Promoção da acessibilidade em televisão interativa (iTV) : proposta de um serviço adaptado a utilizadores com défice visual

Doutoramento em Informação e Comunicação em Plataformas DigitaisAs infraestruturas de televisão interativa atualmente existentes possibilitam a integração de uma grande variedade de recursos e serviços, possibilitando aos utilizadores novas experiências de interação e participação. Para a maioria dos telespetadores, o uso de serviços interativos não acarreta grandes dificuldades; no entanto, para públicos com necessidades especiais, por exemplo para pessoas com défice visual, essa tarefa torna-se complexa, dificultando, ou mesmo impedindo, que estes utilizadores possam beneficiar deste tipo de serviços. Portugal não é uma exceção neste contexto, existindo um número significativo de utilizadores com défice visual (UDV) que não beneficiam totalmente das potencialidades do paradigma televisivo atual. Neste âmbito, o projeto de investigação que suporta esta tese explora a problemática do Design Universal aplicado à Televisão Interativa (iTV) e tem como objetivos a conceptualização, prototipagem e validação de um serviço de iTV adaptado especificamente a UDV, visando promover a sua inclusão digital. Para cumprir estes objetivos, a investigação dividiu-se em três etapas distintas. Na primeira etapa, a partir da Teoria Fundamentada nos Dados, foram identificadas as dificuldades e necessidades dos UDV enquanto consumidores de conteúdos televisivos e serviços de audiodescrição; foi selecionada a plataforma tecnológica mais adequada para o suporte do serviço prototipado; e foi definido um conjunto de princípios orientadores de design (POD’s) de interfaces de televisão interativa específico para este público-alvo. Inicialmente foram efetuadas duas entrevistas a 20 participantes com défice visual, para determinar as suas dificuldades e necessidades enquanto consumidores de conteúdos televisivos e serviços de audiodescrição. De seguida, foi realizada uma entrevista a um perito responsável pelo processo de transição para a TDT em Portugal (inicialmente considerou-se que a TDT seria uma plataforma promissora e poderia suportar o protótipo) e efetuada a revisão da literatura sobre POD’s para o desenvolvimento de interfaces para serviços iTV dirigidos a pessoas com défice visual. A partir dos resultados obtidos nesta etapa foi possível definir os requisitos funcionais e técnicos do sistema, bem como os seus PODs, tanto ao nível da componente gráfica, como de interação. Na segunda etapa foi concetualizado e desenvolvido o protótipo iTV adaptado a UDV ‘meo ad+’, com recurso à plataforma tecnológica IPTV da Portugal Telecom, seguindo os requisitos e os princípios de design definidos. Relativamente à terceira etapa, esta contemplou a avaliação do serviço prototipado, por parte de um grupo de participantes com défice visual. Esta fase do trabalho foi conduzida através do método de Estudo Avaliativo, possibilitando, através de testes de usabilidade e acessibilidade, complementados com entrevistas, compreender se o serviço prototipado ia efetivamente ao encontro das necessidades deste tipo de utilizadores, tendo-se observado que os participantes que estiveram envolvidos nos testes ao protótipo mostraram-se satisfeitos com as funcionalidades oferecidas pelo sistema, bem como com o design da sua interface.The currently existing interactive television infrastructures enable the integration of a wide variety of resources and services, enabling users with new interaction and participation experiences. For the majority of viewers, the use of interactive services does not imply significant difficulties, however, for audiences with special needs, for example for people with visual impairment, this task becomes complex, hindering, or even preventing these users to benefit from such services. Portugal is not an exception in this context, since there are a significant number of visually impaired users (VIU) who do not entirely benefit from the capabilities of the current television paradigm. In this framework, the research project that supports this thesis explores the Universal Design problem applied to Interactive Television (iTV) and its main aims are the conceptualization, prototyping and validation of an iTV service adapted specifically for VIU, promoting their digital inclusion. To accomplish these goals, the research was divided into three different stages. In the first stage, from the Grounded Theory, the difficulties and needs of the VIU as consumers of television contents and audio description services was identified; the most appropriate technological platform to support the prototyped service was selected; and a specific set of design principles and guidelines (DPG’s) of interactive television interfaces for this target audience were defined. Initially two interviews were conducted with 20 visually impaired participants, to determine their difficulties and needs as consumers of television contents and audio description services. Thereafter, an interview with an expert responsible for the DTT transition process in Portugal was carried out (initially it was considered that the DTT would be a promising platform and could support the prototype) and a literature review of DPG’s for the development of iTV interfaces for services focused on persons with visual impairment was performed. Based on the results obtained in this stage it was possible to define the functional and technical requirements of the system, as well as its DPG’s, relating to the graphical and interaction components. In the second stage the iTV prototype adapted to VIU ‘Meo ad+’ was conceptualized and developed, using the ‘Portugal Telecom’ IPTV technology platform, following the defined requirements and design principles. Regarding the third stage, it included the prototyped service evaluation by a group of visually impaired participants. This stage was conducted through the Evaluative Study method, enabling, via usability and accessibility tests, complemented by interviews, to understand whether the prototyped service effectively met the needs of this type of users, of the evaluation, having being observed that the participants who were involved in the prototype tests showed satisfaction with the features offered by the system as well as with the design of its interface

