A protocol study of novice interaction design behaviour in Botswana: solution-driven interaction design

Think aloud studies and protocol analysis are well-known in the field of HCI, but most often these studies focus on usability evaluations, or on the use of technology. Rarely are they used to investigate the behaviour of interaction designers. In this paper, we report on a protocol study with novice interaction designers in Botswana. Participants had just completed the design section of an undergraduate module on Interaction Design that actively promotes a problem-driven approach to the design of interactive products, yet the participants behaved in a way that is closer to a solution-driven approach. The module emphasizes user-centred design, prototyping methods to support design development, and evaluating design detail. Yet participants suggest solutions before exploring the context of use, use prototyping methods to capture, rather than to develop, designs, and do not produce detailed designs. In a problem-solving context, some of these behaviours are typical of novices, but in a design context they are also seen in experienced designers. The results presented here reveal the detail of the approach adopted by these students, and contribute to the wider debate concerning the internationalization of HCI education

Online Surveys in Collecting Cross-Cultural Qualitative User Experience Feedback

Globalisation of markets means that many interactive technology products and services need to be usable and provide a positive User Experience (UX) to people in various target market areas. Simultaneously, over the last decade, positive UX has become an important quality attribute and a business-critical asset in the design of interactive technology products and services. Different countries have different cultural values, which direct the way in which people interpret and use technology products and services. Therefore, to ensure that products and services are easy to use and that they provide a positive UX across cultural boundaries, there is a need to understand how local cultures may affect the use of and interaction with technology. Cultural issues affect not only the UX of technology products and services but also the UX research methods. Culture itself is a complex concept affecting a vast area of human life and interaction. Consequently, designers are facing challenges in creating a delightful UX for an increasing number of users from different cultural backgrounds.In this thesis work, we aim to produce original contributions by investigating and developing better online survey tools and insights about their applicability in cross-cultural remote online UX research. Remote online methods are needed in increasing cross-cultural UX research, and they are considered practical, and may have extensive and wide scale samples suited to cross-cultural UX research. In particular, we aim to understand how an online survey fits into a cross-cultural UX research in terms of collecting qualitative feedback. As the goal is to understand online UX surveys and users in different local cultures it is our aim to gain knowledge about what kind of cultural issues affect these surveys and how they should be taken into consideration in human-centred design (HCD). We focus on studying how qualitative material such as textual and visual materials can be used in cross-cultural online UX surveys. We reflect on the practical implications of the results in a theoretical concept of cross-cultural online UX survey process. Our research has a multiple-case research design strategy and most of our case studies were executed in a real product development context with an emphasis on the qualitative research.We found that online surveys with sentence completion, diaries and storyboards are well suited to crosscultural UX research in collecting qualitative feedback. The central cross-cultural issues having implications for cross-cultural, qualitative online UX surveys concerned textual and visual materials. With regards to the textual material in collecting cross-cultural, qualitative UX feedback, we found that there are cultural differences in how respondents understand, interpret and share their experiences in an online UX survey. For example, culture has an effect on language and communication style, which in turn have an effect on the answers. Furthermore, we found that the use of the sentence completion method in an online UX survey is relatively fast and easy way to collect a large amount of cross-cultural, qualitative UX feedback regarding the different UX dimensions for product development purposes. The use of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions in the data analysis gives a better understanding of the impact of specific cultures on the results.Concerning the visual material, we found that storyboards assisted respondents in providing rich answers to a long survey because of a sound understanding of the intended situations, and ease of imagining themselves in different usage scenarios. The use of internationalised and localised storyboards allowed us to collect UX feedback, even though respondents had never used or seen the intended product. They were able to give feedback and ideas for design in the early phase of product development in requirement gathering. Using culture as a resource for design involving local users in the design process supports HCD principles. We presented the main phases in a theoretical concept of cross-cultural online UX survey process to help designers include cultural issues in the design of a cross-cultural online UX survey

Design and semantics of form and movement (DeSForM 2006)

Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM) grew from applied research exploring emerging design methods and practices to support new generation product and interface design. The products and interfaces are concerned with: the context of ubiquitous computing and ambient technologies and the need for greater empathy in the pre-programmed behaviour of the ‘machines’ that populate our lives. Such explorative research in the CfDR has been led by Young, supported by Kyffin, Visiting Professor from Philips Design and sponsored by Philips Design over a period of four years (research funding £87k). DeSForM1 was the first of a series of three conferences that enable the presentation and debate of international work within this field: • 1st European conference on Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM1), Baltic, Gateshead, 2005, Feijs L., Kyffin S. & Young R.A. eds. • 2nd European conference on Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM2), Evoluon, Eindhoven, 2006, Feijs L., Kyffin S. & Young R.A. eds. • 3rd European conference on Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM3), New Design School Building, Newcastle, 2007, Feijs L., Kyffin S. & Young R.A. eds. Philips sponsorship of practice-based enquiry led to research by three teams of research students over three years and on-going sponsorship of research through the Northumbria University Design and Innovation Laboratory (nuDIL). Young has been invited on the steering panel of the UK Thinking Digital Conference concerning the latest developments in digital and media technologies. Informed by this research is the work of PhD student Yukie Nakano who examines new technologies in relation to eco-design textiles

Drones and the Creative Industry

This open access, interdisciplinary book presents innovative strategies in the use of civil drones in the cultural and creative industry. Specially aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the book offers valuable insights from the fields of marketing, engineering, arts and management. With contributions from experts representing varied interests throughout the creative industry, including academic researchers, software developers and engineers, it analyzes the needs of the creative industry when using civil drones both outdoors and indoors. The book also provides timely recommendations to the industry, as well as guidance for academics and policymakers

Deep mapping for environmental communication design

This article shares lessons from designing EcoTour, a multimedia environmental advocacy project in a state park, and it describes theoretical, practical, and pedagogical connections between locative media and community-engaged design. While maps can help share information about places, people, and change, they also limit how we visualize complex stories. Using deep mapping, and blending augmented reality with digital maps, EcoTour helps people understand big problems like climate change within the context of their local community. This article demonstrates the rhetorical potential of community-engaged design strategies to affect users, prompt action, and create more democratic discourse in environmental communication

Subscribe to my city:Exploring Rotterdam adolescents’ urban identity construction through social media engagement

