Understanding Banking via WeChat Diaries

This paper describes the development and refinement of an existing chat application, China’s WeChat, as a remote diary tool, which researchers can employ to acquire a deeper understanding on their consumers whilst overcoming major geographical and time zone constraints. This research was part of a project to understand the experiences of Chinese consumers related to finance and banking. A diary study was conducted through WeChat and phone interviews to understand how consumers conduct their everyday financial transactions. The research illustrated the need to adapt approaches to diary participants, such as utilising a chat agent or avatar to elicit richer data, and demonstrated the utility of a feedback loop, which reassured and reminded participants to post regularly, in turn encouraging posts with more depth. The relationships built over the course of the diary study were also imperative to the success of follow-up semi-structured phone interviews, as trust and familiarity between researchers and participants enabled more intimate conversations. Novel use of the application worked well in gaining a deeper appreciation of the experiences of selected consumers. The paper adds to the growing literature on the use and adaptation of chat applications as a substitute for conventional mobile diary tools, and concludes with a list of key considerations for further applications in a similar research context

Asiakkaiden arvon havaitseminen: Tapaustutkimus e-kirjapalvelun asiakkaiden arvokonstruktioihin

In customer value research literature a research gap exists in using qualitative approach and defining customer value phenomenologically by customer’s own constructs. The customer’s perceptions of value have been ignored and a priori theories have been imposed to define what value is and how it is derived. An opposite of that approach is presented in this study, where a posteriori grounded theory on emergent customer’s perceived value is formed for electronic book service use context. Customers themselves, with their own subjective reality, are given the voice. Their heuristics regarding to the case service attributes are used to interpret customer value. The value constructs are represented by customers’ desired consequences from the service use towards their personal goals and needs. The research methodology consisted of a 15 day long cultural probe via WhatsApp-service and in-context interviews with 10 participants who were customers of the case service. The key findings are that electronic book formats enable new type of book content consumption situations. A digital device that is carried around or an audiobook playing in the background enable opportunistic use situations that would not be possible with a print format. In addition, the digital book formats facilitate functional and efficiency value for the customer. However the digital formats do not offer the same aesthetic value that a print book would and they are thus deemed less worthy. The study finds that customers perceive value consciously only when they are making decisions or reflecting past decisions, otherwise the gained value is habituated and unconscious.Asiakasarvoa tutkivassa kirjallisuudessa on tutkimusaukko asiakasarvon lähestymisessä laadullisella tutkimusotteella ja asiakkaan itsensä fenomenologisesti määrittelemänä konstruktiona. Asiakkaan oma kokemus arvosta on ohitettu ja sitä on pyritty määrittelemään ja mittaamaan a priori teorioilla. Tässä tutkimuksessa on valittu vastakkainen lähestymisen ja asiakkaan havaitsemasta arvosta luodaan ankkuroitu a posteriori teoria sähköisen kirjapalvelun kontekstissa. Asiakkaat subjektiivisine käsityksineen maailmasta saavat puheenvuoron. Heidän tapauspalvelun ominaisuuksiin yhdistämiään heuristiikkoja käytetään asiakasarvon tulkintaan. Asiakkaiden arvokonstruktiot esitetään asiakkaiden palvelun käytöstä haluamina seuraumuksina heidän henkilökohtaisten tavoitteidensa ja tarpeidensa tyydyttämiseksi. Tutkimusmetodologia hyödynsi 10 tutkimukseen osallistuneen tapauspalvelun asiakkaan kanssa 15 päivän mittaista kulttuurillista luotainta WhatsApp-palvelun välityksellä ja kontekstihaastatteluita. Löydökset viittaavat sähköisten kirjaformaattien mahdollistavan uudentyyppisiä kirjasisältöjen kulutusmahdollisuuksia. Mukana kulkeva laite tai taustalla kuuluva kirja mahdollistavat opportunistisia käyttötilanteita, jotka painetulla kirjalla jäisivät mahdottomiksi. Lisäksi sähköiset kirjan muodot tarjoavat käytännöllistä ja tehokkuudellista välinearvoa asiakkaille. Toisaalta sähköiset kirjan muodot eivät mahdollista samanlaista esineeseen yhdistettyä esteettistä arvoa kuin painettu kirja ja se koetaan täten arvottomammaksi. Yksi tutkimuksen löydöksistä oli se, että asiakkaat havaitsevat tietoisesti saamansa arvon vain valintatilanteissa tai muistellessaan tekemiään valintoja, muutoin saatu arvo on totuttua ja se pysyy tiedostamattomana

