Social Evaluation of MobileMAN Current work: - Website and use of WIKIMobileMAN - Social Aspects of First Testing MobileMAN Internal Meeting Helsinki, – J. Duyne / C. Brazzola

2 Agenda  Reminder  Objectives of Social Evaluation  Ongoing Activities 1. Website (WIKIMobileMAN) 2. Social Aspects in First Test  Planned Activities  Comments and Questions

3 Reminder - Activities  Social Assessment of MobileMAN  Participatory Design to involve end users in the product definition: website with WIKI section  Comparing existing ICTs with MobileMAN  Analysis of the needs of elderly and disabled people – what can MobileMAN offer them?  Social dimensions of collaboration  Participatory observation of technical Tests

4 Objectives of Social Evaluation  Anticipate the social value of MobileMAN through a study of social responses to wireless technologies in use (WLAN and mobile phones)  Encourage the involvement of potential end-users in the definition of innovative use scenarios and applications  Sustain a dialogue between MobileMAN developers and potential end-users  Keep into accout the needs of special categories of potential end-users

5 Ongoing Activities  Website ready for phase I (test with students) Duration: 4-6 weeks Analysis of results  phase II  Participatory observation of Prototype testing - Planning Variables to observe: 1) hardware (display constraints) 2) free associations 3) portability 4) human response to errors, difficulties

6 WIKI Website /1  Description = static descriptive part (about MobileMAN, general information and aim of website) = WIKI interactive part (for scenario building and comments, discussions by users)  main part!  URL:  WIKI: starting pages ready, initial structure as simple as possible, expected to expand with use

7 WIKI Website /2  Ongoing: test phase (I) with students Please, help us by involving a fair number of your students to guarantee some results!  WIKI: Usability tests of the Website have revealed some difficulties in learning how to use WIKI  This might prevent students from using it. = Introduction of a Quick Guide = Other ideas for solutions?

8 WIKI Website /3  Phase I – preliminary test phase = students from MobileMAN partner institutions = 4-6 weeks = use and access statistics = results and ev. adjustments  Phase II – potential end-users = target: people with interest in new ICTs =access to website: through already existing discussion forums on wireless ICTs, topic websites, etc. = ca. 10 months = use and access statistics

9 Participatory observation of Tests /1  Two methods: 1) direct observation of users’ behaviour during the test (use of recording camera) 2) semi-structured interview with users after the test  Research Questions: = How do users respond to MobileMAN? = Is the system perceived as being practical? = Does the test support the creative thinking about use scenarios and applications? = Do they have particular difficulties and concerns?

10 Participatory observation of Tests /2  After the test: Ask participants to use WIKIMobileMAN to record their experience  trigger new discussion topics!  Issues to discuss for planning purposes: = When and where will the test take place? = How many users will be involved in the test? = What applications will be tested? = What aspects will be left out? (limited #, mobility,…) = Issues about battery consumption?

11 Planned Activities  Phase I and Phase II of Website use  Participatory observation of test  Comparison with other ICTs (mobile phone and wireless LAN)  Needs assessment elderly and disabled people  Analysis of cooperation – theory and application to the p2p actual use. Considerations about “punishment” mechanisms. Now: “denial of communication” to bad nodes --> is it the best solution??

12 Questions and comments  Suggestions  Comments  Critics  Thank you!