Understanding materials

This paper describes my experience in teaching/researching HCI and Design. Additionally, it presents my beliefs as well as my concerns about teaching HCI. Specifically, I raise attention to the importance of understanding materials while designing

Target and Spacing Sizes for Smartphone User Interfaces for Older Adults: Design Patterns Based on an Evaluation with Users

The use of smartphones is becoming widespread among all sectors of the population. However, developers and designers do not have access to guidance in designing for specific audiences such as older adults. This study investigated optimal target sizes, and spacing sizes between targets, for smartphones user interfaces intended for older adults. Two independent variables were studied – target sizes and spacing between targets – for two common smartphone gestures – tap and swipe. Dependent variables were accuracy rates, task completion times, and participants’ subjective preferences. 40 older adults recruited from several daycare centers participated in both tasks and a post-session questionnaire. The recommendations drawn from the authors’ research support two interaction design patterns relative to touch target sizes for older adults, and are presented in this paper

Analysis, Design and Evaluation of an Interactive System to Support Dementia Patients and Integrate Carers

mobileWAY is an application for both tablets and smartphones which enables carers of dementia affected persons to remotely display dynamic, customized and illustrated information directly on the television of the dementia patient. In particular, mobileWAY enables caregivers to provide information about their identity, their whereabouts and the time remaining until they return to the home of the patient and thus supports dementia patients at home in situations of temporary lonesomeness and absence through information

Target and Spacing Sizes for Smartphone User Interfaces for Older Adults: Design Patterns Based on an Evaluation with Users

The use of smartphones is becoming widespread among all sectors of the population. However, developers and designers do not have access to guidance in designing for specific audiences such as older adults. This study investigated optimal target sizes, and spacing sizes between targets, for smartphones user interfaces intended for older adults. Two independent variables were studied – target sizes and spacing between targets – for two common smartphone gestures – tap and swipe. Dependent variables were accuracy rates, task completion times, and participants’ subjective preferences. 40 older adults recruited from several daycare centers participated in both tasks and a post-session questionnaire. The recommendations drawn from the authors’ research support two interaction design patterns relative to touch target sizes for older adults, and are presented in this paper

Creativity in Ubiquitous Computing Research

This paper is concerned with the process of creating and designing research prototypes for augmented objects and applications in ubiquitous computing. We present a range of descriptions and reflections from personal experience in building prototypes for ubiquitous computing research, while students were introduced and guided in this process. This is linked to a rationale of the process as well as the way it affects built-in experience and knowledge and its needs to transform teaching and learning in these domains

Análise das tendências profissionais dos fisioterapeutas portugueses com base nas suas dinâmicas de ação - seus problemas e perspetivas

O presente artigo, baseado numa investigação em curso cujo tema de estudo são as dinâmicas de ação dos fisioterapeutas Portugueses na recontextualização das suas práticas profissionais, incide sobre a análise da profissão, dos seus problemas e tendências, numa tentativa de perspetivar os futuros possíveis, podendo estes serem produzidos e modificados pelas ações dos atores sociais, sejam estes individuais ou coletivos, sendo o envolvimento dos atores fundamental no processo de mudança e na construção do futuro desejado. Assim esta comunicação, tomando como pano de fundo a abordagem sociológica das lógicas de ação do grupo profissional em causa, do seu passado ao presente, e com o objetivo de desocultar as caraterísticas da construção da profissão e as suas tendências de desenvolvimento, procura mostrar como a prospetiva enquanto ferramenta metodológica pode contribuir para a análise do objeto de estudo proposto. Considerando o atual estádio de desenvolvimento da investigação, e o número reduzido de resultados obtidos nesta fase apenas é dado a conhecer: a) uma síntese da matriz teórica adotada e que privilegia as ancoragens conceptuais da sociologia das profissões e do trabalho; b) as linhas de orientação metodológica fundadas numa abordagem qualitativa da unidade de análise para desocultar indutivamente as preferências do diagnóstico sociológico dos fatores que influenciaram, influenciam e poderão influenciar as “regras do jogo” desta profissão da área da saúde; c) o desenho das dimensões que sustentaram a construção do principal instrumento de recolha de dados (guião de entrevista), que nos permitem conhecer profundamente as variáveis-chave do sistema de ação coletiva, e através da aplicação da prospetiva compreender as relações e tendências futuras.Este livro teve apoio do CICS.NOVA – Centro Interdisciplinar de Ciências Sociais da Universidade Nova de Lisboa, no âmbito do projeto UID/SOC/04647/2013, apoiado pela FCT/MCTES através de Fundos Nacionais

Dance! Don’t Fall – Preventing Falls and Promoting Exercise at Home

Falling is a serious danger to older adults that is usually only addressed after a person has fallen, when doctors administer clinical tests to determine the patient´s risk of falling again. Having the technological capability of performing fall risk assessment tests with a smartphone, the authors set out to design a mobile application that would enable users to monitor their risk themselves and consequently prevent falls from occurring. The authors conducted a literature review and two observation sessions before beginning the iterative design process that resulted in the Dance! Don’t Fall (DDF) game, a mobile application that enables users to both monitor their fall risk and actively reduce it through fun and easy exercise

Portuguese Experience With IFRS Adoption As Perceived By Auditors

Purpose: Drawing on the experience of adoption of a model based on the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by Portuguese non-financial unlisted companies in 2010, called Sistema de Normalização Contabilística (SNC), this paper explores auditors’ perceptions regarding dimensions of relevance and suitability of the new accounting model to the Portuguese setting, major problems encountered, and the main engendered benefits. Methodology: An interpretative approach based on qualitative research methods was adopted, in which sixteen interviews with statutory auditors were conducted from a vantage point in 2017, seven years after the formal implementation of the IFRS-based model. Findings: Evidence suggests enduring problems but mostly a significant level of legitimation and institutionalization of the IFRS-based model: (i) the perceived motivations for SNC adoption are a good fit with the theoretically acknowledged motivations underlying accounting convergence; (ii) the principle-based standards and the fair value were largely perceived favorably; and (iii) the IFRS-based model brought about a number of benefits as expected ex ante. Implications: Findings shed light on the potential of the IFRS model to conform to countries whose accounting systems are remarkably disparate – as it was in Portugal – and offer an agenda for regulators and local and international policymakers. Originality and value: This study contributes to the accounting literature on IFRS adoption by providing empirical evidence from a European country that posited an a priori adverse context.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio