This dissertation, Making Sense of Digital Content Moderation from the Margins, examines how content creators who are marginalized by race, sexuality, gender, ethnicity, and disability understand their experiences of content moderation on the social media platform TikTok. Using critical interface and narrative-based inquiry methods with six marginalized content creators on TikTok, I argue that marginalized creators navigate the opaque content moderation infrastructure of TikTok by drawing on their embodied experiences. The key research questions ask how these content creators interpret TikTok's platform policies and processes through their interactions on the app and how these interpretations influence content creation on TikTok and how creators feel about moderation in the absence of platform transparency about how content is moderated. To answer these questions, I conducted narrative-driven interviews with six TikTok creators and analyzed these stories alongside online testimonials in eight Change.org petitions. My analysis revealed that lack of transparency around TikTok's algorithmic curation and moderation contributes to content creators feeling alienated, exploited, frustrated, and unwelcome on the platform and influences content creators to adapt their content to avoid moderation, oftentimes by self-censoring themselves and aspects of their marginalized identities. Over time, the accumulation of content moderation micro-interactions diminishes the ability of marginalized content creators to trust content moderation processes. My analysis also shows how TikTok's user experience design and opaque content moderation practices contribute to an affective platform environment in which creators are compelled to speak out and across creator networks about such gaps in experience and platform policy. I conclude with a discussion of how my findings about content moderation and transparency contribute to conversations in writing-related scholarship, especially as it pertains to writing assessment, technical communication, and algorithmic research methodologies. / Doctor of Philosophy / In recent years, marginalized content creators on TikTok have sounded the alarm about the way that the platform's content moderation and algorithmic recommendation disadvantages marginalized creators. This dissertation, Making Sense of Digital Content Moderation from the Margins, examines how content creators who are marginalized by race, sexuality, gender, ethnicity, and disability understand their experiences of content moderation on the social media platform TikTok. The key research questions ask how these content creators interpret TikTok's platform policies and processes through their interactions on the app and how these interpretations influence content creation on TikTok and how creators feel about moderation in the absence of platform transparency about how content is moderated. To answer these questions, I conducted narrative-driven interviews with six TikTok creators and analyzed these stories alongside online testimonials. My analysis revealed that lack of transparency around TikTok's algorithmic curation and moderation contributes to content creators feeling alienated, exploited, and unwelcome on the platform and influences content creators to adapt their content to avoid moderation, oftentimes by self-censoring themselves and aspects of their marginalized identities. Moreover, I found that TikTok isolates user experiences of biased content moderation which compels creators to speak out and across creator networks about discriminatory experiences of platform policy.

Coherence describes the validity of the internal rules that drive the behaviors of a virtual environment (VE) in presenting a credible scenario. A VR system with a high level of coherence could lead to strong plausibility illusion, which is a key component of the sense of presence. There are few existing studies centered around coherence, and they tend to put the user in a passive role when experiencing the VE without emphasizing on their active participation in the interaction. This dissertation makes up this gap by connecting the concept of coherence with fundamental 3D user interface design that focuses on the algorithms that map the user's actions to the VE's behaviors. Specifically, we inspect the design of coherent interactions for two complicated tasks, namely travel and object manipulation. For travel, we propose a family of redirected walking techniques called "narrative driven cell-based redirection", which lets the user traverse a VE that's much larger than the physical space without breaking the coherence of the scenario. For object manipulation, we propose the novel concept of physics coherence to capture whether an interface conforms to the rules of physics and design several novel techniques that try to balance between physics coherence and usability. Together, we provide some useful tools for designing coherent interactions and discuss how coherence affects user experience in VR interaction. / Doctor of Philosophy / To create a virtual reality (VR) experience that feels plausible, it’s important to consider the validity of the internal rules that drive the behaviors of the virtual environment (VE), which we call “coherence” of a VR system. We discuss how to support coherence in two types of fundamental VR interaction. The first one is travel, which concerns moving the viewpoint around following the user’s intention. For this task, we propose a family of novel interaction techniques called “narrative driven cell-based redirection”, which lets the user traverse a VE that’s much larger than the physical space without breaking the coherence of the scenario. The second one is object manipulation, which is about controlling a virtual object using hand input. For this task, we propose the novel concept of physics coherence to capture whether the interaction conforms to the rules of physics and design several novel techniques that try to balance between physics coherence and controllability. Together, we provide some useful tools for designing coherent interactions and discuss how coherence affects user experience in VR interaction.

