Marc Busch

Being there again Presence in real and virtual environments and its relation to usability and user experience using a mobile navigation task

The possibility of using virtual environments instead of real field or laboratory environments is a promising research field. However, before virtual environments are able to replace the traditional environments the differences between the methods must be worked out. We take up on previous studies which compared different real and virtual environments concerning presence and usability and expand the research on the factor of user experience. We compared a virtual field environment (CAVE Cave Automatic Virtual Environment) and a real field environment (city center of Chemnitz, Germany) in a between-subject-design concerning presence, and evaluate its impact on the usability and the user experience of a geocaching game. The data of 60 participants was analyzed and shows significantly higher ecological validity for the real field environment but higher values for engagement and negative effects in the virtual field environment. Concerning usability, significant differences were verified between the two environments. All presence factors correlated significantly with usability in the CAVE, but did not correlate in the real-field environment. Concerning user experience, the CAVE showed significantly higher hedonic quality values, whereas the real field environment had higher pragmatic quality values. In both conditions presence and user experience factors were partly correlated. Our results indicate that virtual environments can be an alternative to real environments for user experience studies, when a high presence is achieved. virtual environments are an alternative for user experience studies.Ratings for usability are correlated with presence in VR.Ratings for user experience are correlated with presence in VR.

More than Sex: The Role of Femininity and Masculinity in the Design of Personalized Persuasive Games

The goal of persuasive games is to change behavior and attitudes in a desirable manner, e.g., to promote physical activity. Research has shown that personalized persuasive approaches are more successful than one-size-fits-all approaches. As a means for personalization, sex has been investigated with results showing that women are overall more persuadable than men. We argue that considering only a dichotomous sex-type categorization may not be able to fully capture the differences in the persuasiveness of persuasion strategies. To that end we apply a dimensional approach of capturing gender identity --- femininity and masculinity. We investigate the relationship between masculinity, femininity, sex and the persuasiveness of ten persuasion strategies in an online study ni?ź=i?ź592. Results show that femininity is significantly associated with seven of the ten strategies, while sex does only show differences for two strategies, suggesting gender identity could be a reliable variable for personalizing persuasive games.

Player Type Models: Towards Empirical Validation

Player type models -- such as the BrainHex model -- are popular approaches for personalizing digital games towards individual preferences of players. Although several player type models have been developed and are currently used in game design projects, there is still a lack of data on their validity. To close this research gap we currently investigate the psychometric properties (factor structure, reliability, stability) and predictive validity (if player type scores can predict player experience) of the player type model BrainHex in an ongoing project. Results of two online studies (n1=592, n2=243) show that the psychometric properties of the BrainHex model could be improved. We suggest to improve the according questionnaire and sketch how the predictive validity could be investigated in future studies.

All In: Targeting Trustworthiness for Special Needs User Groups in the Internet of Things

We showcase how privacy, security, and trust requirements of people with mental and physical disabilities can be integrated in the development of smart home applications and devices. We present our chosen process leading to trustworthy design of a smart medicine cabinet that informs about potential privacy and security risks along with helping users manage their life.

From Classes to Mechanics: Player Type Driven Persuasive Game Development

Research findings indicate that player types may serve as a theoretical basis for the design of persuasive games. However, until now no proof of concept is available that shows the applicability of this approach for tailoring games to player characteristics. We suggest a solution by formulating design concepts and by creating game prototypes that are driven by player types. Our strategies are composed of the three characteristics: first, design choices are based on the BrainHex player type model. Secondly, the concepts consider individual player styles and mechanics tailored to the various player types. Third, these individual game elements are combined into one game world. In order to evaluate our concepts we created two mobile game prototypes that foster physical activity. These prototypes are based on the Seeker and the Mastermind player type of the BrainHex model. First findings reveal that the usage of player types appears to be effective. Our efforts should enable designers to create persuasive games that are both engaging for individual players and allow the integration of several player types.

Deconstructing Pokémon Go – An Empirical Study on Player Personality Characteristics

Pokemon Go can be considered a successful persuasive game to promote physical activity. This study provides an in-depth analysis of Pokemon Go players’ characteristics that relate to adoption and continued play of the game. Based on online studies at two different points in time (at the initial release and three months later) we analyzed differences in personality traits between players and non-players, as well as between players who continued playing the game and those who stopped playing. The results show that people who played the game score lower in “Conscientiousness” and higher in “Player Motivation” than non-players. Furthermore, people who continued playing the game three months later have a lower score in “Neuroticism” than those who stopped playing. Insights into player characteristics from our empirical analysis of Pokemon Go contribute to answering the key research question regarding to which personality characteristics the persuasive game experience should be personalized.

Money on the move workload, usability and technology acceptance of second-screen atm-interactions

In this paper we compare one single-screen touch interaction with an automated teller machine (ATM) against two alternative second-screen ATM interactions using a smartphone. In an experimental laboratory study, those three ATM interactions were compared by means of workload (NASA-TLX), usability (SEQ, UMUX) and technology acceptance (selected TAM3-scales and additional scales for trust and security) in a randomized, controlled within-subjects design (n=24). In one smartphone ATM interaction the Personal Identification Number (PIN) was entered on the mobile phone, in the other smartphone ATM interaction the PIN was entered on the PIN-pad of the ATM. The results indicate that overall second-screen ATM interaction all interaction done on the mobile phone -- performed best.

TACTUX: a tactile user experience assessment board

We introduce TACTUX -- Tactile User Experience Assessment Board, a tool to assess user experience through tactile properties. The results of using TACTUX in a preliminary user study with 19 participants show that tactile surface properties can successfully be used for self-assessment of user experience. 14 of 19 participants stated that it was easy to express their experience by using tactile surface properties. TACTUX has advantages over classical methods of user experience self-assessments (e.g. questionnaires): It can be used by a broad range of user groups and stimulates participants to talk about their experience when using interactive systems.

Using technology acceptance models for product development: case study of a smart payment card

Since its development, the technology acceptance model (TAM) has been adapted for a multitude of different technologies and has proven very useful in a research context. These TAM adaptations are, however, less appropriate in product development since they do not contribute much to guide design and branding. We have revised the original TAM with the specific aim of application during new product development (NPD) and applied this model in a study on the acceptance of smart payment cards. The results provide helpful insights into the relevance of different potential benefits, suggesting that usefulness perception is most impacted by increased convenience, improved transaction overview and usage fun. Further, the model suggests that a good fit with who we are, rather than who we wish to be or feel we ought to be, is of special importance for usage intention. The application of NPDTAM in product development can be recommended.

Presence and User Experience in a Virtual Environment under the Influence of Ethanol: An Explorative Study

Virtual Reality (VR) is used for a variety of applications ranging from entertainment to psychological medicine. VR has been demonstrated to influence higher order cognitive functions and cortical plasticity, with implications on phobia and stroke treatment. An integral part for successful VR is a high sense of presence – a feeling of ‘being there’ in the virtual scenario. The underlying cognitive and perceptive functions causing presence in VR scenarios are however not completely known. It is evident that the brain function is influenced by drugs, such as ethanol, potentially confounding cortical plasticity, also in VR. As ethanol is ubiquitous and forms part of daily life, understanding the effects of ethanol on presence and user experience, the attitudes and emotions about using VR applications, is important. This exploratory study aims at contributing towards an understanding of how low-dose ethanol intake influences presence, user experience and their relationship in a validated VR context. It was found that low-level ethanol consumption did influence presence and user experience, but on a minimal level. In contrast, correlations between presence and user experience were strongly influenced by low-dose ethanol. Ethanol consumption may consequently alter cognitive and perceptive functions related to the connections between presence and user experience.