Contextualizing mobile IT

Abstract

Information and communication technologies are moving into the era of ubiquitous computing, with increased density of technology and increased mobility and continuity in use. From a design perspective, addressing the accommodation and coordination of multiple devices and services in situated use across different contexts is becoming increasingly important. In the COMIT project, ethnographic fieldwork has been combined with participatory design engaging users, designers and researchers in order to explore mobile IT use as well as the design of mobile IT concepts. Four seclected scenarios from the project are presented and discussed regarding implications for the design of mobile IT devices, with particular focus on (1) coping with multiple social contexts, and (2) the configuration and connectivity of mobile devices.

Facilitating collaboration through design games

“…Informance [5] or body storming is another technique where informal improvisations are used to act out and explore design alternatives in a setting that is constructed to capture the essence of the real use context. Inspired by Forum Theatre we have worked with similar approaches to stage use contexts and explore design alternatives by performing improvised scenarios [1,2,17,18].…”

“…The main objective was to develop future use scenarios and associated IT concepts in collaboration between potential users, industrial partners and researchers, which reflect design issues and use qualities related to contextualization and connectivity. A second objective was to further develop knowledge about how future scenarios with real users can be utilized in the design process [18]. The COMIT project involved four industrial partners (tele-communications, mobile services and terminals, digital pen technology, handwriting recognition software) plus three potential users.…”

Mobile Device Interaction in Ubiquitous Computing

“…Third, the condition the user is in can be taken in account. His emotional state may be interesting for certain applications, notifications or distractions should be kept to a minimum, according to the user's state (Pascoe et al, 1999;Want et al, 1999;Pascoe et al 2000;Schmidt, 2002;Messeter et al 2004;Ho & Intille, 2005). With mobile devices, another most notable point is added to this diversion.…”

“…With mobile devices, another most notable point is added to this diversion. As Messeter et al point out, mobile devices enables the user to detach from his context as they allow for applications to become mobile and reachable whenever and wherever desired (Messeter et al 2004). The user therefore takes a virtual context with him, carried by the smart device rather than interacting with the context at hand.…”

Collaborative sketching—co-authoring future scenarios with bits and pieces of ethnography

“…Such 'managing' activities became one of the qualities introduced into the future scenarios we co-authored. As the scenarios emerged more than one of the suggested concept ideas could be a part of the same scenario without taking over the activity (this is discussed in greater detail in Messeter et al 2005).…”