May 8, 2012 @ 14:30, Room: 17AB
Chair: Ann Light, Northumbria University, UK
Participation and Publics: Supporting Community Engagement - Paper
Contribution & Benefit: In the findings reported here, I continue to develop the framing of Deweyan publics as a way to scaffold an environmental approach to technology design in contexts with diverse stakeholders.
Abstract » CHI researchers are beginning a shift from studying technology use in uncommon or exotic communities to designing and deploying technology interventions into those same settings. This paper picks up on these recent developments and further examines the impact and implication of using a bespoke technology platform within the context of providing shelter and basic social services to homeless mothers and their children. I build on findings from a previous system deployment by describing targeted changes made to the technology, the design impetus for making those changes, and the resulting impact those changes had on the relationship between shelter staff, residents, and the information they shared via the system. By way of the findings reported here, I continue to develop the framing of Deweyan publics as a way to scaffold an environmental approach to technology design in contexts with multiple and diverse stakeholders.
ACMTowards a Framework of Publics: Re-encountering Media Sharing and its User - ToCHI
Contribution & Benefit: This paper proposes “publics” from media theory to stimulate reflection on prevailing interpretations of participation. Implications concern the role of digital media for collective practice and expression of values.
Abstract » Design and evaluation of user-generated media production and sharing in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) often focus on formal and informal media sharing, such as communication within social networks, automatic notifications of activities, and the exchange of digital artifacts. However, conceptual tools for understanding how people relate to the audiences they reach through these systems are limited. The increasing interest in user-generated content in HCI demands the infusion of new methods and theories that explicitly engage the construction and use of media within and among large groups of individuals and systems. In this paper, we suggest that the notion of “publics,” drawn from media theory, provides useful insights into user-driven, social, and cultural forms of technology use and digital content creation. We illustrate this by employing the notion of publics to the findings from a two-month deployment of a mobile photo sharing platform in a youth housing community. The results of this empirical work coupled with a theoretical examination of publics stimulate reflection on prevailing interpretations of user-designer-reader roles. The paper provides an outlook for potentially new and productive ways of understanding interdependencies within those activities. Implications that can be drawn from this work concern the role of digital media creation and sharing for the formation of collectives and how people position themselves collectively in relation to larger social groups and societal norms. The analysis suggests fruitful crossovers among HCI, Media Theory and New Media Research by approaching the user as both consumer and producer of digital content.
Viewpoint: Empowering Communities with Situated Voting Devices - Paper
Contribution & Benefit: Describes a public voting device designed to help empower communities and inform decision making. Experiences from deploying this device are presented as guidelines for community voting technologies.
Abstract » Viewpoint is a public voting device developed to allow residents in a disadvantaged community to make their voices heard through a simple, lightweight interaction. This was intended to open a new channel of communication within the community and increase community members' perception of their own efficacy. Local elected officials and community groups were able to post questions on devices located in public spaces, where residents could vote for one of two responses. Question authors were subsequently required to post a response indicating any actions to be taken. Following a two-month trial, we present our experiences and contribute guidelines for the design of public democracy tools and dimensions impacting their effectiveness, including credibility, efficacy and format.
ACMExamining Technology that Supports Community Policing - Paper
Contribution & Benefit: This paper investigates how citizens use technology to support community policing efforts. Our results suggest that technologies intended for crime prevention should be designed to support communication amongst citizens.
Abstract » This paper investigates how citizens use technology to support community policing efforts. To explore the types of conversations that are shared on the community web forum, we conducted a qualitative study. We analyzed 865 forum posts from a community crime web forum from April 2004 to June 2011. We found that residents use the forum to: 1) build relationships by strengthening social ties, 2) discuss ways to take collective action, 3) share information and advice, and 4) regulate the social norms of the neighborhood and the web forum. Results suggest that technologies intended for crime prevention should be designed to support communication and problem-solving discussions amongst residents, as opposed to simply providing information to citizens.
ACM