Finding the other 5%: Understanding the role of social networking technologies in building personal networks for young adults with cancer

In this paper we explore the ways in which young adults with cancer (aged 17-24) build support networks through computer mediated personal networks. The support networks are influenced by technological affordances and the ongoing experiences of living with the illness and treatment regimes. We report a single, in-depth case study of one young adult with cancer and her use of mobile telephony and web based social networking sites in building support networks. Three important themes emerge from this case. First, in this context computer mediated communications (CMC) are not exclusive to the maintenance of online relationships, but mediate networks of "core", "significant, " and new ties (primarily online) over time. Second, the social engagement between the subject and members of their social networks is dynamic with different modes of communication predominant at different points in time and different relationships significant at different points in time depending on state of illness, treatment and context. Finally, the interplay between CMC and different ties influence the characteristics of the networks, which is characterized by bridging and segmenting networks

'Time' and the design of familial social connectivity systems

We introduce a multi-location interactive touch screen based system (Collage), which enables the sharing of digital images and textual content between distributed intergenerational familial homes. We further explore the significance and importance of 'time' for designing technologies, which aim to support social connectivity between families. The collage system was utilized by three independent families, named A, B and C (Figure 1). Each family had at least two homes, typically one for the Grandparent's (GP) and one for the nuclear family. Family C had three different homes for the same extended family. The system ran for between 6 to 10 weeks in each of the three settings. The study encompassed in-depth interview data, supported by videotaped observation, and analysis of system audit logs, which reveals participants' experience of the system. In this paper we highlight the temporal structures embedded in the users everyday activities with Collage and the temporal affordances of the system itself. We maintain that these temporal factors provided family members with a resource for sharing, receiving, and managing their social interactions through Collage. We conclude by articulating design implications for intergenerational social connectivity systems with an emphasis on temporality as a design resource for mobile and networked image displays

Towards social connection for young people with cancer

People with cancer have to contend with a variety of physical, emotional and social difficulties. Young people with cancer are often faced with the additional burden of isolation from their peers and social network. This paper outlines early results from a collaborative project seeking to use emerging technologies to develop and evaluate a peer-based social support system to support social connectivity amongst young people with cancer. We introduce an integrated service named MyTrac, which combines online social network applications and mobile broadband telephony. Seven young people (18-25yo) participated in the three month study. The study encompassed in-depth interview data, questionnaire data and an analysis of system audit logs, which documents participants' use and experience of the system. In this paper we highlight specific communications mediated by MyTrac, showing how they are a reflection of both the individual personalities of participants and a reflection of their cancer journey. We illustrate how these individual identities construct a collaborative identity for MyTrac, one which both encompasses and excludes particular types of interaction. We conclude by articulating some design considerations for social connectivity systems which seek to support young people with cancer