Emerging Issues in Mobile Data Capture Methods across Multiple Domains

Mobile device-based data capture studies have potential as contextual data collection methods to address the limitations of the traditional paper-based diary method. The ever-evolving computing power of mobile phones broadens the potential applications of such methods in novel and interesting ways. While there have been a number of studies that demonstrate the power of the mobile device-based diary approach, there is less known about participants' experience of such studies. This chapter presents five case studies to bring together user experiences of participating in mobile data capture studies and evaluates how this can be fed into the future study design.

Usability Heuristics for Mobile Phone Applications

In this chapter, we discuss the importance of evaluating the usability of mobile applications using tools and technics that consider their specific characteristics. One common way to evaluate usability is using heuristics. However, since many assumptions regarding usability of computer applications are not true for mobile applications, a question arises: does there exist usability heuristics specific for this type of device? To answer this question, we conducted a systematic literature review. We mapped the encountered sets of heuristics to Nielsen's ten heuristics and identified additional ones specifically proposed for this kind of device. Our review indicates that research with respect to usability heuristics for mobile phones are still sparse. Nevertheless, this chapter provides an overview on the state of the art that can guide the design and evaluation of interfaces for mobile applications as well as provide a starting point for the evolution of such customized heuristics.

Playing with Traffic

This chapter explores a novel methodology used to develop gamified mobility applications for a heavily congested European city. The methodology consists of three elements: a metaphorical traffic game, a complex and comprehensive mobility logging approach and two focus groups. The daily commute is explained as part of a real life traffic game that changes user behaviour. The methodology allows for the identification of travel activity patterns and attitudes that in turn can be used to develop gamified mobility applications. The chapter provides concrete game elements and design considerations that can be used to improve the traffic experience in Luxembourg.

Large-Scale Research via App Stores

Large-scale research has gained momentum in the context of Mobile Human-Computer Interaction (Mobile HCI), as many aspects of mobile app usage can only be evaluated in the real world. In this chapter, we present findings on the challenges of research in the large via app stores, in conjunction with selected data collection methods (logging, self-reporting) we identified and have proven as useful in our research. As a case study, we investigated the adoption of NFC technology, based on a gamification approach. We therefore describe the development of the game NFC Heroes involving two release cycles. We conclude with lessons learned and provide recommendations for conducting research in the large for mobile applications.

Perceived Impacts as User Experience Components in Mobile News Making with Smartphones

This chapter discusses users' perceptions of system impacts as one of the user experience components. Findings from twelve case studies on mobile news making with smartphones are summarized, focusing on the perceived impacts of system use and system characteristics that can contribute to user's perception of system quality. The findings indicate that the perceived impacts of system, i.e., the benefits and costs, for the mobile user, activity, outcome (news and news content), and journalism are important for understanding user experience and therefore the overall evaluative judgments of the system.

Modern Standards for VoiceXML in Pervasive Multimodal Applications

In this chapter, we will consider the language support of VoiceXML 2.1 to express flexible dialogs in pervasive environments. Missing information about the environment and the inability to react to external events lead to rigid and verbose dialogs. But building upon the recently defined W3C MMI architecture we present an approach where dialog authors can adapt their dialogs' behavior with regard to the users' surroundings and incorporate available information and devices from the pervasive environment. Adding these features extends the expressiveness of VoiceXML 2.1, and allows for an integration into a multimodal and mobile interaction as anticipated in the, as of now, dormant VoiceXML 3.0 standard.

On Mobility and Interaction Landscapes

In this chapter we address how the landscape of mobile HCI is changing. With a point of departure taken in how mobile interaction design is nowadays not only about interface design for digital devices, but about the design of wide-ranging interaction landscapes we explore how mobile HCI are now heavily interwoven in complex arrangements of computational devices, platforms and services. In exploring these current developments, this chapter identifies three contemporary strands of developments related to 1) the formation of new interaction landscapes, 2) the long tail of interaction, and 3) digital materialities. With a point of departure taken in these three strands, this chapter presents a research agenda for moving forward followed by a discussion on the implications of this agenda for mobile HCI research.

Investigating Serendipitous Smartphone Interaction with Public Displays

Today's smartphones provide the technical means to serve as interfaces for public displays in various ways. Even though recent research has identified several approaches for mobile-display interaction, inter-technique comparisons of respective methods are scarce. In this chapter, the authors present an experimental user study on four currently relevant mobile-display interaction techniques (‘Touchpad', ‘Pointer', ‘Mini Video', and ‘Smart Lens'). The results indicate that mobile-display interactions based on a traditional touchpad metaphor are time-consuming but highly accurate in standard target acquisition tasks. The direct interaction techniques Mini Video and Smart Lens had comparably good completion times, and especially Mini Video appeared to be best suited for complex visual manipulation tasks like drawing. Smartphone-based pointing turned out to be generally inferior to the other alternatives. Finally, the authors introduce state-of-the-art browser-based remote controls as one promising way towards more serendipitous mobile interactions and outline future research directions.

The Phone as a Tool for Combining Online and Offline Social Activity

This chapter presents a study of an online community for Swedish teenagers, an early social media. Their mobile use is analyzed and its relationship to current social media is discussed. Analysis of two months of log data and 100 surveys on teenagers' phone use showed that the phone use mostly took place during times of the day when teenagers have social time and was not influenced by the availability of a computer. The phone made the community access more private compared to the computer, but teens did share the use when they want to. The cell phone bridged the online and offline social communities and allows teens to participate in both at the same time. The online community was not only a place for social activity online, it was also a social activity offline that is carried out face-to-face with friends.

Rethinking Education for Sustainability

This chapter presents a pedagogical model and a technological platform consisting of web and mobile technologies designed to support a mix of formal and informal, indoor and outdoor learning experiences. In particular, the platform is a reconfigurable system that can be adapted to support different kinds of learning formats. Two case studies will be presented to describe how the proposed pedagogical model and the technological platform can be adapted to address different contexts and learning objectives. The first case study – H2Flow – has been carried out in an high-school in Trento (north Italy) as an extension of the school curricula; the second one – Youth Mapping – has been deployed in underserved areas in Rio De Janeiro as part of a community-driven initiative led by UNICEF. In the conclusion, we discuss educational challenges and design opportunities concerning the use of mobile technologies in the context of education on sustainable development.