Examining the effects of experimental/academic electroacoustic and popular electronic musics on the evolution and development of human–computer interaction in music

This article focuses on how the development of human–computer interaction in music has been aided and influenced by both experimental/academic electroacoustic art music and popular electronic music. These two genres have impacted upon this ever-changing process of evolution in different ways, but have together been paramount to the establishment of interactivity in music as we understand it today; which is itself having wide-ranging implications upon the modern-day musical landscape as a whole—both in the way that we, as listeners and audience members, purchase and consume music as well as conceptualise and think about it

User interface design guidelines for digital television virtual remote controls

The remote control is a pivotal component in households worldwide. It helps users enjoy leisurely television (TV) viewing. The remote control has various user interfaces that people interact with. For example, the physical user interface includes the shape of the remote and the physical buttons; the logical user interface refers to how the information is laid out; and the graphical user interface refers to the colours and aesthetic features of the remote control. All of the user interfaces together with the context of use, cultural factors, social factors, and prior experiences of the user influences the ways people interact with their remote control and ultimately has an effect on their user experiences. Advances in the broadcasting sector and transformations of the TV physical remote control have compounded the simple remote control into a multifaceted, indispensable device, overcrowded with buttons. The usability and ultimately the user experience of physical remote controls (PRCs) have been affected by the overloaded functionality and small button sizes. The usability issues with current PRCs, the evolution of mobile phones into touchscreen smartphones, and the trend of global companies moving towards virtual remote controls (VRCs) have prompted this research to discover what user interface design features will contribute towards an enhanced user experience for digital TV VRCs. This research used the design science research process model (DSRP), which comprised six steps, to investigate this topic area further. A review of the domain literature pertaining to mobile user experiences (MUX) and all the encompassing factors, mobile human computer interaction (MHCI) and the physical, logical, graphical and natural user interfaces was completed, as well as a review of the literature regarding the usability issues of PRCs and VRCs. A contextual task analysis (CTA) of a single South African digital TV PRC was used to identify how users utilise PRCs to perform tasks, and the usability issues they encountered during the tasks. Brainstorming focus groups were used to understand how to represent certain user interface elements and attempted to source ideas from users about what potential functionality digital TV VRCs should contain. Together with all the other results gathered from the previous chapters amalgamated into a set of user interface design guidelines for digital TV VRCs. The proposed user interface guidelines were used to instantiate a digital TV VRC prototype that underwent usability testing in order to validate the proposed user interface design guidelines. The results of the usability testing revealed that the user interface design guidelines for digital TV VRCs were successful, with the addition of one guideline that was discovered during the usability testing

Understanding reasons behind mobile service platform switching behavior: An inductive analysis from consumer perspective

Why do people switch their mobile phones? What factors make them to stick with their current phones? This thesis' objective is to find out the influences behind consumer mobile phone switching behavior. Academic literature has examined mobile phone switching surprisingly little since the focus has been on mobile phone related adoption research. This thesis aims to fill that gap of lacking mobile phone switching behavior research. An inductive approach is applied on a qualitative data set that was collected from 249 university students from three different continents to determine the consumer expressed reasons to switch and not to switch mobile phones. The results are organized based on consumer responses and examined in the light of PPM framework as well as mirrored to the established adoption literature such as the technology acceptance model and diffusion of innovations framework. The findings suggest that mobile phones of any sort are increasingly switched to smartphones. The main reasons pushing people to switch mobile phones were identified as rational reasons such as dissatisfaction with reliability and advanced functionalities of the device being switched from along with external forced influences. The main reasons pulling towards attractive alternatives were identified as personal desires, advanced functionalities and subjectively perceived factors again along with external social influences. Additionally, brand influence and price value perceptions were pinpointed as pulling clearly towards smartphone adoption. The main elements preventing individuals from wanting to switch their mobile phones were determined as attachment to familiar advanced functionalities and subjectively perceived factors. In a general level, the pull effect is the strongest force leading to switching and the principal causes for this pull effect stem from associations to functional elements of the mobile phones

Exploring the influence of early screen use in the home on psychological development from an ecological perspective

