In this paper, we introduce user prototypes as a technique that supports users' articulation of emotions relevant for design: dreams, fears, motivations – their feelings and aspirations. Following Bateson's writings about communication through art, we consider user prototypes as "partly unconscious communication" and propose to analyze them by focusing on the emotional articulations integrated in the users' design language. We illustrate this with an example from a design research project on

more »

... igning learning technology for young diabetics. The example shows how young people with diabetes can express emotional themes related to youth identity, the burden of being young with a chronic illness, and the need to be connected and feel safe through design of prototypes. The new conceptual space that arises from user prototypes shows potential for addressing emotions when designing for health and for further development of the technique user prototypes.