Observing users in remote settings is unfavorable because it adds filters altering the information that underlie judgement. Still, the COVID pandemic led to an unprecedented popularity of remote user experience tests. In this work, we revisited the question, which information is most important for evaluators to assess users’ emotions successfully and efficiently. In an online study, we asked N=55 participants to assess users’ emotions from short videos of 30 interaction situations. As independent variable, we manipulated the combination of the information channels video of users, video of the interactive technology, and audio within subjects. Our findings indicate that empathic accuracy is highest and mental effort is lowest when all stimuli are present. Surprisingly, empathic accuracy was lowest and mental effort highest, when only video of users was available. We discuss these findings in the light of emotion literature focusing on persons’ facial expressions and derive practical implications for remote observations.

Acroyoga practitioners either follow predefined choreographies or play freely to create compositions of two bodies’ poses and transitions. To support their free play, we created the training technology probe Acrosuit. The Acrosuit gives visual or vibrotactile cues to propose a novel point of contact without instructions how to get there. We invited acroyogis to exploratively play with the suit and gained qualitative insights on whether and how they used the cues. The suit influenced their practice and in some cases also the way of communication between the partners. Experiencing the shifts in communication caused by the Acrosuit made acroyogis more conscious about their interaction without the technology.

One of the largest impediments to autonomous grocery shopping for blind people is navigation. In a still ongoing multi-year research process we followed a user centred approach to explore how visually impaired people can be supported in indoor navigational issues, whether vibrotactiles are the right channel for this, where the actuators should sit on the body, whether the hardware solution would be acceptable for people to use on a daily basis in public and how they feel about the system after three weeks of usage.

Air traffic control (ATC) is a safety-critical work domain that has a history of applying tangible elements in its workstations. In the past, development was mostly technology-driven, which resulted in usability challenges like handling multiple input and output devices. In this work, we followed a user-centred design approach with air traffic controllers (ATCOs). Starting from the users’ need for haptic feedback, we developed a novel tangible interaction concept for ATC. We iterated a set of tangibles – Fin, Whale, Coin, and Flatterer – based on formative evaluations with 24 ATCOs. From our qualitative results we extracted dimensions relevant to ATCOs‘ user experience including familiarity, efficiency and engagement. Our results can provide guidance and inspiration for the design of future ATC interfaces.

Abstract Air traffic control (ATC) is a safety-critical, cooperative work domain, which faces usability challenges due to technology driven development in the past. In this work, we followed a user-centered design process to explore how novel interaction concepts increase user experience in ATC. Based on controllers’ needs we envisioned one unified interface together with three possible interaction concepts (the mouse interface, flight-dial and tangible interface) addressing different aspects of ATC. We prototypically implemented the interaction concepts and iterated each prototype based on feedback from 24 controllers. Qualitative data from these iterative formative evaluations indicated that controllers prefer interfaces that are efficient to use, minimalistic, customizable and context sensitive. A summative evaluation (N = 12) showed that the hedonic quality of all three concepts were higher compared to the system currently in use. Our results and insights can provide guidance and inspiration for the future design of ATC interfaces.

Affinity diagramming is a crucial yet time-consuming part of user research in human-centered design. In short, building affinity diagrams involves the hierarchical bottom-up clustering of user statements and observations, which later allow to derive insights and inspire design ideas. To support designers in this process, as a first contribution, we explored seven text-mining models for pre-clustering affinity notes and suggest fastText as most appropriate. Since affinity diagrams are not deterministic, there is no established measure to assess their quality. Our second contribution is, therefore, a thorough examination of the potential of fastText-clusters for design teams regarding technical, psychological and performance-related measures. Compared to reference ‘human built’ affinity diagrams, the fastText-clusters resulted in an overlap index of M = .694 (SD = .034). Surprisingly, a study with four design teams clustering small sets (112 notes) of pre-clustered or randomized affinity notes indicated an increased discussion overhead caused by algorithmic support that led to a decrease in both, efficiency and quality. As a third contribution, we report qualitative data from the instances, where algorithmic support failed designers’ expectations. We conclude that more research on the appropriate time and manner of pre-clustered data presentation is required to harness the full potential of algorithmic support while preserving the spirit of affinity diagramming.

