Investigating design features of a computer-mediated communication system

Computer-mediated communication (CMC) is increasingly used in higher education, but it is not without problems. The effectiveness of CMC depends on many factors, including the characteristics of CMC systems themselves. The research reported here therefore aimed to investigate how an educational CMC system might be improved, in order to support learning more effectively. The main context for the research was distance learning at the UK Open University (OU). A two-stage, mixed methods research approach was adopted. In the first stage, interviews and observations were carried out to explore the benefits and problems experienced by users. This revealed two major issues: information overload and lack of social presence. Information overload relates to users’ problems dealing with large numbers of messages. Social presence relates to the need for users to feel connected with each other. The second stage investigated system features aimed at addressing these issues, implemented in a prototype computer conferencing system. Features to address overload included branched message threading and user recommendations. Features to address social presence were ‘résumés’ and instant messaging. These features were evaluated using questionnaires, with several cohorts of students in an OU course. Students expressed approval of the features, although some features were not widely used. Students preferred branched threading to chronological threading because branching helped them to follow ‘conversations’. Students were uncomfortable recommending messages, feeling that the value of a message would vary between people. They were also uncomfortable using instant messaging to contact others whom they did not know. However, the awareness aspect of instant messaging provided a sense of solidarity. The research demonstrated that the problems of overload and lack of social presence are significant, and each has social aspects which must be addressed. Students’ relationships with each other affect whether and how they use the features of CMC systems. We can conclude that particular attention must be paid to the social aspects of online communication, both when designing educational CMC systems and when considering how they are used. To maximise the benefits for learning, students need to feel comfortable with each other online, and there are few short cuts to achieving this

Using the Co-design Process to Build Non-designer Ability in Making Visual Thinking Tools

This research is a case study of using co-design as a way of assisting the capacity building process for an Indianapolis-based community organizer. The community organizer seeks to develop a visual thinking tool for enhancing her engagement with community participants. Community organizers face a wide array of complicated challenges, addressing these kinds of challenges and social issues calls for innovative and inclusive approaches to community problem solving. The author hopes this case study will showcase itself as an example of leveraging design thinking and visual thinking to support and equip more first-line workers who are non-designers to do their community jobs with a more creative problem-solving approach

Speeding Up the Prototyping of Low-Fidelity User Interface Wireframes

Prototyping for user interfaces (UIs) is essential when it comes to giving an idea for how the final result will look and function. This allows both designers and stakeholders to test if all the project requirements are being fulfilled and the functionality of the UI, saving time and money further down the road when the final product is being made. However, current established prototyping tools have an emphasis on visual aesthetics without support for quickly producing low-fidelity prototyping. This leads to the initial prototyping process to be time-consuming and labor-intensive as designers need to start from scratch. In this research, we propose a solution that hopefully speeds up the low-fidelity UI prototyping process by streamlining the workflow. Based on previous research of scenario-based UI design and utilizing UI design patterns and sketching, we created a Figma plugin tool for guiding the creation of low-fidelity wireframe prototypes. We then conducted a user study which revealed that the plugin was easy to learn and use with a lower subjective workload for physical demand, temporal demand, and frustration. The contribution of our work is providing an alternative approach for designers and stakeholders to collaborate together and facilitate easy prototyping of low-fidelity UI wireframes

Design as a thing: how designers make up design as an object in human-centred design practices

Design as a thing: how designers make up design as an object in human-centred design practice

Augmented reality meeting table: a novel multi-user interface for architectural design

Immersive virtual environments have received widespread attention as providing possible replacements for the media and systems that designers traditionally use, as well as, more generally, in providing support for collaborative work. Relatively little attention has been given to date however to the problem of how to merge immersive virtual environments into real world work settings, and so to add to the media at the disposal of the designer and the design team, rather than to replace it. In this paper we report on a research project in which optical see-through augmented reality displays have been developed together with prototype decision support software for architectural and urban design. We suggest that a critical characteristic of multi user augmented reality is its ability to generate visualisations from a first person perspective in which the scale of rendition of the design model follows many of the conventions that designers are used to. Different scales of model appear to allow designers to focus on different aspects of the design under consideration. Augmenting the scene with simulations of pedestrian movement appears to assist both in scale recognition, and in moving from a first person to a third person understanding of the design. This research project is funded by the European Commission IST program (IST-2000-28559)