Augmented Reality and Context Awareness for Mobile Learning Systems

Learning is one of the most interactive processes that humans practice. The level of interaction between the instructor and his or her audience has the greatest effect on the output of the learning process. Recent years have witnessed the introduction of e-learning (electronic learning), which was then followed by m-learning (mobile learning). While researchers have studied e-learning and m-learning to devise a framework that can be followed to provide the best possible output of the learning process, m-learning is still being studied in the shadow of e-learning. Such an approach might be valid to a limited extent, since both aims to provide educational material over electronic channels. However, m-learning has more space for user interaction because of the nature of the devices and their capabilities. The objective of this work is to devise a framework that utilises augmented reality and context awareness in m-learning systems to increase their level of interaction and, hence, their usability. The proposed framework was implemented and deployed over an iPhone device. The implementation focused on a specific course. Its material represented the use of augmented reality and the flow of the material utilised context awareness. Furthermore, a software prototype application for smart phones, to assess usability issues of m-learning applications, was designed and implemented. This prototype application was developed using the Java language and the Android software development kit, so that the recommended guidelines of the proposed framework were maintained. A questionnaire survey was conducted at the University, with approximately twenty-four undergraduate computer science students. Twenty-four identical smart phones were used to evaluate the developed prototype, in terms of ease of use, ease of navigating the application content, user satisfaction, attractiveness and learnability. Several validation tests were conducted on the proposed augmented reality m-learning verses m-learning. Generally, the respondents rated m-learning with augmented reality as superior to m-learning alone

Meeting information needs through the use of public library websites : a case study of Chinese immigrants' information behaviour in Auckland, New Zealand

Public library services in New Zealand are being re-examined in light of the developments in ICT and an increasingly multicultural population. The research question investigated was “Can an internet portal on a public library website be used to meet the information needs of new Chinese Mandarin immigrants to the Auckland region of New Zealand?” In an attempt to effectively answer the research question and sub-questions the researcher conducted a literature review on two aspects relevant to the study: immigration theory and information behaviour (IB). Thirty Chinese Mandarin speaking recent migrants to the Auckland region of New Zealand were interviewed in-depth to determine their information behaviour (IB) and resources used. The findings indicate that respondents were in need of everyday survival information. The findings suggest that a more coordinated approach to information provision, for example through a library web portal, will assist respondents in their search for information relating to their initial settlement.Information ScienceM. Inf

‘Interaction of Cultures through Design’ Cross-Cultural Design (CCD) Learning Model: The development and implementation of CCD design education in South Korean higher education.

This research has arisen from an awareness of the emerging discourses about the future of design education in Korea. The country today is synonymous with advanced technology and high-quality products made by companies such as Samsung. The development of capacity for creativity and innovation in design has not yet been successfully implemented, and it has been argued that much of the responsibility lies with the education system. Currently Korean design education is focused on function, technology and solutions as well as aesthetic values; it drives students to be technically capable without understanding the value of design as a cultural activity. In order to tackle this issue, Korea has been introducing various initiatives in its design education system. These initiatives have focused on the convergence of design specialisms, as well as other disciplines outside of design. Parallel to these, this thesis suggests Cross-Cultural Design (CCD) as one of the possible elements that could aid this transformation. The findings of this thesis suggest that it is important for design students as well as educators to realise design is an activity of cultural production that can improve the quality of our lives. Cross-Cultural Design is not a new concept. There are many definitions and practical implementations found in the various fields of study and within the design industry. Although considerable efforts are being made to explore and understand cross-cultural relationships as a result of globalisation today, there has been limited discussion about cross-cultural concerns from a design practice context. Previous studies on cross-culture have focused almost exclusively on anthropology, sociology and more recently, international business and marketing. This thesis, therefore, seeks to address this gap by examining the potential of Cross-Cultural Design (CCD) practices and develop a Cross-Cultural Design (CCD) educational framework for Korean higher education that encourages designers, design students and Korean universities to become more culturally engaged. Firstly, this thesis begins by examining the current issues facing the Korean education system in Chapter 2. Chapters three and four discuss a general contribution to new knowledge by exploring the key characteristics of CCD, which are: 1) Cross-cultural understanding - understanding the cultural context for designers and the design concepts derived from an in-depth understanding of cultural differences. 2) Originality - enriched creative outputs from cross cultural practice. An ability to think creatively and design whilst retaining unique and novel ideas. 3) Practicality - new design ideas from mixing cultural codes/needs. Creation of usable design for everyday life through combined cultures. 4) Universal design - consolidated cultural needs to achieve Universal design ideas, when appropriate. Universally understandable design with minimised cultural errors and misunderstanding. 5) Cultural identity - celebrating cultural specificity to promote core identities, when appropriate. Cultural identity is also defined through culturally distinctive design, which plays an important role in structuring the Cross-Cultural Design reflection tool and template by providing a set of criteria. The five key characteristics of Cross-Cultural Design presented above are based on various findings of what constitutes the elements within the CCD model (Chapter 3 & 4). This thesis investigates design education through the development of intensive project-based short course learning activities in Chapter 5. As part of the study, five of these CCD short course activities were conducted over five years, starting in 2010. The programmes were developed and conducted in collaboration with Goldsmiths, University of London (UK), Kyung Hee University (Korea), and the Korea Institute of Design Promotion (KIDP). The focus of these education programmes moved from the inspirational benefits of cross-cultural experience, to the practicality and marketability of culturally engaged design. As a result, a CCD learning model was proposed and developed. This thesis concludes that the CCD learning model can help give a new direction to Korean design education in order to make it more process-oriented, whilst paying attention to cultural issues. This model of education could help create more user-oriented and culturally located design. Korean design education is traditionally built on art education. Cross-Cultural Design education can provide a socio-cultural contribution to the education framework, and introduce a methodological approach to designing as a cultural activity, as well as a reflective approach. Secondly, systemic problems in Korean design education means it is currently not able to meet the social and industrial demands and changes required in a developing Korean society. This thesis proposes that Cross-Cultural Design education can help develop a wider spectrum of design fields, such as convergence design education. Lastly, with regards to social problems, Korean design education suffers from a narrow conception of the possibilities of design, and does not recognise that design can extend to work with other subjects within the university. However, Cross-Cultural Design education helps students and designers understand the importance of design in our everyday lives, and more importantly, the significance of culture within design activities. In a broader context, educators can also benefit from diverse teaching methodologies; supporters such as governments can promote their national culture and boost their design industries. More importantly, consumers will have access to culturally rich and diverse products and services. The potential input of this CCD framework is to contribute to transforming Korean higher education. This framework could also be applied to other geographical contexts, but this is outside of the scope of this thesis