Advances in science and computing technology have accelerated the development and dissemination of a wide range of big data platforms such as bioinformatics into the biomedical and life sciences environments. Bioinformatics brings the promise of enabling life scientists to easily and effectively access large and complex data sets in new ways, thus promoting scientific discoveries by for example generating, validating, and refining hypotheses based on in silico analysis (performed on computer). Meanwhile, life scientists still face challenges in working with big data sets such as difficulties in data extraction and analyses arising from distributed and heterogeneous databases, user interface inconsistencies and discrepancies in results. Moreover, the interdisciplinary nature of modern science adds to significant gaps in scientists' performance caused by limited proficiency levels with bioinformatics resources and a lack of common language across different disciplines. Although developers of bioinformatics platforms are slowly beginning to move away from function-oriented software engineering approaches and towards to user-centered design approaches, they rarely consider users' value, and expectations that embrace different user contexts. Further, there is an absence of research that specifically aims to support the broad range of users from multiple fields of study, including 'wet' (lab-based) and dry' (computational) research communities. Therefore, the ultimate goal of this research is to investigate life scientists' user experiences with knowledge resources and derive design implications for delivering consistent user experiences across different user classes in order to better support data-intensive research communities. To achieve this research goal, we used the theory of distributed cognition as a framework for representing the dynamic interactions among end users and knowledge resources within computer-supported and -mediated environments. To be specific, this research focused on how online bioinformatics resources can be improved in order to both mitigate performance differences among the diverse user classes and better support distributed cognitive activities in data-intensive interdisciplinary research environments. This research consists of three parts: (1) understanding user experience levels with current bioinformatics resources and key determinants to encourage distributed cognitive activities, especially knowledge networking, (2) gaining in-depth understanding of scientists' insight generation behavior and human performance associated with individual differences (i.e., research roles and cognitive styles), and (3) identifying in-context usefulness, and barriers to make better use of bioinformatics resources in real working research contexts and derive design considerations to satisfactorily support positive user experiences. To achieve our research goals, we used a mixed-methods research approach that combines both quantitative (Study 1 and 2) and qualitative (Study 3) methods. First, as a baseline for subsequent studies, we conducted an empirical survey to examine 1) user experience levels with current bioinformatics resources, 2) important criteria to adequately support user requirements, 3) levels of knowledge networking (i.e., knowledge sharing and use) and relationship to users' larger set of distributed cognitive activities, and, 4) key barriers and enablers of knowledge networking. We collected responses from 179 scientists and our findings revealed that lack of integration, inconsistent results and user interfaces across bioinformatics resources, and perceived steep learning curves are current limitations to productive user experiences. Performance-related factors such as speed and responsiveness of resources and ease of use ranked relatively high as important criteria for bioinformatics resources. Our research also confirmed that source credibility, fear of getting scooped, and certain motivation factors (i.e., reciprocal benefit, reputation, and altruism) have an influence on scientists' intention to engage in distributed cognitive activities. Second, we conducted a laboratory experiment with a sample of 16 scientists in the broad area of bench and application sciences. We elicited 1) behavior characteristics, 2) insight characteristics, 3) gaze characteristics, and 4) human errors in relation to individual differences (i.e., research roles such as bench and application scientists, cognitive styles such as field-independent and dependent people) to identify whether human performance gaps exist. Our results (1) confirmed significant differences with respect to insight generation behavior and human performance depending on research roles, and (2) identified some relationships between scientists' cognitive styles and human performance. Third, we collected a rich set of qualitative data from 6 scientists using a longitudinal diary study and a focus group session. The specific objective of this study was to identify in-context usefulness and barriers to using knowledge resources in a real work context to subsequently derive focused design implications. For this work, we examined 1) the types of distributed cognitive activities participants performed, 2) the challenges and alternative actions they faced, 3) important criteria that influenced tasks, and 4) values to support distributed cognitive activities. Based on the empirical findings of this study, we suggest design considerations to support scientists' distributed cognitive activities from user experience perspectives. Overall, this research provides insights and implications for user interface design in order to support data-intensive interdisciplinary communities. Given the importance of today's knowledge-based interdisciplinary society, our findings can also serve as an impetus for accelerating a collaborative culture of scientific discovery in online biomedical and life science research communities. The findings can contribute to the design of online bioinformatics resources to support diverse groups of professionals from different disciplinary backgrounds. Consequently, the implications of these findings can help user experience professionals and system developers working in biomedical and life sciences who seek ways to better support research communities from user experience perspectives. / Ph. D.