The present research focuses on the influence that early screen use in the home has on young children’s psychological development. While a large body of research has been conducted on the influence that screens have on physical health factors, there is a paucity of literature focusing on early psychological development. Furthermore, the little research that has been conducted in this area has not considered early screen use from a fully ecological perspective. To explore this topic, the current research draws on Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model while using a nationally representative birth cohort study, as well as primary data, to assess the unique contribution early screen use has on developmental outcomes. The empirical studies in this thesis suggest that screen use had varying influences on children’s cognitive and socio-emotional development. However, the effect sizes were small in comparison to those seen for environmental factors, such as household income or parent-child relationships. Longitudinal analyses also indicated reverse-causal effects, which suggests screen time to not be the initial causing factor for the children’s later developmental outcomes. Further ecological factors, such as parental screen beliefs and engagement during screen time were also found to be associated with the prevalence and type of early screen use, highlighting the importance of controlling for such factors in the analyses. These findings highlight the screen use factors, and the ecological factors related to this, that are important to measure in future research to provide a more nuanced understanding of screen time’s unique role in early development. The findings are discussed within the context of the bioecological model and provide evidence-based guidelines for caregivers, educators, practitioners, and policymakers, on best early screen use practices. The findings also add to the debate on what influence, if any, early screen use has on the young developing child – an area that has been under-researched to date.N

Writing for mobile media: The influences of text, digital design and psychological characteristics on the cognitive load of the mobile user

Text elements on the mobile smartphone interface make a significant contribution to the user’s interaction experience. In combination with other visual design features, these words curate the path of the mobile user on a journey through the information to satisfy a specific task. This study analyses the elements that influence the interpretation process and optimum presentation of information on mobile media. I argue that effective digital writing contributes to reducing the cognitive load experienced by the mobile user. The central discussion focuses on the writing of text for this medium, which I suggest forges an entirely unique narrative. The optimum writing approach is based on the multi-dimensional characteristics of hypertext, which allow the writer to facilitate the journey without the user losing control of the interpretation process. This study examines the relationship between the writer, the reader and the text, with a unique perspective on the mobile media writer, who is tasked with achieving balance between the functionality and humanity of digital interaction. To explore influences on the development of the relevant writing techniques, I present insights into the distinctive characteristics of the mobile smartphone device, with specific focus on the screen and keyboard. I also discuss the unique characteristics of the mobile user and show how the visual design of the interface is integral to the writing of text for this medium. Furthermore, this study explores the role, skills, and processes of the current and future digital writer, within the backdrop of incessant technological advancement and revolutionary changes in human-computer behaviour

Designing a user interface for serious games: Observing differences in user response between gamers and non-gamers within the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service

As entertainment games become an established part of our media, public and private sector companies will look to utilise the benefits of games to train, educate and assess their workforce in engaging ways. This may require a generation unfamiliar with games technology to use them for the first time. As designers we need to consider this, to make sure that the User Interfaces (UI) we create are usable and easily understood to those unfamiliar with the medium. This body of research is a study into the design and testing of a serious game for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS). Do players of video games develop an understanding of the convention, knowledge and skills over time, which could be seen as a distinct language? – A kind of ‘game literacy.’ If so, then a serious game, which may have a mixed skill group, cannot solely rely on the conventions that work in entertainment games. Therefore, can a recognised UI design process from another discipline be used to develop a serious games UI? To investigate this, Goal-Directed Design is used as a research methodology with a particular focus on the impact learning domain knowledge has on the designer’s ability to create a suitable product for the client. This includes the author undergoing introductory Incident Command training to see the benefits that had on the project. In response to learning the Fire Service’s domain, a prototype product was developed to help the creation and examination of Incident Commanders for the Fire Service. This was then tested on five Fire Officers, of varying ages, to observe how they used and interacted with software unfamiliar to them. This provided an insight into aspects of UIs gamers and non-gamers have problems with and also to see if there is a technological gap between generations. This research suggests there may be a technology generation gap but it is not as polarised as either ‘native’ or ‘immigrant’ but more gradual. Goal Directed Design appears to set out a suitable approach for serious games developers to conduct user research