Human judgements are substantially influenced by first impressions. In previous studies, researchers contributing to people's first impressions of technical artifacts focused mainly on visual attributes. However, their findings do not apply to visually impaired people who cannot visually explore technology. Hence, we assume that visually impaired people rather rely on their haptic perception to get a first impression. To examine how visually impaired people form their first impressions of technological products, we conducted an explorative study with three visually impaired participants. We asked them to evaluate haptic features of mobile phones and speakers using the repertory grid (RepGrid) method. This method can be applied in research fields at an early stage when no findings are available yet. To empower the participants to autonomously rate items, we used a haptic scale. We complemented qualitative results of the RepGrid technique with observations on how long participants explore technology as well as a following interview on first impressions. We found eight constructs which can serve as a basis for a quantitative evaluation on how devices make a haptic first impression.

To increase capacity and safety in air traffic control, digital strip systems have superseded paper strips in lower airspace control centers in Europe. Previous ethnographic studies on paper strip systems anticipated a radical change in work practices with digital strip systems, but we are not aware of any studies that evaluated these predictions. We carried out contextual inquiries with controllers and focused on face-to-face and radio communication, interactions with the digital strip system and the workspace in general. In turn, we contribute (1) detailed descriptions of controllers' work practices, such as using tacit information from radio communication and 'standard advocates vs. tinkerers' operation modes, (2) respective implications for design and (3) discuss how the observed work practices are similar or different from the reported practices in the literature of the two preceding decades. Our key insights are, that documentation speed is faster with digital strips, although a high load in the case of radio frequency persists. Controllers retrieve tacit information from the radio communication and combine it with scattered cues from several displays to form empathic decisions that sometimes exceed the standard protocol. We conclude that the role of tacit information holds opportunities for future flight systems and should be considered in a holistic approach to individualized workspaces for controllers.

Cognitive aids - artefacts that support a user in the completion of a task at the time - have raised great interest to support healthcare staff during medical emergencies. However, the mechanisms of how cognitive aids support or affect staff remain understudied. We describe the iterative development of a tablet-based cognitive aid application to support in-hospital resuscitation team leaders. We report a summative evaluation of two different versions of the application. Finally, we outline the limitations of current explanations of how cognitive aids work and suggest an approach based on embodied cognition. We discuss how cognitive aids alter the task of the team leader (distributed cognition), the importance of the present team situation (socially situated), and the result of the interaction between mind and environment (sensorimotor coupling). Understanding and considering the implications of introducing cognitive aids may help to increase acceptance and effectiveness of cognitive aids and eventually improve patient safety.

Reminiscence in dementia care often does not make use of interactive technology. In this work we present a study conducted in two dementia care facilities aimed at developing prototypes for reminiscence. We conducted contextual inquiries over a week to learn how 80 people with varying stages of dementia reminisce throughout the day. We present resulting needs and three tangible prototypes designed to facilitate reminiscence. These prototypes - the pyramid, the set of drawers and the jukebox - were tested in three exploratory field studies. We elaborate on the features of the prototypes that facilitated communication and reminiscence and share insights from failures that need to be considered when designing tangibles in the dementia context. To visualize both positive and negative aspects we introduce a model of successful interaction in the dementia context.

Due to an increasing level of automation whilst driving, users will gain additional spare time while travelling in the future. This allows passengers to indulge in non-driving activities, e.g. staying socially connected with their friends or entertaining themselves via mobile devices, which would otherwise be considered too distracting. To facilitate this, we designed an in-car infotainment system to replace the multiple mobile devices currently necessary to satisfy those needs. Our design approach employed a combination of Contextual Design methods and the Image Schema Theory for the first time ever in the automotive domain, which promises to be intuitive-to-use, and have innovative and inclusive interfaces. A first-time comparison with market leading products indicated higher efficiency, innovation scores and preferential scores while showing equal results for effectiveness, inclusivity and intuitive use. Furthermore we provide a set of conceptual metaphors which can inform future design and research efforts in the automotive domain.