsHCI. I explore how digital tools can foster equity in physical activity by addressing barriers faced by underrepresented groups. My work is grounded in participatory methods such as co-design and ethnography, ensuring that the voices of diverse communities are central to the design process. Recent projects include co-authoring "Grand Challenges in SportsHCI" and leading initiatives to develop inclusive technologies for disadvantaged communities. These efforts have resulted in impactful publications and practical toolkits that bridge academia and real-world application.I am passionate about creating inclusive systems that address societal challenges, particularly around Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). My leadership extends beyond research to mentoring PhD students and fostering collaborative partnerships. By combining rigorous academic inquiry with a commitment to social impact, I aim to inspire others to join me in advancing inclusive design practices that make a tangible difference in people's lives.

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Key Publications

Affective interaction and affective computing-past, present and future, Ahmadpour, N., Lotteridge, D., Fritsch, J., Sas, C., Cecchinato, M., Harrison, D., Höök, K., Foong, P., Ijaz, K., Gough, P., Cao, Y., Li, X., Lazem, S., Sachathep, T. 25 Apr 2025, CHI EA '25: Extended Abstracts of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, New York, US, ACM
Cycling for Fun, Not Fitness: Sports Tracking Is Not All About Performance, Harrison, D. 19 Jan 2024, CyclingHCI: A CHI 2024 Workshop
Grand Challenges in SportsHCI, Samitha Elvitigala, D., Karahanoğlu, A., Matviienko, A., Turmo Vidal, L., Postma, D., Jones, M., F. Montoya, M., Harrison, D., Elbæk, L., Daiber, F., Anneke Burr, L., Patibanda, R., Buono, P., Hämäläinen, P., van Delden, R., Bernhaupt, R., Ren, X., van Rheden, V., Zambetta, F., van den Hoven, E., Lallemand, C., Reidsma, D., Mueller, F. 11 May 2024, CHI '24, New York, US, ACM
Life in Transitions: The Role of Technology in Supporting Well-being in the Heart of Change, Karahanoğlu, A., Turmo Vidal, L., Harrison, D., Steane, J., Ekhtiar, T., Almeida, T., Vallgårda, A., Balaam, M. 13 Oct 2024, NordiCHI '24 Adjunct: Adjunct Proceedings of the 2024 Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, New York, US, ACM
Skipping a Beat: Inclusion in Sports Technology, The Case of Heart Rate Monitoring, Harrison, D., Green, F. 19 Jan 2024, CyclingHCI: A CHI 2024 Workshop
Unlocking Threshold Concepts: Transforming Student Identities through an International ‘Year-Out’ Multidisciplinary Design Education Programme, Richardson, C., Harrison, D. Oct 2024, In: Design Management Journal
Designing Technology-Mediated Peer Support for Postgraduate Research Students at Risk of Loneliness and Isolation, Harrison, D., Rowland, S., Wood, G., Bakewell, L., Petridis, I., Long, K., Vasileiou, K., Barnett, J., Barreto, M., Wilson, M., Lawson, S., Vines, J. 7 Mar 2023, In: ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction
Design of a team emotion forecast tool for bettering individual emotional well-being and team performance, Yang, L., Qin, S., Zhu, Z., Harrison, D., Woo, W. 8 Jul 2023, In: Procedia CIRP
Communicative Openness within Adoptive Families: The Role of Photos and Visual Communication, Dylan, T., Harrison, D., Durrant, A. 13 Jun 2022, DIS 2022 - Proceedings of the 2022 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference, New York, US, ACM
Active and Passive Research through Social Media: The Case for Repurposing Reddit, Instagram and WhatsApp Features in HCI Research Practices, Alvarez De La Vega, J., Cecchinato, M., Lambton-Howard, D., Harrison, D. 15 May 2021, Workshop: Social Media as a Design and Research Site in HCI

PGR Supervision

Ilayda Tufan Co-Designing Digital Tools for Physical Activity: Enhancing Engagement in Disadvantaged Communities Through Inclusive Design Start Date: 01/10/2025
James Steane Games with games: How can design use data-driven artificial intelligence to motivate regular sports participation or engagement into old age? Start Date: 22/04/2024
Derianna Thomas Augmenting Everyday Objects to Assist Neurodivergent Workers Start Date: 03/07/2023
Cheng Fan Understanding and Designing Financial Technology (FinTech) for International Students Start Date: 04/05/2023