The city is the background of many people’s everyday lives. It is a space that contextualizes many of one’s experiences, memories, and ideas. Previous research has explored connections to place from a variety of perspectives (e.g., Proshansky, 1978; Relph, 1976; Tuan, 1977). The city has been found to play an important role in the everyday life, and through this, the construction of one’s identity – the urban identity (Lalli, 1992; Proshansky, 1978; Proshansky et al., 1983). This concept focuses on one’s experiences of and ideas about the city and its inhabitants. In recent decades, the city is something that is no longer only experienced offline but may also be experienced and negotiated online (e.g., Farman, 2015; Saker, 2017; Schwartz &amp; Halegoua, 2014; Wilken &amp; Humphreys, 2021; Yılmaz &amp; Kocabalkanlı, 2021). This is particularly relevant for the adolescent population, who, in this important developmental phase in which they find themselves (Erikson, 1968; Ferrer-Wreder &amp; Kroger, 2019; Marcia, 1993), are known to use the online space for identity construction (boyd, 2014; Granic et al., 2020). This process might be complicated by the superdiversity that nowadays characterizes various big cities (Vertovec, 2007). However, at the same time the city can be understood as a commonality of all kinds of different individuals in their everyday experience of place. As a space for identity construction and negotiation, social media therefore deserves our attention in light of urban identity construction, especially for adolescents who find themselves in the situation where they try to understand who they are and where they belong. Focusing on the super-diverse city of Rotterdam, this dissertation therefore aims to explore question how and to what extent Rotterdam adolescents’ social media use contribute to the creation and negotiation of their urban identity. To do so, the topic is addressed from a variety of angles and using several methods to create a broad understanding of the phenomenon.To be able to understand and contextualize the various aspects of online urban identity, one first needs to understand its various dimensions. In Chapter 2, this dissertation starts by outlining a conceptual model, the trans-spatial urban identity model, that builds on and adds to previous work on online urban identity. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing the layered hybridity and mutual influence of online and offline construction of urban identity. To provide a systematic way to understand urban identity, the model proposes several dimensions. It emphasizes the personal and social elements of urban identity, arguing that they are intertwined but both need to be actively considered. It also focuses on the difference between a user’s own expressions that they share and those that they consume from others. The Chapter also discusses a variety of unique affordances of the online environment that need to be considered in order to conduct research in this field. Finally, two cases are provided, focusing on consumption and production, that bring to light various relevant contexts and demonstrate the conceptual model’s value. The trans-spatial urban identity model provides a background to understand the focus points of the Chapters that follow.Chapter 3 sets out on a general exploration of urban identity and its presence in Rotterdam adolescents’ social media ecology by means of a survey among 324 young participants. It focuses on the relationship between various forms of social media engagement and urban identity. In this Chapter, particular attention is paid to differences between adolescents with or without a migration background in order to take into account the relevance of cultural diversity in the city, building on earlier research that emphasized the importance of a local identity to youngsters with a migrant background (e.g., Day &amp; Badou, 2019). Results show various correlations among and between social media use and urban identity, both its personal and social aspects. It was also found that (personal) urban identity was significantly higher among adolescents with a migrant background. Findings demonstrate the relevance of social media engagement in relation to urban identity, and implicate the importance of urban identity in the context of a culturally diverse city.In Chapter 4, this dissertation dives into the world of local influencers as everyday media idols for Rotterdam adolescents, and therefore focuses on what Rotterdam adolescents consume. Based on the local influencers reported in the survey study, this study explores the content of a number of these influencers in depth by means of a thematic analysis of their YouTube video content, and a network analysis of their affiliation network and related channel networks on the platform. Results show a plethora of ways in which the city appears in the content of these local influencers that could provide viewers with a recognizable framework for urban identity, including various local settings, fellow inhabitants, various cultural elements, its (super-) diversity, and references to one’s own presence in or identification with the city. The network structures further emphasized this affiliation with the city, through its various cultural themes, diversity, and local networks. The next two chapters move towards social media content production by means of a participatory action research study conducted with Rotterdam adolescents. In Chapter 5, the design of the study is explained in detail. TheChapter explains how a multiple-week video making course was created to explore urban identity construction practices during audio-visual social mediacontent production, which was carried out in collaboration with a local philanthropic initiative. The Chapter provides an illustrated approach towards designing and conducting a study in which both the process of and created materials are taken into account when investigating identity construction. Additionally, it provides an illustration of how media literacy and empowerment, as two concepts that were considered as potentially process-related results, were approached by means of conceptualizing its subcomponents as building blocks easily applicable to the study. The procedure and analysis are discussed in detail, and followed by a reflection on the lessons learned, including insights on value of collaborating, the active design for positive impact, the importance of flexibility, and the complexity of the dual role of being a researcher and teacher in the context of this study.Chapter 6 reports on the results of the PAR study. Combining a thematic and interpretative approach in interpreting the data, a thematic illustration was created of the PAR study with 10 participants. Not only did the study look at the created materials, but also at brainstorm materials, group discussions, brief interviews, and observations. The results describe how the city was presented in process as well as in the created materials (a video introducing oneself and a video about life in the city). Various spatial environments, symbolic elements, and social network elements are discussed inside and outside the videos. The predominantly personal, positive tone of the videos stood out, whereas negative and comparative expressions in videos seemed mostly absent. The presentation of the city mainly happened as a part of self-presentation. While participants identified themselves as inhabitants of the city, discussions showed various ideas existed about what characterizes inhabitants. Participants also reported ideas and behaviors outside of the course regarding urban related content, which emphasized the importance of self-presentation in urban identity related content, as well as a gap between ideas for videos and the ultimately created materials. Finally, the Chapter also provides empirical examples of how the building blocks of media literacy and empowerment could be observed in the course, and how they (inter)related to each other and to the (stimulation of) urban identity. This emphasizes the potential for applicability of this type of conceptual building blocks in future participatory action research. The dissertation is concluded by Chapter 7, where findings of the various studies are combined to draw more general conclusions, discuss limitations and opportunities, and see implications for research and society. It discusses the importance of broadening our understanding of the role of the online realm in urban identity construction, the unique findings for adolescents growing up in a trans-spatial environment both in terms of consumption and production, the relevance of online urban identity for living in a super-diverse city, and the practical and impactful implications of identity research. A discussion of limitations and related recommendations for future research include the focus on Rotterdam as a case study, the complexities of identity development and age, the need for a focus on participation, and the most important strengths and limitations of our mixed-method and multi-method approach. Recommendations for societal actors include the advice to use knowledge about online urban identity to strengthen a sense of belonging, make local social media influencers aware of their potential function as local role models, and the need for media literacy education to support a healthy and safe way of expressing urban identity online.<br/

