  This paper proposes discomfort as a new material for HCI researchers and
designers to consider in any application that helps a person develop a new
skill, practice or state. Discomfort is a fundamental precursor of adaptation
and adaptation leads to new skill, practice or state. The way in which
discomfort is perceived, and when it is experienced, is also often part of a
rationale for rejecting or adopting a practice. Engaging effectively with
discomfort may lead to increased personal development. We propose incorporating
discomfort-as-material into our designs explicitly as a mechanism to make
desired adaptations available to more of us, more effectively and more of the
time. To explore this possibility, we offer an overview of the physiology and
neurology of discomfort in adaptation and propose 3 issues related to
incorporating discomfort into design: preparation for discomfort, need for
recovery, and value of the practice. We look forward in the Workshop to
exploring and developing ideas for specific Discomfortable Designs to insource
discomfort as part of positive, resilient adaptation.
