A sprite in the dark: supporting conventional mental healthcare practices with a tangible device

This paper describes the decision-making and motivation behind the development of Mood Sprite – an interactive tool for mental health. Our main aim with this project has been to design a device that compliments and augments the current practices employed by community mental health support groups. To this end, we worked directly with a community support group and a psychologist as co-designers

Will Flow Experience Lead to Better Outcomes in Online Shopping?

This paper reports the results of a study examining users’ perceptions of flow and outcomes in online shopping. Three characteristics of flow activities and six dimensions of flow are predicted to affect outcomes as measured by perceived usefulness, pleasure, and behavior intentions. Results show that flow affects all outcome measures. Implications for future research and practice are discussed

Workflow and Performance Under Computer Mediated Interruptions

Technologically enhanced computer mediated communication (CMC) environments create a trade-off between eliminating delays and increasing performance. In such environments, incoming interruptions can break the “flow” of work and deteriorate performance. In this regard, we describe a mechanism that explains why particular types of information are attended to, and how such interruptions interrupt work flow creating deterioration in performance. Specifically, this study investigates to specific facets of interruptions, the influence of task presentation format and interruption relevance on performance. Results showed significant performance differences related to different presentation format and interruption relevancy. Furthermore, flow had a significant effect on work performance. Future research should future propose more comprehensive taxonomies of both interruption in task characteristics, and examine the effects of such interruptions in systematic ways and in different contexts

EGameFlow in a Serious Game: Gaming Experience with the Same Game Design but Different Learning Content

The development effort of game-based learning applications is very time-consuming and costly, especially when applications are developed that provide students an enjoyable gaming experience and support them to achieve their learning objectives. This is largely to be explained by the iterative development process with the conduction of playtests. Therefore, this study analyzes whether an identical gaming and learning experience is achieved with the same game design but different learning contents. A serious game for learning information literacy that was developed and iteratively improved through three conducted playtests is used in this study. The results show that an identical gaming and learning experience is achieved. This makes it possible to re-use the game design in combination with other learning contents without negatively affecting the learner’s playing and learning experience

Linking Flow, Brand Attitudes and Purchase Intent in Virtual Worlds

Virtual worlds initially gained visibility from businesses seeking to create a virtual brand presence within the online platforms. More recently however, many companies have abandoned virtual worlds, leading experts to speculate that a lack of knowledge about how to effectively market branded products may ultimately represent one the contributing factors in the seemingly mass corporate exodus. Virtual worlds offer opportunities for high levels of involvement in activities, which are consistent with flow theory. Flow has been defined inconsistently within the information systems (IS) literature. This research-in-progress examines how a reconceptualized model of flow influences brand attitudes and purchase intention of individuals participating in virtual worlds

Focused Immersion: When Do Information Technology Affordances Disrupt It?

The rise of the use of Information Technology (IT) in many activities throughout people’s lives has led to questions about the impact on our attention. While most studies in this area have examined the role of task-specific technology, we still know little about the broader role of IT in people’s environments. In this study, we examine how and when exposure to technology affordances, such as having a smartphone at hand, affects focused immersion in a task. Based on theory on construal levels, and confirmed by our study, we posit that higher level, abstract ways of thinking protect against the negative impact of IT affordances on focused immersion. This insight can potentially help individuals tailor their IT environments to their needs for a deeper engagement in their activities. Further, by connecting strands of literature on focused immersion, this work can facilitate the development of a more comprehensive theory of focused immersion

The effect of uncertainty on learning in game-like environments

Cataloged from PDF version of article.Considering the role of games for educational purposes, there has an increase in interest among educators in applying strategies used in popular games to create more engaging learning environments. Learning is more fun and appealing in digital educational games and, as a result, it may become more effective. However, few research studies have been conducted to establish principles based on empirical research for designing engaging and entertaining games so as to improve learning. One of the essential characteristics of games that has been unexplored in the literature is the concept of uncertainty. This study examines the effect of uncertainty on learning outcomes. In order to better understand this effect on learning, a game-like learning tool was developed to teach a database concept in higher education programs of software engineering. The tool is designed in two versions: one including uncertainty and the other including no uncertainty. The experimental results of this study reveal that uncertainty enhances learning. Uncertainty is found to be positively associated with motivation. As motivation increases, participants tend to spend more time on answering the questions and to have higher accuracy in these questions

Organizational Support for Innovative Use of IT: A Slack Resources Perspective

With the increasing pervasiveness of Information Systems (IS), research on innovative use of IT is gaining momentum. Research shows that intrinsic motivation is a key predictor of innovative use of IT; it is, however, inconclusive as some scholars have not found a significant relationship between users’ intrinsic motivations and their use of utilitarian IS. Organizational support has been found to be a facilitating factor for the relationship between intrinsic motivation and innovative use of IT, a deviating behaviour associated with risk. The complex, emergent, and iterative nature of innovating with IT, however, warrants specific support beyond verbal encouragement for users. This article applies the theory of slack resources to conceptualize the environmental support required for the innovative use of IT. The article also explores the impact of managerial framing by which availability of environmental IS slack resources is communicated to employees on innovation with IT

An Interactive Space as a Creature:Mechanisms of Agency Attribution and Autotelic Experience

Interacting with an animal is a highly immersing and satisfactory experience. How can interaction with an artifact can be imbued with the quality of an interaction with a living being? The authors propose a theoretical relationship that puts the predictability of the human-artifact interaction at the center of the attribution of agency and experience of “flow.” They empirically explored three modes of interaction that differed in the level of predictability of the interactive space's behavior. The results of the authors' study give support to the notion that there is a sweet spot of predictability in the reactions of the space that leads users to perceive the space as a creature. Flow factors discriminated between the different modes of interaction and showed the expected nonlinear relationship with the predictability of the interaction. The authors' results show that predictability is a key factor to induce an attribution of agency, and they hope that their study can contribute to a more systematic approach to designing satisfactory and rich interaction between humans and machines

Revisiting Technology and Flow: A Call for an Alternative Perspective and Directions for the Future

Employee engagement is critical to individual well-being and organizational performance. The concept of flow has been explored as a marker for such engagement. Yet, an understanding of the role technology plays in employees experiencing flow is not well understood. In this paper, we theorize an alternative viewpoint of flow and technology, which we coin “technoflow.” We do so by critically examining the assumptions within existing IS/flow literature, and propose a research agenda that adopts a relational ontology so that IS researchers can identify several sociomaterial conditions and practices related to how employees experience flow. We explain how researchers can draw on technoflow through four central themes: (1) control; (2) attention; (3) curiosity; and (4) intrinsic interest. We provide guidance about how to incorporate technoflow into two contemporary IS theories: media synchronicity theory and technostress. This intervention offers promising theoretical development and knowledge applications for IS researchers and practitioners alike