Natural Notation for the Domestic Internet of Things

This study explores the use of natural language to give instructions that might be interpreted by Internet of Things (IoT) devices in a domestic `smart home' environment. We start from the proposition that reminders can be considered as a type of end-user programming, in which the executed actions might be performed either by an automated agent or by the author of the reminder. We conducted an experiment in which people wrote sticky notes specifying future actions in their home. In different conditions, these notes were addressed to themselves, to others, or to a computer agent.We analyse the linguistic features and strategies that are used to achieve these tasks, including the use of graphical resources as an informal visual language. The findings provide a basis for design guidance related to end-user development for the Internet of Things.Comment: Proceedings of the 5th International symposium on End-User Development (IS-EUD), Madrid, Spain, May, 201

Technology Overload: Gender-based Perceptions of Knowledge Worker Performance

Gender studies show numerous differences between genders in regard to technology, and emphasize that women areunderrepresented in IT-related academic programs and careers. Because technology is so prevalent in our workforce,it is important to study how technology usage affects white-collared working women. We explore the relationshipbetween three dimensions of technology overload and knowledge worker job performance (stratified by gender)through a quantitative analysis. Our results show that female knowledge workers perceive a more significant andnegative relationship than men between technology overload and job performance even when they do not relyheavily on technology in the workplace. Addressing technology overload may thus positively impact women’scareer development

Personality and intrinsic motivational factors in end-user programming

We explore the factors that determine whether individuals are likely to experience intrinsic motivation in end-user programming (EUP). We report two experiments: one that tests whether there are reliable psychometric constructs that describe different aspects of intrinsic motivation, and one that tests whether these constructs are successful in predicting individuals' own self-reported intrinsic motivation after using a popular EUP product. We conclude that there are identifiable and distinct motivational factors in EUP, and that these are associated with particular psychometric personality traits. We offer several suggestions for future research that could apply these findings to improve uptake and quality of user experience for educational and general-purpose EUP applications

Recent Evidence on Investors’ Behavior in the Tehran Stock Exchange: Preliminary Evidence and Future Insights

In this study, provided preliminary evidence on a comprehensive program of study focusing on investors’ behavior in the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) in 2014. Using a survey-based methodology, 561 investors from the TSE representing individual investors, mutual fund experts, funding institutions experts, institutional investors, and stock brokers have been randomly selected to respond to a set of behavioral and economic questions recommended by the previous research in the field of behavioral finance. Factor loading from the collected data reveal that both behavioral and economic variables appear to influence investors’ decisions in the TSE. In the further to be shared new theoretical and econometric insights that is currently being amended preliminary evidence including dis-aggregating the sample by investors’ type (individual vs. institutional investors) as well as using structural equation modeling to test the statistical significance of the proposed variables and their differences across samples

Fifty years of the Psychology of Programming

This paper reflects on the evolution (past, present and future) of the ‘psychology of programming' over the 50 year period of this anniversary issue. The International Journal of Human-Computer Studies (IJHCS) has been a key venue for much seminal work in this field, including its first foundations, and we review the changing research concerns seen in publications over these five decades. We relate this thematic evolution to research taking place over the same period within more specialist communities, especially the Psychology of Programming Interest Group (PPIG), the Empirical Studies of Programming series (ESP), and the ongoing community in Visual Languages and Human-Centric Computing (VL/HCC). Many other communities have interacted with psychology of programming, both influenced by research published within the specialist groups, and in turn influencing research priorities. We end with an overview of the core theories that have been developed over this period, as an introductory resource for new researchers, and also with the authors’ own analysis of key priorities for future research

Monitoring interface and automated testing for Seaweed, a web-based economic game system

Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2010.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 47-49).Seaweed is a web-based economic game system that allows end users to design and deploy simple two-player economic games. To improve the usability of the system, we have created two new features. One: a monitoring interface that allows users to view the results of a game deployment in real time. Two: an automated testing feature that automatically generates play data for a game, so that the user can check that the results are correct. Challenges included condensing the data of multiple plays of a game into a readable format and modifying the computer player system to pit two computer players against each other in order to generate the test data.by Jessica Yuan.M.Eng

The influence of visual feedback and gender dynamics on performance, perception and communication strategies in CSCW

The effects of gender in human communication and human-computer interaction are well-known, yet little is understood about how it influences performance in the complex, collaborative tasks in computer-mediated settings – referred to as Computer-Supported Collaborative Work (CSCW) – that are increasingly fundamental to the way in which people work. In such tasks, visual feedback about objects and events is particularly valuable because it facilitates joint reference and attention, and enables the monitoring of people’s actions and task progress. As such, software to support CSCW frequently provides shared visual workspace. While numerous studies describe and explain the impact of visual feedback in CSCW, research has not considered whether there are differences in how females and males use it, are aided by it, or are affected by its absence. To address these knowledge gaps, this study explores the effect of gender – and its interactions within pairs – in CSCW, with and without visual feedback. An experimental study is reported in which mixed-gender and same-gender pairs communicate to complete a collaborative navigation task, with one of the participants being under the impression that s/he is interacting with a robot (to avoid gender-related social preconceptions). The study analyses performance, perceptions and communication strategies. As predicted, there was a significant benefit associated with visual feedback in terms of language economy and efficiency. However, it was also found that visual feedback may be disruptive to task performance, because it relaxes the users’ precision criteria and inflates their assumptions of shared perspective. While no actual performance difference was found between males and females in the navigation task, females rated their own performance less positively than did males. In terms of communication strategies, males had a strong tendency to introduce novel vocabulary when communication problems occurred, while females exhibited more conservative behaviour. When visual feedback was removed, females adapted their strategies drastically and effectively, increasing the quality and specificity of the verbal interaction, repeating and re-using vocabulary, while the behaviour of males remained consistent. These results are used to produce design recommendations for CSCW systems that will suit users of both genders and enable effective collaboration