A mobile context-aware learning schedule framework with Java learning objects

The focus of this thesis is the study of mobile learning, specifically learning in different locations and under various contextual situations, from the perspective of university students. I initially derived and designed a theoretical mobile context-aware learning schedule (mCALS) framework from an extensive literature review. Its objective is to recommend appropriate learning materials to students based on their current locations and circumstances. The framework uses a learning schedule (i.e. electronic-based diary) to inform the location and available time a student has for learning/studying at a particular location. Thereafter, a number of factors are taken into consideration for the recommendation of appropriate learning materials. These are the student’s learning styles, knowledge level, concentration level, frequency of interruption at that location and their available time for learning/studying. In order to determine the potential deployment of the framework as a mobile learning application by intended users, I carried out three types of feasibility studies. First, a pedagogical study was conducted using interviews to explore together with students (a) what their learning requirements were when studying in a mobile environment, (b) whether the framework could potentially be used effectively to support their studies and, (c) using this user-centred understanding, refined user requirements of the framework. Second, a diary study was conducted where I collected data and analysed the usability feasibility of the framework by (a) determining whether students could plan their daily schedule ahead and keep to it, (b) ascertaining which learning contexts were important and, (c) establishing which learning materials were appropriate under which situations. Two validation studies were conducted. The first one was an online experiment utilising Java learning objects. Participants of this study were suggested appropriate learning objects to study with, based on their amount of available time, current motivation level for learning and their proficiency level of Java. The second validation study was an investigation into high-quality Java learning objects available in the public domain. Finally, a technical design of the framework was carried out to determine whether the framework at present could realistically be implemented using current mobile technologies. The data analyses of the feasibility studies show that (a) a learning schedule approach is successful to an extent in obtaining location and available time information to indicate accurate values of these contexts, (b) different learners may require different personalisation strategies when selecting appropriate learning materials for them in mobile environments, and (c) the mCALS framework is particularly well-suited for self-regulated students. I also proposed a set of suggestion rules which can be used to recommend appropriate Java learning materials to students in different contexts. The validation studies show that 1) the proposed suggestion rules are effective in recommending appropriate materials to learners in their situation, in order to enhance their learning experiences, and 2) there are a sufficiently large number of high-quality LOs available in the public domain that can be incorporated for use within my framework. Finally, the development of mCALS has been considered from three perspectives – pedagogical, usability and technical. These perspectives consist of critical components that should be considered when developing and evaluating mobile learning software applications. The results demonstrated that the mCALS framework can potentially be used by students in different locations and situations, and appropriate learning materials can be selected to them, in order to enhance their learning experiences.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Understanding trust and confidence in web behaviour

Trust is recognised as the construct that makes societies function; not only this but it is understood to be the element that makes them successful, wealthier, healthier and wiser. A problem of the trust construct is that, despite its perceived importance on facilitating modern life, it remains a subject that lacks consensus on its definition. Within literature, when the construct of trust is applied to the Web context, there is further confusion as the construct being referred to as trust in actual fact referring to the construct of confidence. This confusion led to the research in understanding trust and confidence in Web behaviour. In addition to researching the literature, the diary-study interview method was used to investigate into how the constructs of trust and confidence function on the Web. The diary study was designed to act as an observational research method, and in doing so would identify the what and how participants used the Web, with the follow-up interviews extracting the why.When taking the core-concept understanding of trust (as developed within this thesis), it shows there to be a disparity between trust and its applicability to the Web. The study further supports this view, and from this emerges the key finding that Web interactions are facilitated and driven by confidence – not trust. Confidence is the construct that drives the Web; what impacts and influences the behaviour of its users. Secondly, and more crucially, confidence is a construct that cannot be created on the Web per se. It is shaped by an individuals' worldview (optimistic / pessimistic), their disposition to risk, their cultural tendencies, their personalities, all of which are factors that are influenced by, and built up on, real-world experiences. Put simply, confidence is created through real-world experiences and it is the real-world atti-tude of an individual that is carried over to govern the nature of their Web interactions