My name is Taewan Kim, and I am a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Industrial Design at KAIST, advised by Prof. Hwajung Hong. I am currently a member of the DxD Lab. Before joining KAIST, I completed my M.E. in Creative Design Engineering from UNIST and my B.S. in Industrial Design from Handong University.

As a researcher in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) with a design background, my focus is on Human-Centered AI Interaction design. My approach revolves around understanding people's needs deeply, with a special emphasis on creating AI systems that foster mental well-being. The work I have contributed has been presented at renowned HCI conferences such as ACM CHI, CSCW, and DIS.

By combining my strengths in Mixed-method research and Human-centered design, I develop artifacts, methodologies, and frameworks that inspire meaningful and positive algorithmic experiences for both HCI researchers and practitioners.

I'm actively seeking a new opportunity

Utilizing a Large Language Model to Aid in the Journaling of Psychiatric Patients

In the mental health domain, Large Language Models (LLMs) offer promising new opportunities, though their inherent complexity and low controllability have raised questions about their suitability in clinical settings. Designed in collaboration with mental health professionals (MHPs), MindfulDiary takes a state-based approach to safely comply with the experts' guidelines while carrying on free-form conversations.
Ongoing project(Archived Manuscript)

Design of Human-AI Interaction for Diary Writing With Large Language Model

In this study, we designed a technology probe to explore the opportunities and challenges of using the Large-language model in journaling to facilitate reflection on one's past experience.
Ongoing project(Extended Abstract)

Prediction for Retrospection: Integrating Algorithmic Stress Prediction into Personal Informatics Systems for Mental Health

In this study, we developed MindScope, an algorithm-assisted stress management system that determines user stress levels and explains how the stress level was computed based on the user's everyday activities captured by a smartphone. We discuss the implications of exploiting prediction algorithms and explainability that facilitate retrospection.
ACM CHI2022 Paper

Designing Social Bot as a Care-Receiver to Promote Mental Health and Reduce Stigma

In this study, we explored design space of human-social bot interaction for assisting users on revisit their past experiences by support-giving experience with the bot. We investigated how 55 college students interacted with the social bot for three weeks and how these support-giving experiences affected their mental health and stigma.
ACM CHI2020 paper

The Workplace Playbook VR: Exploring the Design Space of Virtual Reality to Foster Understanding and Support of Autistic People in the Workplace

Virtual Reality (VR) provides various opportunities for people with disabilities to improve their quality of life. I am researching the possibilities that VR can play as a medium to promote interaction between people with autism and neurotypical people and better understand each other. This research covers the process from user research to VR system development and evaluation.
ACM CSCW 2022 Paper, ACM VRST 2022 Paper

Understanding University Students’ Experiences, Perceptions, and Attitudes Toward Peers Displaying Mental Health-related Problems on Social Network Sites

In this paper, we investigate how students recognize, perceive, and react to peers who display mental health related challenges on SNSs in South Korea, where young adults are the age group that is most at risk for suicide. We discuss design implications for SNSs that would help platforms facilitate support exchanges among peers.
JMIR Mental Health 2021 Paper

Understanding Algorithmic User Experience of Symptom Checker

An algorithm-based symptom checker is a service that predicts and informs the expected disease name based on the symptoms entered by users and informs the user of actions to be taken afterward. In this study, we conduct an empirical study defining challenges that prevent user trust toward algorithm-based symptom checkers.
ACM CHI2021 Workshop position paper

Calm Station: An Interactive Perpetual Desk Object that Reduces Digital Distractions

In this work, we present Calm Station, an interactive desk object which generate dynamic motions of a metal marble on a wooden tray. Calm Station is designed to convey daily notifications with abstract, poetic movements.
ACM DIS2018 Demo, Video

Journal Articles / Conference Papers (Peer-Reviewed)

Promoting Self-Efficacy of Individuals with Autism in Practicing Social Skills in the Workplace Using Virtual Reality and Physiological Sensors: A Feasibility Study
Sung-In Kim, So-youn Jang, Taewan Kim, Bogoan Kim, Dayoung Jeong, Taehyung Noh, Mingon Jeong, Kaely Hall, Meelim Kim, Hee Jeong Yoo, Kyungsik Han, Hwajung Hong, Jennifer G. Kim
JMIR Formative Research 2023 - In press

