Department of Human Work Science, Media Technology and Humanities/Blekinge Institute of Technology
Abstract
Today we have computers in all kind of work places, and it is a fairly common
artefact in many homes. What becomes an interesting topic when computers end up
in everyday occasions and used by people who are not necessarily computer
experts is how the user interface should be designed to be rendered practically
useful. This thesis explores part of this problem by looking into the details
of how we use technology and artifacts in our everyday activities and utilizes
the insights for developing design concepts. Of particular interest is concept
development for user interfaces that goes beyond the traditional desktop
computer setup with a screen, keyboard and mouse as tools for interaction. The
work relies on an ethnographic approach to get an understanding of
moment-by-moment use of technology. Fields like Ubiquitous Computing and
Computer Supported Cooperative Work are great sources for inspiration when it
comes both to theoretical insights and visions about future use of computers