Subscribe to my city:Exploring Rotterdam adolescents’ urban identity construction through social media engagement

The city is the background of many people’s everyday lives. It is a space that contextualizes many of one’s experiences, memories, and ideas. Previous research has explored connections to place from a variety of perspectives (e.g., Proshansky, 1978; Relph, 1976; Tuan, 1977). The city has been found to play an important role in the everyday life, and through this, the construction of one’s identity – the urban identity (Lalli, 1992; Proshansky, 1978; Proshansky et al., 1983). This concept focuses on one’s experiences of and ideas about the city and its inhabitants. In recent decades, the city is something that is no longer only experienced offline but may also be experienced and negotiated online (e.g., Farman, 2015; Saker, 2017; Schwartz &amp; Halegoua, 2014; Wilken &amp; Humphreys, 2021; Yılmaz &amp; Kocabalkanlı, 2021). This is particularly relevant for the adolescent population, who, in this important developmental phase in which they find themselves (Erikson, 1968; Ferrer-Wreder &amp; Kroger, 2019; Marcia, 1993), are known to use the online space for identity construction (boyd, 2014; Granic et al., 2020). This process might be complicated by the superdiversity that nowadays characterizes various big cities (Vertovec, 2007). However, at the same time the city can be understood as a commonality of all kinds of different individuals in their everyday experience of place. As a space for identity construction and negotiation, social media therefore deserves our attention in light of urban identity construction, especially for adolescents who find themselves in the situation where they try to understand who they are and where they belong. Focusing on the super-diverse city of Rotterdam, this dissertation therefore aims to explore question how and to what extent Rotterdam adolescents’ social media use contribute to the creation and negotiation of their urban identity. To do so, the topic is addressed from a variety of angles and using several methods to create a broad understanding of the phenomenon.To be able to understand and contextualize the various aspects of online urban identity, one first needs to understand its various dimensions. In Chapter 2, this dissertation starts by outlining a conceptual model, the trans-spatial urban identity model, that builds on and adds to previous work on online urban identity. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing the layered hybridity and mutual influence of online and offline construction of urban identity. To provide a systematic way to understand urban identity, the model proposes several dimensions. It emphasizes the personal and social elements of urban identity, arguing that they are intertwined but both need to be actively considered. It also focuses on the difference between a user’s own expressions that they share and those that they consume from others. The Chapter also discusses a variety of unique affordances of the online environment that need to be considered in order to conduct research in this field. Finally, two cases are provided, focusing on consumption and production, that bring to light various relevant contexts and demonstrate the conceptual model’s value. The trans-spatial urban identity model provides a background to understand the focus points of the Chapters that follow.Chapter 3 sets out on a general exploration of urban identity and its presence in Rotterdam adolescents’ social media ecology by means of a survey among 324 young participants. It focuses on the relationship between various forms of social media engagement and urban identity. In this Chapter, particular attention is paid to differences between adolescents with or without a migration background in order to take into account the relevance of cultural diversity in the city, building on earlier research that emphasized the importance of a local identity to youngsters with a migrant background (e.g., Day &amp; Badou, 2019). Results show various correlations among and between social media use and urban identity, both its personal and social aspects. It was also found that (personal) urban identity was significantly higher among adolescents with a migrant background. Findings demonstrate the relevance of social media engagement in relation to urban identity, and implicate the importance of urban identity in the context of a culturally diverse city.In Chapter 4, this dissertation dives into the world of local influencers as everyday media idols for Rotterdam adolescents, and therefore focuses on what Rotterdam adolescents consume. Based on the local influencers reported in the survey study, this study explores the content of a number of these influencers in depth by means of a thematic analysis of their YouTube video content, and a network