MAUSE

Theme: Participation and Representation in the Design process: A Broad User Spectrum

COST294-MAUSE Open Workshop

 

Inclusion in the broadband society requires the development of products and applications that are sensitive to the needs and capabilities of the entire user population.   This is particularly true as the next wave of technology approaches, in which broadband content will impinge on more areas of everyday life and be carried by a greater range of host devices.  

 

Take-up thus far has been hindered by design that pays too little regard to the needs of the user population as a whole.  Design has typically targeted the ‘ideal user’ with the effect that citizens who are dissimilar to that profile are effectively excluded from design thinking.  This can be seen as a significant factor in the growing ‘digital divide’, where the gap between technology adopters and those left behind increases as technology advances. 

 

The generation of products and services has the potential to increase participation, inclusion and empowerment for a wide spectrum of citizens.  This includes, for example, participation in e-democracy, involvement in virtual communities, e-learning and technology enhanced independent living.   Furthermore, the range of technologies that are carriers for such services should expand significantly.   Mobile and hand-held devices, interactive TV platforms and ubiquitous technologies all offer opportunities to design services in an adept and appropriate way for a diverse spectrum of users.    This, however, is dependent on design that is truly sensitive to user requirements, needs, aspirations and values.  Therefore it is critically important that users are represented in design, either directly through participation, or through representations such as user models and personae. 

 

This special track seeks contributions from researchers and practitioners interested in the design of end-user technologies to support wider take-up and inclusion.  Papers are invited on all aspects of user participation and representation in the design process.  This includes but is not limited to:

Participatory approaches to design

Design for personalisation/adaptive systems

New technologies for increased user participation in design

Models and representations of users for inclusive design

Evaluation in-situ

Value-based design

Design for users with physical and perceptual impairments

Design for older users

Design for users with low literacy

Abstract Submission

Deadline for submission: 30th October 2008.

  • The abstracts can cover a range of contributions such as empirical studies and theoretical discussions. Authors should provide background information relating to the topic, the actual question being addressed, methodologies, if appropriate, and indicate main findings, arguments, or conclusions.
  • All abstracts should be prepared in electronic form.
  • Abstracts must be written in English and typed with single line spacing.
  • Abstracts should be 800-1500 words
  • Authors are required to indicate that the paper is for “COST294 Track” and make use of the template for the abstract that will be available online.
  • Abstracts will be peer reviewed by the program committee members
  • Notification of acceptance will be given by 15th December 2008

For enquires, please contact Dr. Mark Springett (M.Springett@mdx.ac.uk) or Dr. Effie Law (law@tik.ee.ethz.ch)

 

 

Program Committee Members (to be confirmed)

Claudia Fahrengruber, University of Linz, Austria

Marta Lárusdóttir, Reykjavik University, Iceland

Effie Law, ETH Zürich, Switzerland

Christian Stary, University of Linz, Austria

Mark Springett, Middlesex University, UK

Marco Winckler, University of Paul Sabatier, France

 

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