A survey of gender differences in technophobia and in the adoption of high-technology consumer products

Despite the advent of technology into consumers’ daily lives, many consumers are plagued by feelings of fear towards complex technology-related products. Feelings of anxiety and fear often lead to the avoidance of technology; in other words, so-called ‘technophobia’. This study aims to establish whether gender differences in technophobia and the adoption of high-technology consumer products continue to exist in this digital age, or whether they have indeed changed over time. Further, this study also aims to uncover the main social reasons that gender differences in technophobia can occur. The results of this study provide new insight into gender differences towards technology purchases. The findings should assist marketers by providing a clearer understanding of how men and women adopt new technology products in the 21st century. By understanding gender differences in attitudes towards technology, marketers are better able to target and communicate technology benefits that consumers can relate to and appreciate. Following a review of the available literature, the theory of the diffusion of innovation was presented as a foundation to studies of gender differences in technophobia. The Technology Readiness Index (TRI) was introduced as a sound means of measuring technophobia, based on an in-depth study of the available measurement scales to measure for technophobia. The study included men and women, aged between 25 and 35 years, of higher socio-economic classes, residing in the Northern Johannesburg regions of South Africa. Gender differences in levels of technophobia are studied in relation to three different technologies (computers, DSLR cameras and home automation technology) in order to compare gender differences towards technologies at different stages of the diffusion curve. Future research avenues regarding studies in to technophobia are also presented. The results indicate that traditional differences between genders towards technology still exist amongst South African consumers. Women continue to experience higher levels of technophobia towards new technology than men. However, the degree of these differences changes, depending on the technology used. Regarding why these gender differences may occur, levels of optimism, risk taking and cognitive involvement between genders were measured. In general, the results indicate that traditional gender differences towards technology continue to exist in South Africa. Thus, although marketers may assume that in the modern digital age, men and women are consuming electronics in the same manner, this study shows that this is not necessarily the case, and as a new product is introduced to the market, marketers need to employ differentiating strategies in order to target both men and women successfully. By tailoring the manner in which technology is advertised and shared to the female consumer, marketers are better able to capture this more ‘technophobic’ consumer. The advertising of technologies exasperates the gender divide by confirming established sex role stereotypes, and managers need to learn to differentiate and cater for both genders when advertising technology products. This study illustrates that the degree of technophobia women possess towards technology depends on the technology and its ‘inherent gender bias’ and marketers need to adapt their communications according to the technology being sold. Marketers in the electronics industry cannot have a ‘one-hat-fits-all’ assumption of women and technology, and need to analyse the ‘technology fit’ and communicate it to the market accordingly. By uncovering the social reasons why gender differences continue to exist, advertisers can use these inherent gender differences to test and design advertisements that improve female beliefs about the technology. Marketers are encouraged to experiment with different communication strategies that improve inherent beliefs based on social norms. This study found that women are less optimistic than men, exhibit higher levels of risk aversion, and higher cognitive-processing than men when considering technology purchases. The greatest challenge in stimulating the adoption of high-technology products is the perceived risk that a consumer undergoes when making a purchasing decision. Increasing levels of consumer resistance are also attributed to the sheer volume of new information in the digital era and managers thus need to employ simplifying strategies in order to help break through the messaging clutter and alleviate the information overload that the consumer is experiencing. Managers need to find a balance between being seen as innovative market leaders, and successfully introducing the technology at a pace that invites consumer adoption and acceptance. This study provides strong empirical support for managers attempting to successfully target technology products to men and women. By uncovering gender differences in the way that one reacts to technology, one is better able to understand the consumer and marketing efforts are strengthened. This study not only sheds some light on consumer attitudes, feelings and reactions to new technologies, but it also provides important insight into how men and women accept technology in the market.Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2011.Marketing ManagementMComUnrestricte

Toyetic tooling: 3D printing and convergent media platforms

This research addresses convergence of 3D printing with digital games and media products and outlines opportunities for development in production of media related goods including toys and merchandise. It does this principally through a field study involving participatory access to MakieLab, a start-up using 3D printing in the production of user-generated, 3D printable toys directly related to game content. This study incorporates participant observation, a survey of prospective consumers and a netnography of online 3D printing repositories. The netnography investigates user interactions with media content enabled by 3D printing and finds emerging forms of fan-production and a related economy of fan-produced, 3D printable goods. Here the research contributes to gaps in understanding of what people are making with 3D printing, providing insights into what media products people reference, what they make and why. Noting the legally ambiguous status of fan activity and research momentum aimed at creating legislative responses to inhibit such activity this research presents MakieLab as an example of a market based alternative. The research describes MakieLab as a convergent media platform and documents how MakieLab designed products and platforms to facilitate fan production and to co-opting or commodotise fan production. This research contributes understanding of how 3D printing may provide new revenue streams for media producers and facilitate engagement between firm and consumer. The research finds in conclusion that 3D printing in conjunction with automated translation of game, film or animation content to user editable and 3D printable formats has potential to alter relationships between media firm and consumer. In doing so it identifies a role for 3D printing in transmedia, implications for evaluations of toyetic or merchandise potential, potential for between-media interactivity, in-media merchandising and development of convergent media platforms, commodification of fan art as well as commodification of creative making experiences. The research concomitantly considers implications for stakeholders involved in production of media related toys and merchandise indicating that convergent media platforms are likely to have significant impact for media producers