Introducing VERO: Visual experiential requirements organizer

Crucial to the advancement of the User Experience field is the ability to understand product qualities as perceived by users. Therefore we would like to introduce VERO (Visual Experiential Requirements Organizer), an online tool for the structured elicitation of users' perceptions of a given stimulus such as a product, a system or a concept. Contrary to the existing elicitation methods, VERO aims to enable users to freely express opinions about qualities relevant for a given stimulus; to indicate the importance of each quality without imposing a hierarchical order and to cluster related qualities according to users' own perception regarding the strength of the link between them. In this paper we also motivate our approach in developing VERO and sketch our research agenda regarding its validation and application in the field of User Experience

'I Know That You Know' -Ascertaining Mutual Awareness of Recipient's Availability Status in Instant Messaging Applications

Abstract. This study investigated ways to attain mutual, reciprocal awareness of recipient's availability status in Instant Messaging (IM) applications. For that purpose we designed, implemented and tested a prototype of an IM system named Do NT Bother. The analysis of the quantitative and qualitative results showed that displaying status indication in the chat box encouraged participants to show more respect towards the communicative state of their colleagues comparing to situations, in which the status indication was presented only in the 'buddy list' view. These findings empirically confirm the importance of reciprocal awareness as defined by Erickson and Kellogg [12] who argued that, to stimulate social behaviours, systems need to maintain the mutual knowledge of who knows what of the information that is shared among users. The study also showed that mutual awareness needs to be maintained not only during communication initiation but also throughout the entire communication duration. To achieve that Instant Messaging systems need to: (i) support indicating the time frame for answering messages in situations when the recipient is not instantaneously able to engage in a conversation, (ii) support specifying the urgency of a message and also (iii) support indicating communication breakdowns especially if they are caused by a reason occurring outside the application domain

Factors Defining Faceto-Face Interruptions in the Office Environment

This paper presents an on-going investigation on interruptions in the office caused by face-to-face interactions between knowledge workers. The study aims to identify opportunities for interactive solutions that will support both, the interrupters and the interrupted. The study involves contextual interviews and observations of how administrative assistants manage interruptions

I know that you know - ascertaining mutual awareness of recipient's availability status in instant messaging applications

This study investigated ways to attain mutual, reciprocal awareness of recipient’s availability status in Instant Messaging (IM) applications. For that purpose we designed, implemented and tested a prototype of an IM system named DoNTBother. The analysis of the quantitative and qualitative results showed that displaying status indication in the chat box encouraged participants to show more respect towards the communicative state of their colleagues comparing to situations, in which the status indication was presented only in the ‘buddy list’ view. These findings empirically confirm the importance of reciprocal awareness as defined by Erickson and Kellogg [12] who argued that, to stimulate social behaviours, systems need to maintain the mutual knowledge of who knows what of the information that is shared among users. The study also showed that mutual awareness needs to be maintained not only during communication initiation but also throughout the entire communication duration. To achieve that Instant Messaging systems need to: (i) support indicating the time frame for answering messages in situations when the recipient is not instantaneously able to engage in a conversation, (ii) support specifying the urgency of a message and also (iii) support indicating communication breakdowns especially if they are caused by a reason occurring outside the application domain

An initial model for designing socially translucent systems for behavior change

Applications aiming at behavior change are gaining momentum within HCI. Much of that work has been built upon the idea of psychological empowerment. We report on a qualitative study that aimed at inquiring at an alternative path to behavior change through strengthening individuals' feelings of personal accountability. Two behavior-change-related scenarios were construed to evaluate how people perceive socially translucent systems aiding the process of behavior adaptation. We found that motivation to change is shaped by the access to information concerning one's behavior, by the type of provided feedback and the strength of the social ties accessing that information. Based on these results we propose an initial model defining possible approaches that can be considered when designing socially translucent systems supporting behavior change

Smart signs

This paper presents a context-aware guidance and messaging system for large buildings and surrounding venues. Smart Signs are a new type of electronic door-and way-sign based on wireless networks. Smart Signs present in-situ personalized guidance and messages, are ubiquitous, and easy to understand. They combine the easiness of use of traditional static signs with the flexibility and reactiveness of navigation systems. The Smart Signs system uses context such as user's mobility limitations, the weather, and possible emergency situations to improve guidance and messaging. The working version of the system has been deployed and tested on the premises of the University of Twente. The first evaluation of the Smart Signs system has been based upon a scenario, in which a visitor arrives at an unfamiliar indoor space. It has shown that when using Smart Signs people tended to find their destination in an unfamiliar environment faster and with fewer errors. Furthermore, the participants expressed a high degree of satisfaction when using Smart Signs applauding the personalization of the signs as well as their efficiency in an effective ex-pression of easily understood navigational aids

Perspective on Stem Cell Therapy in Organ Fibrosis: Animal Models and Human Studies

Tissue fibrosis is characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components that result from the disruption of regulatory processes responsible for ECM synthesis, deposition, and remodeling. Fibrosis develops in response to a trigger or injury and can occur in nearly all organs of the body. Thus, fibrosis leads to severe pathological conditions that disrupt organ architecture and cause loss of function. It has been estimated that severe fibrotic disorders are responsible for up to one-third of deaths worldwide. Although intensive research on the development of new strategies for fibrosis treatment has been carried out, therapeutic approaches remain limited. Since stem cells, especially mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), show remarkable self-renewal, differentiation, and immunomodulatory capacity, they have been intensively tested in preclinical studies and clinical trials as a potential tool to slow down the progression of fibrosis and improve the quality of life of patients with fibrotic disorders. In this review, we summarize in vitro studies, preclinical studies performed on animal models of human fibrotic diseases, and recent clinical trials on the efficacy of allogeneic and autologous stem cell applications in severe types of fibrosis that develop in lungs, liver, heart, kidney, uterus, and skin. Although the results of the studies seem to be encouraging, there are many aspects of cell-based therapy, including the cell source, dose, administration route and frequency, timing of delivery, and long-term safety, that remain open areas for future investigation. We also discuss the contemporary status, challenges, and future perspectives of stem cell transplantation for therapeutic options in fibrotic diseases as well as we present recent patents for stem cell-based therapies in organ fibrosis

Understanding families' motivations for sustainable behaviors

While interest in eco-feedback technologies has peaked over the last decade, research increasingly highlights that simply providing information to individuals regarding their consumption behaviors does not guarantee behavior change. This has lead to an increasing body of work that attempts to characterize individuals' latent motivations that drive sustainable behaviors. With this paper we aim at expanding this body of work by analyzing such motivations in the context of families. We report findings from interviews with 15 families who used an eco-feedback interface over a period of 2 years. Our study reveals that motivations for sustainable behavior were not only rooted in individuals' environmental concerns and need for expense management but they also regarded: (i) individuals' and families' need for a sense of control and security, (ii) parents' self-perceived responsibility of their role as parents and (iii) the perception of individual as well as family identity. We argue that in order for eco-feedback technologies to attain long-lasting behavioral changes in the domestic environment they need to address basic family needs that go beyond individual ideals of pro-environmental behavior.© 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved