Language Evolution and Human-Computer Interaction

Many of the issues that confront designers of interactive computer systems also appear in natural language evolution. Natural languages and human-computer interfaces share as their primary mission the support of extended ''dialogues'' between responsive entities. Because in each case one participant is a human being, some of the pressures operating on natural languages, causing them to evolve in order to better support such dialogue, also operate on human-computer ''languages'' or interfaces. This does not necessarily push interfaces in the direction of natural language - since one entity in this dialogue is not a human, this is not to be expected. Nonetheless, by discerning where the pressures that guide natural language evolution also appear in human-computer interaction, we can contribute to the design of computer systems and obtain a new perspective on natural languages

A hermeneutic inquiry into user-created personas in different Namibian locales

Persona is a tool broadly used in technology design to support communicational interactions between designers and users. Different Persona types and methods have evolved mostly in the Global North, and been partially deployed in the Global South every so often in its original User-Centred Design methodology. We postulate persona conceptualizations are expected to differ across cultures. We demonstrate this with an exploratory-case study on user-created persona co-designed with four Namibian ethnic groups: ovaHerero, Ovambo, ovaHimba and Khoisan. We follow a hermeneutic inquiry approach to discern cultural nuances from diverse human conducts. Findings reveal diverse self-representations whereby for each ethnic group results emerge in unalike fashions, viewpoints, recounts and storylines. This paper ultimately argues User-Created Persona as a potentially valid approach for pursuing cross-cultural depictions of personas that communicate cultural features and user experiences paramount to designing acceptable and gratifying technologies in dissimilar locales

A Microhotplate for Gas Sensing and Vacuum Measurements

This thesis is devoted to the design, analysis and characterization of the thermal sensor based on Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor, (CMOS) compatible microhotplate (MHP). The MHP contains a split electric heater and temperature sensor, has a small area of 0.02mm2 and operates at low overheating temperature. These features of the sensing element which are not typical for traditional thermal sensors have been selected to compromise restrictions imposed by the CMOS fabrication process and materials available for the building of functional elements. The operating mode of the sensor, signal processing algorithms and the layout of the MHP were analyzed and adjusted such that to provide a stable and low noise operation even with potentially unstable poly-Si as the material used for the heater and temperature sensor. It was experimentally demonstrated that the proposed approach allows to detect extremely small variations of CO2 and O2 concentration in air. The sensor tested as a vacuum gauge demonstrated good sensitivity down to 1mTorr. The developed MHP due to its small size and true compatibility with CMOS fabrication process has good potential for volume production and can be used in applications where miniature and inexpensive sensors are needed. Freeze drying technology widely used in the pharmaceutic industry is suggested to be one of the possible applications for the developed sensor. It was demonstrated that the network of the developed thermal sensors can be used to monitor water sublimation during primary drying stage that may have an important practical value for the improvement of the quality and efficiency of the freeze drying process

A Critique of Personas as representations of "the other" in Cross-Cultural Technology Design

A literature review on cross-cultural personas reveals both, a trend in projects lacking accomplishment and personas reinforcing previous biases. We first suggest why failures or incompleteness may have ensued, while then we entice a thoughtful alteration of the design process by creating and validating personas together with those that they embody. Personas created in people's own terms support the design of technologies by truly satisfying users' needs and drives. Examining the experiences of those working "out there", and our practises, we conclude persona is a vital designerly artefact to empowering people in representing themselves. A persona-based study on User-Created Persona in Namibia contrasts the current persona status-quo via an ongoing co-design effort with urban and rural non-designers. However we argue persona as a design device must ease its implicit colonial tendency to and impulses in depicting "the other". Instead we endorse serenity, mindfulness and local enabling in design at large and in the African context in particular

A taxonomy of wiki genres in enterprise settings

ABSTRACT A growing body of work examines enterprise wikis. In this paper, we argue that "enterprise wiki" is a blanket term describing three different genres of wiki: single contributor wikis, group or team wikis, and internal-use encyclopedias emulating Wikipedia. Based on the results of a study of wiki usage in a multinational software company, we provide a taxonomy of enterprise wiki genres. We discuss emerging challenges specific to company-wide encyclopedias for which platforms such as Wikipedia provide surprisingly little guidance. These challenges include platform and content management decisions, territoriality, establishment of contribution norms, dispute resolution, and employee turnover

The changing face of human-computer interaction in the age of ubiquitous computing

HCI is reinventing itself. No longer only about being user centered, it has set its sights on pastures new, embracing a much broader and far-reaching set of interests. From emotional, eco-friendly, embodied experiences to context, constructivism and culture, HCI research is changing apace: from what it looks at, the lenses it uses and what it has to offer. Part of this is as a reaction to what is happening in the world; ubiquitous technologies are proliferating and transforming how we live our lives. We are becoming more connected and more dependent on technology. The home, the crèche, outdoors, public places and even the human body are now being experimented with as potential places to embed computational devices, even to the extent of invading previously private and taboo aspects of our lives. In this paper, I examine the diversity of lifestyle and technological transformations in our midst and outline some 'difficult' questions these raise together with alternative directions for HCI research and practice

Towards reusable personas for everyday design

Personas are artificial character based representations of user goals, attitudes, motivations and abilities which enable designers to focus their design efforts on key, targeted users. The success of personas in design is due to their capacity to enable designers to empathize with users and understand user goals. Persona development is rooted in the rigorous collection and analysis of data specifically related to the design project being undertaken. New design projects thus require the development of new personas. Since redevelopment is not always achievable attention has turned towards reuse of personas and the underlying data. This paper reports on ongoing research into the development of reusable personas for use by non-expert, everyday designers. Such designers are regularly faced with small scale but diverse design challenges for which they cannot carry out user research and modelling. They can, however, make use of general, reusable personas developed independently of their current design project