Fwd: [sigchi.fi] Public defence of a doctoral thesis 19.11.2010 / Teija Vainio, Tampere University of Technology.

[Sirpa Riihiaho]

Moi!

Tampereella on ensi viikon perjantaina tarjolla HCI-alan väitös. Lisätietoa alla.

Sirpa 

Välitetty viesti alkaa:

Lähettäjä: Teija Vainio <Teija....@uta.fi>

Päiväys: 11. marraskuuta 2010 12.13.28 UTC+2.00

Vastaanottaja: <sig...@sigchi.fi>

Aihe: [sigchi.fi] Public defence of a doctoral thesis 19.11.2010 / Teija Vainio, Tampere University of Technology.

Public defense of a doctoral thesis
Applying Urban Planning and Design Principles into the Design of Mobile Multimodal Navigation Aids

Licentiate of computer science, Teija Vainio?s academic dissertation in the
field of usability, is to be presented with the assent of the Faculty of
Computing and Electrical Engineering, Tampere University of Technology,
for public discussion in the lecture hall TB104, on 19th of November, 2010,
at 12 noon.

Opponent: Professor Giulio Jacucci from the University of Helsinki.
Custodian: Professor Kaisa Väänänen-Vainio-Mattila from the Tampere
University of Technology.


Welcome!

Teija Vainio

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Abstract
In recent years, scientific research into mobile human-computer interaction has resulted in remarkable progress in helping users to find their way with visual wayfinding aids, such as adaptive maps or three-dimensional models. However, it has been also noted that visual support for wayfinding has its weaknesses, particularly when users are moving. This occurs because one must also pay attention to keep oneself on track and maintain awareness of the surrounding environment. Compensating for or supplementing wayfinding guidance with human modalities that are not visual, for example with audio or haptic guidance, can be beneficial. However, for designers of mobile wayfinding aids, the current research provides fragmented guidance on how to design such wayfinding aids. This thesis calls attention to a comprehensive approach to the design of technology.
The focus of this study is on the design of novel wayfinding aids that can be used in real environments for mobile users who are moving outdoors, mainly as pedestrians. The main aims of this study are to explore wayfinding as a human-centric phenomenon and to ascertain whether design principles from another discipline, urban planning, may be applicable when designing mobile multimodal wayfinding aids. Urban planning design principles were chosen because finding one?s way in a real environment has been one of the focuses of urban planners for about two thousand years.
In order to explore the applicability of urban design principles, constructive research methods were initially used, with mock-up or full functional prototypes providing visual guidance for mobile users. After this, qualitative and quantitative research methods were used to evaluate the applicability of the chosen design principles in multimodal wayfinding guidance.
This research firstly demonstrates how design principles adopted from another discipline may be utilised in the design of mobile wayfinding aids. Secondly, practical design principles are provided for developers and designers of mobile wayfinding aids who seek to provide guidance with visual, audio or haptic modality. The main results indicate that the design principles examined here, i.e. Lynch?s (1960) imageability and Stenros and Aura?s (1987) episodes of motion, are applicable to the design of navigation aids based on visual, audio and tactile guidance. The significance of the results is twofold. For researchers, the thesis shows that wayfinding is a phenomenon that takes account of human wayfinding behaviour in a real outdoor environment. For developers, the design principles provide practical guidance on designing wayfinding support, bearing in mind how humans typically behave and experience wayfinding.

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