Everyday appropriations of information technology: A study of creative uses of digital cameras

Abstract

Repurposive appropriation is a creative everyday act in which a user invents a novel use for information technology (IT) and adopts it. This study is the first to address its prevalence and predictability in the consumer IT context. In all, 2,379 respondents filled in an online questionnaire on creative uses of digital cameras, such as using them as scanners, periscopes, and storage media. The data reveal that such creative uses are adopted by about half of the users, on average, across different demographic backgrounds. Discovery of a creative use on one's own is slightly more common than is learning it from others. Most users discover the creative uses either completely on their own or wholly through learning from others. Our regression model explains 34% of the variance in adoption of invented uses, with technology cognizance orientation, gender, exploration orientation, use frequency, and use tenure as the strongest predictors. These findings have implications for both design and marketing.

When mobile is the norm: researching mobile information systems and mobility as post-adoption phenomena

“…In addition to the intended, designed uses of mobile devices, earlier research has also identified more improvised repurposive use, for example, using a mobile phone (with a camera) as a mirror, a periscope, a tool for note taking or an instruction device (Salovaara et al, 2011), none of which require an active phone subscription or access to mobile data connectivity. Mobile apps offer additional functionality that goes well beyond the original communicative purposes of the device, for instance, the flashlight app.…”

Price tags, maps, recipes

“…Salovaara et al surveyed the creative uses of conventional digital cameras [5]. Based on data from 2000 users, they report that half (48%) of the users employ, or are aware of, some ways of creative use in this domain.…”

“…as a mirror or scanner. In contrast to [5], which looked at the use of digital cameras in general, we concentrate on functional photos taken with a cameraphone. Our research differs from [5] in the following aspects.…”

“…In contrast to [5], which looked at the use of digital cameras in general, we concentrate on functional photos taken with a cameraphone. Our research differs from [5] in the following aspects. Salovaara (et al) investigate technology appropriation, but with digital cameras, not cameraphones, and thus do not consider the role the special characteristics of mobile phones (e.g.…”

“…ubiquity, connectivity, input capabilities, and availability of other applications) that play a role in current practice. Moreover, contrary to [5], our research method allows participants to verbalize their experiences, thus bringing into light more nuances and details. Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page.…”