Crysta J. Metcalf

Personal vs. commercial content: the similarities between consumer use of photos and music

We describe the results of two ethnographic-style studies that investigated consumer use of photos and music respectively. Although the studies were designed, executed, and analyzed separately, in our findings we discovered striking similarities between the ways in which our participants used personally captured photos and commercially purchased music. These findings have implications for the design of future systems with respect to handling and sharing content in photo or music form. We discuss making allowances for satisficing behavior, sharing media as a way to reminisce or to communicate an experience (tell a story), getting sidetracked while browsing, and similarities in organizing behaviors.

The uses of social television

We present the results of two studies on social television concepts. In one study, a social TV prototype was tested in the field, allowing groups of users watching television at home to talk to each other over an audio link. Specific patterns of use are described, showing that users did perceive the system as valuable. In another study, focus groups were presented with several social TV concepts, and their responses were collected. These participants saw only moderate to marginal value in the concept. We discuss the discrepancy with reference to the limitations of each method. Based on our analysis, we conclude that our social television experience provides user value under certain favorable conditions. Participants deal with potential conflicts between conversation and television audio without the need for additional technical support, and there is no indication that a video link would improve the experience. However, designing for the social dynamics at the beginnings, ends, and outside of conversations remains an open challenge.

FANFEEDS: evaluation of socially generated information feed on second screen as a TV show companion

In this paper, we describe the development and field trial of a second screen iTV experience called FanFeeds. FanFeeds is a second screen application that allows authoring and consumption of time synchronized secondary content around TV shows. FanFeeds are created by ones social circle as a companion experience to TV shows. For the purpose of concept evaluation, we ran a four-week field trial in 12 households consisting of 4 social groups of 3 friends. A total of 23 unique episodes of 12 different shows were watched while using our prototype. Overall feedback to our concept was mixed. Participants found some good motivations to use the system but they also found a number of concerns related to the nature of the shows they watched and the social dynamics with their friends. Participants revealed that our prototype allowed them to better connect with their TV shows and have an enriched social life around live as well as time-shifted TV content. Participants also described some concerns like distraction from TV show. We explore this contradiction in the paper, along with other valuable lessons we learned. We also report on the motivations that made participants create posts for one another and the different ways in which they used the information from the second screen.

Field trial of a dual device user experience for iTV

With the rise in highly capable, mobile and networked secondary devices, the two-screen Enhanced TV is a more plausible proposition today than ever before. This paper presents a field trial of a prototype that aimed to understand a conceptual merger of TV and second screen user experiences. Our prototype concept can be described as a companion device experience that enhances TV viewing by providing auxiliary information and media on a second screen. The additional media is semantically related and synchronized, in terms of timeline, to the TV content. We ran a three-week field trial in 11 households. Participants used our prototype as a companion to their TV shows. We provided a total of 43 episodes from 10 popular TV shows throughout the study period. Overall feedback to our concept was quite positive. 10 out of our 11 participants said they enjoyed the experience. Our prototype allowed participants to better connect with their TV shows and have an enriched social life around TV. We also report some of the discovered user desires regarding user interaction design such as kinds of customization controls needed and the pacing of posts of additional information to the second screen.

The Use of Mobile Social Presence

Two studies on the current practice of mobile context sharing and three field studies on the use of mobile context and media-sharing applications explore how people share experiences using a mobile phone and how automated context sharing in mobile environments affects communication, creating rich, new experiences and increasing feelings of social presence.

Perceptions of value: the uses of social television

We present the results of two studies on social television concepts. In one study, a Social TV prototype was tested in the field, allowing groups of users watching television at home to talk to each other over an audio link. Specific patterns of use are described, showing that users did perceive the system to be valuable. In another study, focus groups were presented with several Social TV concepts, and their responses were collected. These participants saw only moderate to marginal value in the concept. We discuss the discrepancy with reference to the limitations of each method.

Location and activity sharing in everyday mobile communication

We present a study on current, real-world communication of location and activity information based on analyzing context-sharing practices in recorded mobile phone calls. In 176 conversations, we found that over 70 percent contain disclosures of location or activity for one of eight main purposes. Based on our observations, we provide implications for the design of new systems for mobile social software.

Senior wellness: practices of community senior centers

In the U.S., approximately 15,000 community senior centers provide a broad spectrum of programs for seniors to increase their overall health and wellness in their community. Although previous studies reported on the various benefits of participation in such programs, little research has been conducted to understand how technology can support this practice. We initiated a research study to understand the current practices of senior centers and their potential technology needs. In this article, we describe findings from our literature review as well as a field study with nine senior centers located in urban and suburban areas of Chicago, IL, and Tampa, FL. Based on the preliminary results, we share design implications for future technology development.

Talking about "stuff": artifacts and expectation in social communication

In this work, we use qualitative field studies to examine the role of physical artifacts in conjunction with and comparison to digital communication. We investigate what people convey through the choice of a communicative medium, how choices of medium are perceived and intended, and how people combine digital and physical media and artifacts to maintain social connections.