Many-screen viewing: collaborative consumption of television media across multiple devices

The landscape of television is changing. Modern Internet enabled sets are now capable computing devices offering new forms of connectivity and interaction to viewers. One development enabled by this transition is the distribution of auxiliary content to a portable computing device, such as a mobile phone or tablet, working in concert with the television. These configurations are enabled by second screen applications that provide relevant content in synchronisation with the programme on a nearby television set. This thesis extends the notion of second screen to arrangements that incorporate multiple mobile devices working with the television, utilised by collocated groups of participants. Herein these arrangements are referred to as ‘many-screen’ television. Two many-screen applications were developed for the augmentation of sports programming in preparation of this thesis; the Olympic Companion and MarathOn Multiscreen Applications. Both of these applications were informed by background literature on second screen television and wider issues in HCI multiscreen research. In addition, the design of both applications was inspired by the needs of traditional and online broadcasters, through an internship with BBC Research and Development and involvement in a YouTube sponsored project. Both the applications were evaluated by collocated groups of users in formative user studies. These studies centred on how users share and organise what to watch, incorporate activity within the traditionally passive television viewing experience and the integration of user-generated video content in a many-screen system. The primary contribution of this thesis is a series of industry validated guidelines for the design of many-screen applications. The guidelines highlight issues around user awareness devices, content and other user’s actions, the balance between communal and private viewing and the appropriation of user-generated content in many-screen watching

Many-screen viewing: collaborative consumption of television media across multiple devices

The landscape of television is changing. Modern Internet enabled sets are now capable computing devices offering new forms of connectivity and interaction to viewers. One development enabled by this transition is the distribution of auxiliary content to a portable computing device, such as a mobile phone or tablet, working in concert with the television. These configurations are enabled by second screen applications that provide relevant content in synchronisation with the programme on a nearby television set. This thesis extends the notion of second screen to arrangements that incorporate multiple mobile devices working with the television, utilised by collocated groups of participants. Herein these arrangements are referred to as ‘many-screen’ television. Two many-screen applications were developed for the augmentation of sports programming in preparation of this thesis; the Olympic Companion and MarathOn Multiscreen Applications. Both of these applications were informed by background literature on second screen television and wider issues in HCI multiscreen research. In addition, the design of both applications was inspired by the needs of traditional and online broadcasters, through an internship with BBC Research and Development and involvement in a YouTube sponsored project. Both the applications were evaluated by collocated groups of users in formative user studies. These studies centred on how users share and organise what to watch, incorporate activity within the traditionally passive television viewing experience and the integration of user-generated video content in a many-screen system. The primary contribution of this thesis is a series of industry validated guidelines for the design of many-screen applications. The guidelines highlight issues around user awareness devices, content and other user’s actions, the balance between communal and private viewing and the appropriation of user-generated content in many-screen watching