Prediction for Retrospection: Integrating Algorithmic Stress Prediction into Personal Informatics Systems for College Students' Mental Health
Taewan Kim, Haesoo Kim, Hayeon Lee, Hwarang Goh, Shakhboz Abdigapporov, Mingon Jeong, Hyunsung Cho, Kyungsik Han, Youngtae Noh, Sung-Ju Lee and Hwajung Hong
ACM CHI 2022 - DOI, PDF

Sad or just jealous? Using Experience Sampling to Understand and Detect Negative Affective Experiences on Instagram
Mintra Ruensuk, Taewan Kim, Hwajung Hong, and Ian Oakley
ACM CHI 2022 - DOI, PDF

The Workplace Playbook VR: Exploring the Design Space of Virtual Reality to Foster Understanding and Support of Autistic People in the Workplace
Jennifer G. Kim, Taewan Kim, Sungin Kim, Soyeon Jang, Stephanie Lee, Heejung Yoo, Kyungsik Han, and Hwajung Hong
ACM CSCW 2022 - DOI, PDF

VISTA: Understanding Characteristics of Autistic People through a VR-based Interactive Social Skills Training System
Bogoan Kim, Dayoung Jeong, Mingon Jeong, Taehyung Noh, Sung-In Kim, Taewan Kim, So-youn Jang, Hee Jeong Yoo, Jennifer G Kim, Hwajung Hong, and Kyungsik Han
ACM VRST 2022 - DOI, PDF

Understanding University Students’ Experiences, Perceptions, and Attitudes Toward Peers Displaying Mental Health-related Problems on Social Network Sites: Online Survey and Interview Study
Taewan Kim, and Hwajung Hong
JMIR Mental Health 2021 - DOI, PDF

In Helping a Vulnerable Bot, You Help Yourself: Designing a Social Bot as a Care-Receiver to Promote Mental Health and Reduce Stigma
Taewan Kim, Mintra Ruensuk, and Hwajung Hong
ACM CHI 2020 - DOI, PDF

Design Constraints and Their Influence upon Design Outcome
Taewan Kim, James Andrew Self, and Hwajung Hong
Archives of Design Research 2018 - DOI, PDF

Extended Abstracts, Position Paper, Poster (Lightly Peer-Reviewed)

DiaryMate: Exploring the Roles of Large Language Models in Facilitating AI-mediated Journaling
Taewan Kim, Donghoon Shin, Young-Ho Kim, and Hwajung Hong
ACM CHI 2023 Workshop on Intelligent and Interactive Writing Assistants(In2Writing) - PDF

Leveraging challenges of an algorithm-based symptom checker on user trust through explainable AI
Youjin Hwang, Taewan Kim, Junhan Kim, Joonhwan Lee, and Hwajung Hong
ACM CHI 2021 Workshop on Realizing AI in Healthcare: Challenges Appearing in the Wild - PDF

질병의 자가 진단을 위한 알고리즘 기반 증상 확인 애플리케이션의 사용자 경험에 관한 탐색적 연구 (An exploratory study on the algorithm user experience of a symptom checker application for self-diagnosis)
Taewan Kim, Youjin Hwang, Junhan Kim, Joonhwan Lee, and Hwajung Hong
The Proceedings of HCI KOREA 2021 - PDF

Studying Students Experiencing Mental Health Problems
Taewan Kim, and Hwajung Hong
CSCW 2018 Workshop on Conducting Research with Stigmatized Populations - PDF

Calm Station: An Interactive Perpetual Desk Object that Reduces Digital Distractions
Taewan Kim, Young-Woo Park, and Hwajung Hong
ACM DIS 2017 DEMO - DOI, PDF, Video

FamCom: A Communication Service Enhancing Conversation Quality Between Elders Residing in Care Hospital and Their Family Member
Mingu Kanng, Taewan Kim, Youngjae Kim, and Junghwan Ahn
ACM CHI 2015 Student Design Competition - DOI, PDF, Video