Projects
Current Projects
| Mediating Intimacy |
| Intimacy is a crucial element of domestic life, and many interactive technologies designed for other purposes have been widely appropriated for use within intimate relationships. However, there is a deficit in current understandings of how technologies are used within intimate relationships, and how to design technologies to support intimate acts. We used cultural probes and contextual interviews and other ethnographically informed techniques to investigate how interactive technologies are used within intimate relationships. From this empirical work we generated a thematic understanding of intimacy and the use of interactional technologies to support intimate acts. We used this understanding to inform the design of intimate technologies. |
| The Researchers
Vetere, F., Gibbs, M., Kjeldskov, J., Howard, S., Mueller, F., Pedell, S., Mecoles, K., and Bunyan, M. |
| Funding Agency
Smart Internet Cooperative Research Centre |
| Publications
To be listed shortly |
| Website Automatic Usability Testing EnviRonment (WAUTER) |
| The WWW is now ubiquitous, and yet its usability is of major concern. Usability testing methods are able to identify flaws prior to launch, however their application typically requires direct observation. WWW site development is multidisciplinary (combining technical, creative and design oriented disciplines) and often physically distributed (across the globe in extreme cases). Great potential exists for approaches to usability testing that are accessible from remote locations around the globe. more » |
| The Researchers
Sandrine Balbo, Cecile Paris (CSIRO), Steve Goschnick |
| Funding Agency
University of Melbourne-CSIRO Collaborative Research Program (CRSS) |
| Publications
Go to the WAUTER site to view the publications. |
| SpeCLaD: A Community Based Self-Learning Environment for Object Oriented Design |
| Learning and understanding how to build UML Class Diagram (CD) from Requirement Specifications (RSpecs) is often difficult for anybody new to Object Oriented software design. This project's ambition is to provide an effective and supportive community-based learning environment around how to build a UML-CD from a simple RSpec. more » |
| The Researchers
Sandrine Balbo, Chandika Jayasundara, Rod Farmer, Michael Kirley (CSSE) |
| Funding Agency
2006 IBM Innovation award, 2007 SciMET (University of Melbourne) |
| Publications
Please view them here. |
| Exploring complex data sets using highly engaging environments |
| This project addresses the challenging problems of using online environments to offer advice relating to complex sets of data. The challenge is to maintain a user’s engagement in the system long enough to explore possible outcomes in a system that is not completely deterministic and offers no single right answer. The approach uses knowledge of engagement and flow to produce and evaluate a prototype application to help students explore the range of subject offerings that might be suitable to them at this university. Linguistic analysis is being used by the system to help determine a suitable range of outputs that maps onto an individual’s interests.The research draws on issues related to affective computing, engagement, flow and interactivity. |
| The Researchers
Jon Pearce |
| Funding Agency
University of Melbourne |
| Publications
To be listed shortly |
| Maximising the effectiveness of interactive automated programs for smoking cessation |
| The project Maximising the effectiveness of interactive automated programs for smoking cessation is a collaboration between the Cancer Council of Victoria and the Department of Information Systems at the University of Melbourne. The aim of this project is to investigate the effectiveness of different combinations of technology support (e.g. Web, email, SMS, MMS, video) for people who want to quit smoking or remain quit. This requires us to consider the situations, times and places that smokers might like to get support, how that support might be personalised and who else may be involved in the support process. The research study includes the redevelopment of the QuitCoach (www.thequitcoach.org.au) to support these technologies, leading into a randomised control trial with five conditions in the final year of the study. The project will run from 2006-2009. |
| The Researchers
C Graham, Dr S Howard, Dr R Borland, J Balmford |
| Funding Agency
NH&MRC Grant |
| Publications
To be listed shortly |
Future Projects
| Cross‑Community Information Systems: Understanding Technology‑Practice Fit in Healthcare |
| This project addresses unsolved issues of usability of e‑health information systems across diverse stakeholder communities that need to coordinate to deliver the expected revolution in patient‑centred health care. The project will help realise the Nation's large investment in e‑health by improving the likelihood of system acceptance, thus making a significant contribution to facilitating the important institutional transformations expected of these systems. The timeliness, depth and breadth of the study will yield outcomes that will enhance Australia's research reputation. This project directly addresses the 'smart information use' and 'promoting and maintaining good health' national research priorities. |
| The Researchers
Dr RB Johnston, A/Prof S Howard, Prof EA Sonenberg, A/Prof R Scheepers, Dr PB Seddon |
| Funding Agency
ARC Grant |
| Project Time Frame
2008 - 2010 |
| Socially Oriented Requirements Engineering ‑ Software Engineering meets Ethnography |
| The project should lead to the design and development of better software/information and communications technologies in the homes of Australians, that encourage flexible social interactions, and has been designed with the user in mind. |
| The Researchers
Prof LS Sterling; Dr F Vetere; A/Prof S Howard |
| Funding Agency
ARC Grant |
| Project Time Frame
2008 - 2010 |