Should I Call Now? Understanding What Context is Considered When Deciding Whether to Initiate Remote Communication via Mobile Devices
Abstract
Peripheral displays allow users to monitor an information source while focusing on a separate primary task. In this report, we present work investigating what form tangible peripheral displays of awareness information from instant messaging programs may take and the role these displays could have in existing communication practices by allowing the user to develop a sense of awareness and connectedness. We describe several prototypes of tangible, aesthetic displays of awareness information which were motivated by several user-centered and participatory design techniques, including an affective probe technique introduced in this report. Two of the prototypes were built and then deployed to nine users for five weeks to determine how well the user can obtain awareness information from the display and if extended use promotes a feeling of connectedness with the person mapped to the display. Analysis of quantitative and qualitative data from the deployment suggests that awareness information contributes to a feeling of connectedness by provoking the user to think about the person mapped to the display more often. It was also found that awareness information can serve as a cue for heavyweight communications but this is not a prerequisite for developing connectedness.
Exploring the Design Space of Awareness Displays for Mobile Devices
Abstract
Awareness display system research has moved beyond traditional workplace media spaces and has expanded to include systems installed in domestic environments and public cityscapes. Another research direction is towards developing awareness displays for mobile devices. Within this specific area, there has been little work in developing a design space for these displays, making it difficult to categorize, compare, or evaluate such systems. By surveying literature in HCI, cognitive science, psychology, and graphic design, we describe a design space of mobile awareness display systems and examine existing systems along these dimensions. This analysis shows a lack of variety in the types of context sensed and the types of layouts used to present information, as well as an absence of interaction between icons in the display. Motivated by this analysis, we suggest ways that designers of mobile awareness display systems can develop novel designs.