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John Downs

dblp:52/298 · DBLP profile ↗
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9ranked-venue papers
5as first author
0since 2021 · last 2016
—ORCID · none

Domains — the database's venue-derived domains; a paper can count in several

Human-computer interaction and ubiquitous computing · 7 · 3 first-authorSoftware engineering, systems software and programming languages · 2 · 2 first-author

Expertise — from the expertise taxonomy: the topics of the expert's papers under the CCF categories. A weight counts papers with recency: 1 for a paper about the topic, 0.3 when the topic is its context, halved every five years.

Human-computer interaction and pervasive computing
5 papers
Collaborative and social computing · 36% Interaction techniques and input · 25% Usability and user experience research · 14%
Software engineering, system software, and programming languages
1 paper
Empirical software engineering · 100%

Topics — the 9 heaviest of 12, each with the papers that count most for it

TopicWeightPapersLastEvidence papers
Interaction techniques and input › gesture input
mid-air gesture interaction
0.212016
PathSync: Multi-User Gestural Interaction with Touchless Rhythmic Path Mimicry · CHI 2016
Accessibility and assistive technology
older adults
0.222014
Older adults as digital content producers · CHI 2013
Reciprocal Habituation: A Study of Older People and the Kinect · ACM Trans. Comput. Hum. Interact. 2014
Collaborative and social computing
audience experience
0.212014
Audience experience in social videogaming: effects of turn expectation and game physicality · CHI 2014
User interface design and tools
natural user interface
0.212014
Reciprocal Habituation: A Study of Older People and the Kinect · ACM Trans. Comput. Hum. Interact. 2014
Collaborative and social computing › online communities
self-expression
0.212013
Older adults as digital content producers · CHI 2013
Collaborative and social computing
social connectedness
0.212013
Older adults as digital content producers · CHI 2013
Empirical software engineering
developer studies
0.112012
Ambient awareness of build status in collocated software teams · ICSE 2012
Collaborative and social computing › social interaction
multi-user interaction
0.112016
PathSync: Multi-User Gestural Interaction with Touchless Rhythmic Path Mimicry · CHI 2016
Design research and methods
field study
0.012013
Older adults as digital content producers · CHI 2013