The thesis proposes a mobile app design along with an innovative business plan aiming to encourage sustainable purchasing. To uncover the limitations in current design practices, firstly, represented examples of sustainable design were reviewed. Then, in an attempt to bridge the gap between sustainability and design commercialization, the techniques of persuasion were studied. It is to figure out how to incorporate hot triggers into computational technologies. As an outcome of the study, the final deliverable is a social networking application that provides sustainable product reviews. Instead of following a traditional sustainable design framework, the final deliverable focuses on creating an efficient supply-and-demand circulation for sustainable products. It delivers a unique corporate proposition showing how the system works, gaining modest profits while promoting sustainable development. Based on an online survey and the user study, the value of the proposed idea was validated. Also, the usability and functionality of the app were improved based on participant feedback. / Master of Science

Yes / Romantic relationships are extremely important to people’s happiness and well-being, yet many people do not seek advice with relationship issues or may do so only once serious problems arise. Paired is a commercially available relationships app. Launched in October 2020, it currently has over 12,000 daily active users, predominantly in the US and UK. Public self-management of care (i.e. self-help) is target for technological investment, as digital health and well-being apps gain popularity. There are currently over 318,000 health apps available worldwide, with a further 200+ new health apps coming onto the market each day. Research has shown that mobile health (mHealth, i.e. health and well-being apps) can be effective in supporting behaviour change: helping us to adopt and maintain healthy behaviours. However, many health and well-being apps are not based on reliable research evidence, the only indication of an app’s quality deriving from ‘user reviews’. Paired is evidence-based. Focusing on the area of romantic relationships, it seeks to support and enhance couple relationships, before the point when professional help may be needed. Researchers at The Open University (OU) and the University of Brighton evaluated the effectiveness of Paired, using a mixed methods approach... We created the Quality of Relationship Index (QRI), a rigorously-developed measure of overall relationship quality. We found that quality of communication – the underpinning dimension of all relationship maintenance behaviour – was most strongly related to overall relationship quality... In developing the QRI, we explored change in different aspects of relationship quality, whilst using Paired... Integration of the findings from our analyses of different data sources, and the ‘dose-response’ effect that we consistently observed, together give us confidence that Paired is responsible for the improvements to relationship quality that its users enjoy. / The Open University

Enligt tidigare forskning upplever människor att tiden går fortare i lugna trygga miljöer och går långsamt i påfrestande situationer. Något som skapar lugna trygga känslor hos människor är färgen blå medans färgen gul som har ett ständigt tröttande ljus upplevs som påfrestande. Vilket i teorin ska innebära att människor som tittar på något blått upplever att tiden går snabbare än de som betraktar något gult. I föreliggande studie har detta undersökts med två experiment, i första experimentet fick deltagarna slå multiplikationstal på kalkylatorn på en dator medan det var en blå eller gul bakgrund. I det andra experimentet fick deltagarna se en snurra på en gul eller blå bakgrund. I inget av experimenten upptäcktes någon signifikant skillnad. I experimentet var det dessutom fler som svarade att de ville använda den blåa bakgrunden om den fick tiden att upplevas gå fortare än den gula.

Det finns i dagsläget få tids- och kostnadseffektiva metoder och tekniker för att mäta och utvärdera användarupplevelse över tid. Detta trots att tidsaspekten av användarupplevelsen under de senaste åren har uppmärksammats som en viktig komponent av användarupplevelsen inom människa-dator-interaktionsforskning. UX Curve och iScale är två metoder framtagna för att mäta förändringar i användarupplevelse över tid med hjälp av retrospektion och skapande av grafer över utvecklingen av användarupplevelsens olika dimensioner. Mot bakgrund av dessa metoder togs ett webbaserat utvärderingsverktyg fram med målet att undersöka verktygets förmåga att mäta förändringar i användarupplevelse under en utvärderingsperiod. Verktyget testades på 9 deltagare i en utvärdering av en mailklient under två veckors tid. Resultatet indikerar att utvärderingsverktygets dimensioner samlar upplevelser av relevans för de dimensioner som undersökts men visar också på att ytterligare testning och validering av metod och verktyg behövs för att fastställa att mätningarna är reliabla och att det som mäts är vad som avses mätas.

