Human–Computer Interaction Series

Longitudinal studies have traditionally been seen as too cumbersome and labor-intensive to be of much use in research on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). However, recent trends in market, legislation, and the research questions we address, have highlighted the importance of studying prolonged use, while technology itself has made longitudinal research more accessible to researchers across different application domains. 

Aimed as an educational resource for graduate students and researchers in HCI, this book brings together a collection of chapters, addressing theoretical and methodological considerations, and presenting case studies of longitudinal HCI research. Among others, the authors:

• discuss the theoretical underpinnings of longitudinal HCI research, such as when a longitudinal study is appropriate, what research questions can be addressed and what challenges are entailed in different longitudinal research designs
• reflect on methodological challenges in longitudinal data collection and analysis, such as how to maintain participant adherence and data reliability when employing the Experience Sampling Method in longitudinal settings, or how to cope with data collection fatigue and data safety in applications of autoethnography and autobiographical design, which may span from months to several years
• present a number of case studies covering different topics of longitudinal HCI research, from “slow technology”, to self-tracking, to mid-air haptic feedback, and crowdsourcing.

Authoring, its tools, processes, and design challenges are key issues for the Interactive Digital Narrative (IDN) research community. The complexity of IDN authoring, often involving stories co-created by procedures and user interaction, creates confusion for tool developers and raises barriers for new authors.

This book examines these issues from both the tool designer and the author’s perspective, discusses the poetics of IDN and how that can be used to design authoring tools, explores diverse forms of IDN and their demands, and investigates the challenges around conducting research on IDN authoring.

To address these challenges, the chapter authors incorporate a range of interdisciplinary perspectives on ‘The Authoring Problem’ in IDN. While existing texts provide ‘how-to’ guidance for authors, this book is a primer for research and practice-based investigations into the authoring problem, collecting the latest thoughts about this area from key researchers and practitioners.

As participation in game related activities increases around the world and across a larger part of the population, it is obvious that games are not just an entertainment medium for children or young people. Games can be used to accomplish different purposes for different groups of people in society.

Developing a universal designed game involves more than adding a cast of diverse characters. Games with universal design, at their core, are experiences that are designed from the ground up to be accessible to everyone – through mechanics, options, and user experience.

This book explains the meaning and need for universal design in video games and sheds light on important disciplines. Researchers define a universal designed game as a video game that actively welcomes all players. When players connect authentically with a video game, they’re much more likely to engage with the content. Conversely, when players can’t physically play a game, or don’t see characters that look like them, they feel isolated and miss out on beneficial opportunities to learn and collaborate. Universal design maximizes the impact of playing games, for instance, by ensuring that they’re accessible, empowering and representative for every participant.