Examining the use of visualisation methods for the design of interactive systems

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) design has historically involved people from different fields. Designing HCI systems with people of varying background and expertise can bring different perspectives and ideas, but discipline-specific language and design methods can hinder such collaborations. The application of visualisation methods is a way to overcome these challenges, but to date selection tools tend to focus on a facet of HCI design methods and no research has been attempted to assemble a collection of HCI visualisation methods. To fill this gap, this research seeks to establish an inventory of HCI visualisation methods and identify ways of selecting amongst them. Creating the inventory of HCI methods would enable designers to discover and learn about methods that they may not have used before or be familiar with. Categorising the methods provides a structure for new and experienced designers to determine appropriate methods for their design project. The aim of this research is to support designers in the development of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) systems through better selection and application of visualisation methods. This is achieved through four phases. In the first phase, three case studies are conducted to investigate the challenges and obstacles that influence the choice of a design approach in the development of HCI systems. The findings from the three case studies helped to form the design requirements for a visualisation methods selection and application guide. In the second phase, the Guide is developed. The third phase aims to evaluate the Guide. The Guide is employed in the development of a serious training game to demonstrate its applicability. In the fourth phase, a user study was designed to evaluate the serious training game. Through the evaluation of the serious training game, the Guide is validated. This research has contributed to the knowledge surrounding visualisation tools used in the design of interactive systems. The compilation of HCI visualisation methods establishes an inventory of methods for interaction design. The identification of Selection Approaches brings together the ways in which visualisation methods are organised and grouped. By mapping visualisation methods to Selection Approaches, this study has provided a way for practitioners to select a visualisation method to support their design practice. The development of the Selection Guide provided five filters, which helps designers to identify suitable visualisation methods based on the nature of the design challenge. The development of the Application Guide presented the methodology of each visualisation method in a consistent format. This enables the ease of method comparison and to ensure there is comprehensive information for each method. A user study showing the evaluation of a serious training game is presented. Two learning objectives were identified and mapped to Bloom’s Taxonomy to advocate an approach for like-to-like comparison with future studies

Tangible user interfaces : past, present and future directions

In the last two decades, Tangible User Interfaces (TUIs) have emerged as a new interface type that interlinks the digital and physical worlds. Drawing upon users' knowledge and skills of interaction with the real non-digital world, TUIs show a potential to enhance the way in which people interact with and leverage digital information. However, TUI research is still in its infancy and extensive research is required in or- der to fully understand the implications of tangible user interfaces, to develop technologies that further bridge the digital and the physical, and to guide TUI design with empirical knowledge. This paper examines the existing body of work on Tangible User In- terfaces. We start by sketching the history of tangible user interfaces, examining the intellectual origins of this field. We then present TUIs in a broader context, survey application domains, and review frame- works and taxonomies. We also discuss conceptual foundations of TUIs including perspectives from cognitive sciences, phycology, and philoso- phy. Methods and technologies for designing, building, and evaluating TUIs are also addressed. Finally, we discuss the strengths and limita- tions of TUIs and chart directions for future research

Technology-based service experience: Creation and evaluation of emergency ambulance services

With the rapid development of communication technology and the spreading of mobile devices, mobile applications are involved in people’s everyday life. Technology provides designers with both challenges and possibilities. Service designers also embrace technology to create service systems for better experiences. This study investigates how to improve the emergency ambulance service experience in Rovaniemi with a technology-based service system. A mobile application was designed and tested. The cyclical action research process includes an online questionnaire survey (N=23), semi-structured interviews (N=6) as generative research, and a service prototyping workshop (N=4) as evaluative research. The results from generative research indicate the need for information communication during emergencies, while the results from evaluative research provided more insights for future iteration design. Based on the research data and design outcomes, the study concludes a framework of how to design a technology-based service system by combining service design and UX design

Development, Usability Engineering and Testing of the Video on Demand Service Filmrommet.no

Master's thesis in Multimedia and Educational Technology MM500 - University of Agder 2016This thesis describes the design outcomes and user evaluation of the redesigned Filmrommetservice, from a human-centred point of view. Research into several interdisciplinary fields, including interaction design, design principles, usability testing and usage of movies in schools have been assessed in order to design an interface that is easy to use, engages the user and presents meaningful content. Prior to starting designing the new interface, a questionnaire survey comprised of feedback from 116 Filmrommet users was conducted. The qualitative and quantitative data from the survey covering user characteristics, user behaviour, user satisfaction and user needs, was then analysed and put to use in subsequent design activities. Human-centred design activities are described and presented as well as a usability study conducted on 6 teachers and librarians. Digital prototyping and testing was done through the use of Adobe XD and InVision, and a design solution is presented based on the feedback acquired from testing. The concluding redesign of Filmrommet gives suggestions for further development. Findings emphasise the importance of implementing a well-functioning search featureXX50