Annita Fjuk

The Reality beyond the Hype: Mobile Internet is Primarily an Extension of PC-Based Internet

The mobile Internet (MI) has been hyped as the next big thing by telecom operators, handset manufacturers, and content providers. However, recent studies indicate that the usage of Internet via mobile phones has remained quite flat. The authors inquire into this discrepancy by focusing on actual usage of the MI and the motivating factors behind its use. Based on focus-group interviews in Norway and Hungary, they argue that MI usage is interrelated with and is an extension of the personal computer (PC)–based Internet. The key motivation behind MI use is to attain information in situations in which the PC is out of reach. In effect, MI has not led to the development of new usages. The expectation that the development of new killer applications will lead to an explosion of new usage is therefore misguided. MI usage is and will perhaps continue to be a mere extension of PC-based Internet usage—and such use activities are the very nature of MI.

The situated effects of awareness in distributed collaborative learning: interactive 3D an example

Recent research in CSCL (Computer Supported Collaborative Learning) and CSCW (Computer Supported Co-operative Work) has provided insights into how various forms of awareness information should be computer supported to enable collaboration in distributed environments. Based on an understanding of learning as mediated by social interaction and artefacts (such as various forms of information and communication technologies), we argue that the effects of task and workspace awareness are highly situated with respect to collaborative knowledge construction. Some issues from this line of consideration are illustrated by examples gathered from designs of a distributed interactive 3D application.

Organizational Transformation Through Service Design: The Institutional Logics Perspective

In this article, we provide in-depth insight into the process of adopting service design (SD) by a large service organization. We use an inductive interpretive approach and draw on rich longitudinal data collected in one of the world’s major telecommunication companies that undertook a series of SD initiatives to improve its innovation capability. We find that instead of merely bringing new services, SD has far-reaching consequences for organizations, prompting significant changes in the organizational mindset and routines. Building on the institutional logics perspective and acknowledging the role of individuals’ institutional work, we identify the macro-level and micro-level mechanisms of the organizational logic transformation that SD induces. Interestingly, the effects are bidirectional, as the organizational context has a considerable impact on SD as an innovation practice. As this study shows, managers and other practitioners can effectively overcome organizational hindrances to the adoption of SD by creating an SD-based corporate language, realigning key performance indicators, and facilitating learning and experimentation.

Virtual Bodystorming: Utilizing Virtual Reality for Prototyping in Service Design

The paper describes our ongoing work on a new prototyping method for service design, Virtual Bodystorming. Virtual Bodystorming utilizes Virtual Reality (VR) and enables the user to role-play the service scenario in a fully immersive and collaborative VR environment. In this environment, various service-related areas and objects can be recreated with 3D graphics, while distant service users, providers, designers, and facilitators can communicate and collaborate. Virtual Bodystorming aims to minimize the gap between the actual service environment and its prototype by contributing to the development of fully immersive and highly-engaging service simulations. To illustrate the practical implementation of Virtual Bodystorming, we describe its main characteristics and present a first prototype version of the method. The method was evaluated by three experienced service designers, who highlighted the strengths of Virtual Bodystorming for service prototyping, regarding immersion and engagement, while emphasizing the service designer’s significant role in directing the user interactions of the VR scene. The method was considered to be suitable for prototyping services that include human interaction and/or spatial aspects.