analysis of their affiliation network and related channel networks on the platform. Results show a plethora of ways in which the city appears in the content of these local influencers that could provide viewers with a recognizable framework for urban identity, including various local settings, fellow inhabitants, various cultural elements, its (super-) diversity, and references to one’s own presence in or identification with the city. The network structures further emphasized this affiliation with the city, through its various cultural themes, diversity, and local networks. The next two chapters move towards social media content production by means of a participatory action research study conducted with Rotterdam adolescents. In Chapter 5, the design of the study is explained in detail. TheChapter explains how a multiple-week video making course was created to explore urban identity construction practices during audio-visual social mediacontent production, which was carried out in collaboration with a local philanthropic initiative. The Chapter provides an illustrated approach towards designing and conducting a study in which both the process of and created materials are taken into account when investigating identity construction. Additionally, it provides an illustration of how media literacy and empowerment, as two concepts that were considered as potentially process-related results, were approached by means of conceptualizing its subcomponents as building blocks easily applicable to the study. The procedure and analysis are discussed in detail, and followed by a reflection on the lessons learned, including insights on value of collaborating, the active design for positive impact, the importance of flexibility, and the complexity of the dual role of being a researcher and teacher in the context of this study.Chapter 6 reports on the results of the PAR study. Combining a thematic and interpretative approach in interpreting the data, a thematic illustration was created of the PAR study with 10 participants. Not only did the study look at the created materials, but also at brainstorm materials, group discussions, brief interviews, and observations. The results describe how the city was presented in process as well as in the created materials (a video introducing oneself and a video about life in the city). Various spatial environments, symbolic elements, and social network elements are discussed inside and outside the videos. The predominantly personal, positive tone of the videos stood out, whereas negative and comparative expressions in videos seemed mostly absent. The presentation of the city mainly happened as a part of self-presentation. While participants identified themselves as inhabitants of the city, discussions showed various ideas existed about what characterizes inhabitants. Participants also reported ideas and behaviors outside of the course regarding urban related content, which emphasized the importance of self-presentation in urban identity related content, as well as a gap between ideas for videos and the ultimately created materials. Finally, the Chapter also provides empirical examples of how the building blocks of media literacy and empowerment could be observed in the course, and how they (inter)related to each other and to the (stimulation of) urban identity. This emphasizes the potential for applicability of this type of conceptual building blocks in future participatory action research. The dissertation is concluded by Chapter 7, where findings of the various studies are combined to draw more general conclusions, discuss limitations and opportunities, and see implications for research and society. It discusses the importance of broadening our understanding of the role of the online realm in urban identity construction, the unique findings for adolescents growing up in a trans-spatial environment both in terms of consumption and production, the relevance of online urban identity for living in a super-diverse city, and the practical and impactful implications of identity research. A discussion of limitations and related recommendations for future research include the focus on Rotterdam as a case study, the complexities of identity development and age, the need for a focus on participation, and the most important strengths and limitations of our mixed-method and multi-method approach. Recommendations for societal actors include the advice to use knowledge about online urban identity to strengthen a sense of belonging, make local social media influencers aware of their potential function as local role models, and the need for media literacy education to support a healthy and safe way of expressing urban identity online.<br/

Japanese media cultures in Japan and abroad: Transnational consumption of manga, anime, and media-mixes

Reprinted Special issue of ARTS (2018