Tunneling Through Alternative Facts:The Qwand Problem Space Machine

The Post-Truth Age is characterized by an information multiverse where truths are multiple and simultaneously manifest. Post-truth appeals to emotions and personal beliefs, and is often based on alternative facts. Truth, instead, sits at the center of scientific endeavor, which is based on observable and measurable evidence. Design is less concerned with truth than science and it is at ease with deception, misdirection and magic as it is with facts. In other words, design tunnels through science and belief. This paper reports on the design of the Qwand, a Quantum Wand, that invokes the parallel exploration of all the possible truths of a given problem space

Embedding a Crowd inside a Relay Baton:A Case Study in a Non-Competitive Sporting Activity

This paper presents a digital relay baton that connects long-distance runners with distributed online spectators. Such baton broadcasts athletes’ live locative data to a social network and communicates back remote-crowd support through haptic and audible cheers. Our work takes an exploratory design approach to bring new insights into the design of real-time techno-mediated social support. The prototype was deployed during a 170-mile charity relay race across the UK with 13 participants, 261 on-line supporters, and collected a total of 3153 ‘cheers’. We report on the insights collected during the design and deployment process and identify three fundamental design considerations: the degree of expressiveness afforded by the system design, the context applicability, and the data flow within the social networ

Embedding a Crowd inside a Relay Baton:A Case Study in a Non-Competitive Sporting Activity

This paper presents a digital relay baton that connects long-distance runners with distributed online spectators. Such baton broadcasts athletes’ live locative data to a social network and communicates back remote-crowd support through haptic and audible cheers. Our work takes an exploratory design approach to bring new insights into the design of real-time techno-mediated social support. The prototype was deployed during a 170-mile charity relay race across the UK with 13 participants, 261 on-line supporters, and collected a total of 3153 ‘cheers’. We report on the insights collected during the design and deployment process and identify three fundamental design considerations: the degree of expressiveness afforded by the system design, the context applicability, and the data flow within the social networ

Software Development and CSCW:Standardization and Flexibility in Large-Scale Agile Development

Identifying which agile methods and processes are most effective depends on the goals and aims of an organisation. Agile development promotes an environment of continuous improvement and trust within self-organising teams. Therefore, it is important to allow teams to have the flexibility to customize and tailor their chosen methods. However, in a large-scale agile deployment, there needs to be a degree of process standardization across the organisation; otherwise, different teams will not be able to effectively share knowledge and best practices. This paper addresses this classic CSCW issue of the tensions that arise between process standardization and flexibility in a large-scale agile deployment at the BBC

Biometric data sharing in the wild:investigating the effects on online sports spectators

There has been a market surge in both provision of and demand for fitness applications and sport wearables. These werables often come equipped with highly sophisticated biometric data (e.g. heart rate) functionalities that make the capture and sharing of such biometric data increasingly common practice. A few research studies have considered the effect that sharing biometric data has on those individuals sharing this data. However, little is known regarding the social impact of sharing this data in real-time and online. In this study, we investigate whether there is value in sharing heart rate data within social applications and whether sharing this data influences the behavior of those seeing this data. We do so by conducting a study where the heart rate data of runners competing in a 5-km road race is shared in real-time with 140 online spectators. We collect rich quantitative data of user interaction though server logs, and a qualitative data set through interviews and online users' comments. We then compare and contrast the behavior of online spectators who are presented with heart rate data together with contextual data, and those who are only presented with contextual data, for example, location. We also examine whether this difference is dependent on the social relation between the athletes and the spectators. Results indicate that spectators who are presented with the runners' heart rate data support the athletes more and rate the presented system more positively. These effects are dependent on the social tie between the athletes and spectators. This is one of the first studies to carry out an empirical investigation in the wild on the effects of sharing heart rate data in an online social context. In this light, in addition to supporting earlier literature, the outcomes present new insights and research directions within the sporting context

Biometric data sharing in the wild:investigating the effects on online sports spectators

There has been a market surge in both provision of and demand for fitness applications and sport wearables. These werables often come equipped with highly sophisticated biometric data (e.g. heart rate) functionalities that make the capture and sharing of such biometric data increasingly common practice. A few research studies have considered the effect that sharing biometric data has on those individuals sharing this data. However, little is known regarding the social impact of sharing this data in real-time and online. In this study, we investigate whether there is value in sharing heart rate data within social applications and whether sharing this data influences the behavior of those seeing this data. We do so by conducting a study where the heart rate data of runners competing in a 5-km road race is shared in real-time with 140 online spectators. We collect rich quantitative data of user interaction though server logs, and a qualitative data set through interviews and online users' comments. We then compare and contrast the behavior of online spectators who are presented with heart rate data together with contextual data, and those who are only presented with contextual data, for example, location. We also examine whether this difference is dependent on the social relation between the athletes and the spectators. Results indicate that spectators who are presented with the runners' heart rate data support the athletes more and rate the presented system more positively. These effects are dependent on the social tie between the athletes and spectators. This is one of the first studies to carry out an empirical investigation in the wild on the effects of sharing heart rate data in an online social context. In this light, in addition to supporting earlier literature, the outcomes present new insights and research directions within the sporting context

Towards a Systematic Study of Values in SE:Tools for Industry and Education

This paper reports on the development of ongoing research into the systematic study of human values in software engineering (SE). Firstly, we outline the rationale for this work, highlighting the significance of human values in SE and the need for both a more structured approach to their study and tools to support their articulation in the SE domain. We then explain our theoretical framework, which draws on social psychology research on values. Secondly, we introduce tools designed in line with this framework and the context of their use so far. Our tools adopt a variety of research methods, including structured mixed-method techniques, such as the ‘Values Q-Sort’ (V-QS), and more open design-based methods, such as the ‘Values Probes’. Given the multi-faceted nature of the topic, we argue that a combination of qualitative, quantitative and design thinking techniques is a necessary step for the study of human values in SE; and that these methods should be both a) robust and replicable, and b) creative and provocative. Finally, we highlight the potential applications of our tools in SE industry and education

Taking action in a changing world

In the last hours of CHI 2017, a group of researchers from universities and businesses across the northern hemisphere sat down together to consider “Taking Action in a Changing World”. The title of the special interest group (SIG) is significant; it speaks of having an impact, of the politics on which we wish to have an impact, and also the dynamism of the structures and systems around us. There is no special mention of technology. In other words, it is a departure from business-as-usual HCI

Advancing the Study of Human Values in Software Engineering

This paper makes the case for the study of human values in Software Engineering (SE) as a highly important emerging area of research with significant societal implications. We offer two key principles in order to advance this research agenda: firstly, the significance of values as distinguished from, though connected to, ethics; and secondly, the need for clear theoretical frameworks for values study. We provide the emerging findings from an initial study (N=12 participants) using a Values Q-Sort tool that was designed in accordance with these two principles. We conclude with discussion around lessons learnt, ongoing challenges, and future directions

Values in computing

Whether it is in the form of software, system architecture or interface design, anything digital is inevitably affected by values: the organizational values of the project sponsor, the values of the research partners, and the values of each developer and designer. Some values (e.g. commercial success, academic prestige) are easier to quantify than others (e.g. social justice, care for the environment) with the latter often dismissed in decision making processes as lacking of measurable ‘evidence’. However, less easy to measure values are not less real: they are simply less visible. The aim of this one-day workshop is precisely to investigate mechanisms which give more exposure to those values in computing that are less frequently considered. We do so by bringing together practitioners from different computing backgrounds (e.g. software engineering, interaction design, information systems) who have first-hand experience of trying to represent on an equal footing all human values in computing