Methods — techniques the papers use, named apart from their topics

ambient awareness technologies · 0.3user study · 0.2interview study · 0.2ethnographic study · 0.2controlled study · 0.2prototype evaluation · 0.2field study · 0.2
YearPublicationVenuePosition
2016 Uncovering the Honeypot Effect: How Audiences Engage with Public Interactive Systems
abstract
In HCI, the honeypot effect describes how people interacting with a system passively stimulate passers-by to observe, approach and engage in an interaction. Previous research has revealed the successive engagement phases and zones of the honeypot effect. However, there is little insight into: 1) how people are stimulated to transition between phases; 2) what aspects drive the honeypot effect apart from watching others; and 3) what constraints affect its self-reinforcing performance. In this paper, we discuss the honeypot effect as a spatiotemporal model of trajectories and influences. We introduce the Honeypot Model based on the analysis of observations and interaction logs from Encounters, a public installation that interactively translated bodily movements into a dynamic visual and sonic output. In providing a model that describes trajectories and influences of audience engagement in public interactive systems, our paper seeks to inform researchers and designers to consider contextual, spatial and social factors that influence audience engagement.
Niels Wouters, John Downs, Mitchell Harrop, Travis Cox, Eduardo Oliveira 0001, Sarah Ellen Webber, Frank Vetere, Andrew Vande Moere
Conference on Designing Interactive Systems2
2016 PathSync: Multi-User Gestural Interaction with Touchless Rhythmic Path Mimicry
abstract
In this paper, we present PathSync, a novel, distal and multi-user mid-air gestural technique based on the principle of rhythmic path mimicry; by replicating the movement of a screen-represented pattern with their hand, users can intuitively interact with digital objects quickly, and with a high level of accuracy. We present three studies that each contribute (1) improvements to how correlation is calculated in path-mimicry techniques necessary for touchless interaction, (2) a validation of its efficiency in comparison to existing techniques, and (3) a demonstration of its intuitiveness and multi-user capacity 'in the wild'. Our studies consequently demonstrate PathSync's potential as an immediately legitimate alternative to existing techniques, with key advantages for public display and multi-user applications.
Marcus Carter, Eduardo Velloso, John Downs, Abigail Sellen, Kenton O'Hara, Frank Vetere
CHI3
2014 A small space for playful messaging in the workplace: designing and deploying Picco
abstract
We present Picco, a tiny situated display for drawings and simple animations, which are created on a dedicated tablet app. Picco was designed to support playful messaging in the workplace through a glanceable desktop device that would place minimal demands on users. Two studies of the device at work demonstrated how crafting was an expression of intimacy when the device was used to connect the workplace to the home, and a way of demonstrating skill and humor to a broad audience when messages were sent amongst co-workers. However, the level of skill needed to produce these messages became a barrier to entry for some co-workers. Our findings suggest that visible ownership of a situated device, which can be personalized in other ways, can underpin a secondary level of participation that is crucial in supporting a sense of involvement when the level of crafting required can stifle more direct participation.
John Downs, Nicolas Villar, James Scott, Siân E. Lindley, John Helmes, Gavin Smyth
Conference on Designing Interactive Systems1
2014 Audience experience in social videogaming: effects of turn expectation and game physicality
abstract
Videogames are often played socially with both co-players and audiences. Audience members' experiences are not well understood, nor are the factors of videogaming sessions that influence their experience. We conducted a study to examine the effects of game physicality and turn anticipation on audience members' experiences in social videogaming sessions. Pairs of participants played games under three conditions of physicality (controller-based, Wii, and Kinect) and their expectation of turn-taking was manipulated. Their enjoyment, game engagement, social engagement and sense of participation were measured. We found that the introduction of turn-taking into the session had positive effects for audience members -- both anticipated and residual play effects -- and that Kinect gameplay resulted in a more enjoyable experience for audience members. We argue that audience members' experience changes as they become more active within a session, and suggest there are design opportunities between purely active 'players' and passive 'audience members'.
John Downs, Frank Vetere, Steve Howard, Steve Loughnan, Wally Smith
CHI1
2014 Reciprocal Habituation: A Study of Older People and the Kinect
abstract
We explore relationships between habits and technology interaction by reporting on older people's experience of the Kinect for Xbox. We contribute to theoretical and empirical understandings of habits in the use of technology to inform understanding of the habitual qualities of our interactions with computing technologies, particularly systems exploiting natural user interfaces. We situate ideas of habit in relation to user experience and usefulness in interaction design, and draw on critical approaches to the concept of habit from cultural theory to understand the embedded, embodied, and situated contexts in our interactions with technologies. We argue that understanding technology habits as a process of reciprocal habituation in which people and technologies adapt to each other over time through design, adoption, and appropriation offers opportunities for research on user experience and interaction design within human-computer interaction, especially as newer gestural and motion control interfaces promise to reshape the ways in which we interact with computers.
Bjørn Nansen, Frank Vetere, Toni Robertson, John Downs, Margot Brereton, Jeannette Durick
ACM Trans. Comput. Hum. Interact.4
2013 Older adults as digital content producers
abstract
Older adults are normally characterized as consumers, rather than producers, of digital content. Current research concerning the design of technologies for older adults typically focuses on providing access to digital resources. Access is important, but is often insufficient, especially when establishing new social relationships. This paper investigates the nature and role of digital content that has been created by older adults, for the purpose of forging new relationships. We present a unique field study in which seven older adults (aged 71-92 years), who did not know each other, used a prototype iPad application (Enmesh) to create and share photographs and messages. The findings demonstrate that older adults, even those in the \'1c"oldest old\'1d" age group, embraced opportunities to express themselves creatively through digital content production. We show that self-expression and social engagement with peers can be realized when socio-technical systems are suitably designed to allow older adults to create and share their own digital content.
Jenny Waycott, Frank Vetere, Sonja Pedell, Lars Kulik, Elizabeth Ozanne, Alan Gruner, John Downs
CHI7
2013 Paraplay: Exploring Playfulness Around Physical Console Gaming
John Downs, Frank Vetere, Steve Howard
INTERACT (3)1
2012 Ambient awareness of build status in collocated software teams
abstract
We describe the evaluation of a build awareness system that assists agile software development teams to understand current build status and who is responsible for any build breakages. The system uses ambient awareness technologies, providing a separate, easily perceived communication channel distinct from standard team workflow. Multiple system configurations and behaviours were evaluated. An evaluation of the system showed that, while there was no significant change in the proportion of build breakages, the overall number of builds increased substantially, and the duration of broken builds decreased. Team members also reported an increased sense of awareness of, and responsibility for, broken builds and some noted the system dramatically changed their perception of the build process making them more cognisant of broken builds.
John Downs, Beryl Plimmer, John G. Hosking
ICSE1
2010 Status Communication in Agile Software Teams: A Case Study
abstract
Developers ought to maintain awareness of the status of a software project. However, there are very few recorded best practices for defining what constitutes relevant status information and the appropriate modalities for communicating this information. In this industry case study, we conducted in-depth interviews with members of an agile development team. We found that their daily work practices, while well-defined and regular, were heavily influenced by the status information they integrated from a number of sources. In particular, continuous integration builds had a substantial effect on the team's workflow. Based on our findings, we provide a set of guidelines for build monitoring systems which encourage collective and individual responsibility while working within the established team environment.
John Downs, John G. Hosking, Beryl Plimmer
ICSEA1