Information and communication in a networked infosphere: a review of concepts and application in social branding

This paper aims at providing a contribution to the comprehensive review of the impact of information and communication, and their supporting technologies, in the current transformation of human life in the infosphere. The paper also offers an ex- ample of the power of new social approaches to the use of information and commu- nication technologies to foster new working models in organizations by presenting the main outcomes of a research project on social branding. A discussion about some trends of the future impact of new information and communication technologies in the infosphere is also included

Using multi-criteria analysis for smart city assessment

Urban centers have been under a new concept of city. Smart Cities are, in a nutshell, organized communities that feature high communication technology and conscious investments in sustainability, providing dynamic and safe environments. This paper presents a methodology to assess and rank Smart Cities based on a multi-criteria decision-making process. Methodologies that do not consider a pondered approach and filter for specific goals are commonly found in the literature, once there is a great number of criteria involved in these analyses. This work proposes filtering the criteria, considering each specific evaluation and its objectives. Our methodology is based on a multi-criteria analysis and uses AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) to support the process of weights definition and MACBAC (Multi-Attributive Border Approximation Area Comparison) in an application with compensatory characteristics. Through this study, it is possible to conduct the assessment of Smart Cities according to its multiple contexts, viz. its location, decision-makers and the objectives of the analysis. All in all, this research presents novelty related to the organization of the evaluation in accord to the expected resolution and a pondered approach with reduced number of criteria, making the analysis very straightforward.publicad

Information and Communication in a Networked Infosphere - a Review of Concepts and Application in Social Branding

Abstract:This paper aims at providing a contribution to the comprehensive review of the impact of information and communication, and their supporting technologies, in the current transformation of human life in the infosphere. The paper also offers an example of the power of new social approaches to the use of information and communication technologies to foster new working models in organizations by presenting the main outcomes of a research project on social branding. A discussion about some trends of the future impact of new information and communication technologies in the infosphere is also included.Resumen:Este artículo tiene como objetivo proporcionar una contribución a la revisión global del impacto de la información y la comunicación, y sus tecnologías de apoyo, en la actual transformación de la vida humana en la infosfera. El artículo también ofrece un ejemplo del poder de los nuevos enfoques sociales sobre el uso de las tecnologías de información y comunicación para fomentar nuevos modelos de trabajo en las organizaciones mediante la presentación de los principales resultados de un proyecto de investigación sobre desarrollo social de marca. Una discusión sobre algunas de las tendencias del futuro impacto de las nuevas tecnologías de la información y la comunicación en la infosfera también se incluye.

An elicitation study

Du, G., Degbelo, A., Kray, C., & Painho, M. (2018). Gestural interaction with 3D objects shown on public displays: An elicitation study. Interaction Design and Architecture(s), 2018(38), 184-202.Public displays have the potential to reach a broad group of stakeholders and stimulate learning, particularly when they are interactive. Therefore, we investigated how people interact with 3D objects shown on public displays in the context of an urban planning scenario. We report on an elicitation study, in which participants were asked to perform seven tasks in an urban planning scenario using spontaneously produced hand gestures (with their hands) and phone gestures (with a smartphone). Our contributions are as follows: (i) We identify two sets of user-defined gestures for how people interact with 3D objects shown on public displays; (ii) we assess their consistency and user acceptance; and (iii) we give insights into interface design for people interacting with 3D objects shown on public displays. These contributions can help interaction designers and developers create systems that facilitate public interaction with 3D objects shown on public displays (e.g. urban planning material).publishersversionpublishe

A experiência mediada por interfaces gestuais touchless em contexto turístico

Doutoramento em Informação e Comunicação em Plataformas DigitaisA evolução das Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação impeliu novos modelos e estímulos para o sector do turismo. Estas mudanças, combinadas com uma nova postura do turista, repercutindo as dinâmicas da Web 2.0 e manifestando os contornos de uma cultura de participação, abriram espaço para o surgimento de novos serviços turísticos, de possível acesso ubíquo e personalizado ao longo de todo o ciclo da experiência turística. Simultaneamente, o surgimento de novos paradigmas de Interação Humano- Computador, de que são exemplo as interfaces gestuais touchless, acarretam oportunidades e desafios, quer ao nível da usabilidade e User Experience (UX), quer de um ponto de vista específico, quando concebida a sua potencial integração na experiência turística, como mais um veículo de consumo, partilha e manipulação de informação turística. A presente investigação, temporalmente, acompanhou o lançamento e sucesso do sensor Kinect, que aproximou e diversificou a aplicação e desenvolvimento de interfaces touchless em diferentes contextos. No âmbito turístico, foi identificado que a possível aplicação deste paradigma ainda não tinha sido explorado de forma detalhada. Verificava-se também a necessidade de contribuir para a definição de standards e estratégias para a exploração da UX em relação às interfaces gestuais touchless. Decorrendo da conjuntura apresentada, o presente estudo pretendeu focar a possível aplicação, potencialidades e experiência de utilização de soluções interativas com suporte de interação gestual touchless em contexto turístico. O estudo empírico desenhado e implementado envolveu dois momentos principais: a execução de entrevistas a experts e a realização de uma avaliação em contexto controlado de um protótipo de uma solução interativa touchless, destinada ao contexto turístico. A avaliação referida, na qual participaram 51 indivíduos, implicou o desenvolvimento de instrumentos e de um protocolo de teste adequado aos objetivos e características diferenciadoras do estudo. Como resultados gerais, o primeiro momento permitiu identificar um conjunto de vantagens e desvantagens, potencialidades e especificidades das interfaces gestuais touchless, quando concebida a sua aplicação ao turismo. O segundo momento, contando com o envolvimento dos participantes, destacou as questões relacionadas com a usabilidade e UX das interfaces touchless, permitindo estabelecer um conjunto de guias, metodologia e estratégias, que podem ser aplicadas no desenvolvimento e avaliação de outras soluções que suportem o paradigma referido. Recolheram-se ainda opiniões ao nível do potencial uso das mesmas em contexto turístico, identificadas no contributo dos utilizadores/participantes da avaliação em contexto controlado.The evolution of communication and information technologies drove new approaches in the tourism industry. This stimulus, combined with the new tourist behaviour, aware of Web 2.0 dynamics and participative in the social web culture, have provided new opportunities for new tourism services, with ubiquitous and personalized access during the entire cycle of the touristic experience. Also, the emergence of new human-computer interaction paradigms - such as touchless gestural interfaces - lead to challenges and opportunities in what concerns usability and user experience (UX). Furthermore, when integrated in the touristic experience, those interfaces may enhance information sharing and manipulation, adding a new dimension to how we experience tourism. This research aroused with the launch of the Kinect sensor, which allowed the application and development of touchless interfaces in different contexts. In tourism, the application of this paradigm has not yet been fully discussed. It was also relevant to contribute to the definition of standards and strategies for researching and evaluating the UX with touchless interfaces. Thus, this study intended to focus on the possible application, potentialities and UX resulting from using interactive solutions with touchless gestural interaction in tourism. The empirical study had two main stages: first, the performance of interviews with experts and second, the execution of an evaluation in a controlled setting, using a prototype of an interactive gestural touchless interface. This evaluation, which was attended by 51 participants, implied the development of suitable tools and evaluation protocol. As a result, the first stage enabled the identification of a set of advantages, disadvantages, possibilities and features of this type of interactive solutions. The second stage focused on the issues related to usability and user experience of touchless gestural interfaces, to establish a set of guidelines, methodologies and approaches. It also collected opinions from users about the application of touchless gestural interfaces in tourism