Video games are experience-based products and user satisfaction is key for their popularity. To design for as strong an experience as possible, game developers incorporate evaluation methods that help to discover their users’ expectations and needs. Despite such efforts, problems still occur with the game design that lower the user experience. To counter these problems, the evaluation methods should be investigated and improved. To address this need, I have explored various design tools and user experience theories. Applying these in a game evaluation context, I have analyzed user-created game reviews and conducted longitudinal user interview- and game diary studies in connection to playing a newly released game, in other words different methods to take advantage of users' expectations, opinions, attitudes and experiences. One result of the analysis of the obtained data is a set of “slogans” that illustrate how and why users lose interest in a game. A second result is a method for extracting user attitudes from pre-produced user reviews and how this can be used in game development. Thirdly, I introduce an alternative model, aimed at game user experience development, the Playsona. The Playsona is a lightweight tool that introduces a variant of the Persona-method, specifically for video game design. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following paper was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 4: Manuscript.</p>

Att generera idéer är någonting som pågår i många olika branscher. För att kunna generera idéer kan vissa sorters idégenereringstekniker användas, och dessa tekniker kan involvera olika sociala sammanhang. Vissa tekniker kräver att deltagaren genererar idéer på egen hand medan andra tekniker kräver att det är en grupp som samarbetar. De olika tekniker som kan användas har det forskats mycket om, och det finns en god akademisk grund. Däremot har det inte forskats mycket om hur det är att blanda dessa tekniker. För att skapa en ökad förståelse kring användningen av en eller flera tekniker under samma idégenereringssession har intervjuer med yrkespersoner som är involverade med kreativitet och idégenerering genomförts, samt en litteraturstudie. Detta har lett till en bredare förståelse av idégenerering. / Generating ideas is something that is done in a lot of different industries. To be able to generate ideas, some techniques can be used, and these techniques may involve different kinds of social settings. Some techniques demand that the participant generates ideas on an individual basis, whilst other demand a group. There is research about the different kinds of techniques that can be used so there is a good academic foundation, but there has not been a lot of research on the effects of mixing these techniques. To create a greater basis for knowledge about the usage of one or multiple techniques during one ideation session have interviews been held with different kinds of professionals involved with creativity and ideation as well as a literature review. This, in turn, has led to a greater knowledge about ideation.

Spelifiering är ett koncept i relation till beteendepåverkande design, vilken har gagnat stor popularitet under de senaste åren. I den vetenskapliga litteraturen beskrivs spelifiering som en metod där spelmekaniker används i andra interaktiva kontexter än spelsystem, och anses därmed innebära implementation av bland annat poängsystem och topplistor i system med syftet att uppnå vissa mål. Det anses att det finns begränsat med forskning kring spelifiering, trots att det är ett hastigt ökande fenomen, och att effekterna kring det är förhållandevis okända. Spelifiering har implementerats i designer i relation till områden som hälsovård, utbildning och arbetsplatser, vilka har en stor impakt gällande folkhälsa. På grund av dessa faktorer har spelifiering blivit ämne för etiska debatter där mycket starka åsikter yttrats. Därmed anses det vara av stor vikt att bedriva forskning inom området. Hittills saknas det rapporter kring insikter som skulle kunna leda till att mer exakta forskningsområden uppdagas, därför ligger fokuset i denna studie på att undersöka existensen av sådana potentiella erfarenheter, vilka skulle kunna ligga till framtida grund för potentiella forskningsområden och regelverk. User Experience Design är något som har en stark koppling till interaktionsdesign, vilket låg till grund till att designers inom denna yrkesgrupp var de som valdes ut som fokusgrupp för denna studie. Studien utgår från en bred frågeställning för att ha en öppen ingång utan förväntningar, med anledning att även outforskade aspekter på detta vis kunde uppdagas. För att samla in analyserbar data granskades vetenskaplig litteratur kring ämnet, samt att en digital enkät genomfördes och kompletterades med fördjupande intervjuer med ett antal utvalda enkätdeltagare. Resultatet av studien visade på indikationer till att det förekommer tendenser till ett kunskapsgap kring spelifiering inom yrkesgruppen. En stor majoritet av de som deltog i studien antydde förekomsten av en utbredd neutralitet kring spelifiering, angående de etiska aspekterna, bland User Experience Designers. Slutligen cirkulerade ett starkt tema kring designens kontext. / Gamification is a concept in relation to behavioral design, which has gained great popularity in recent years. In the scientific literature, gamification is described as a method where game mechanics are used in interactive contexts other than game systems, and is thus considered to involve the implementation of, among other things, point systems and leaderboards in systems with the aim of achieving certain goals. It is considered that there is a lack of research regarding gamification, despite the fact that it is a rapidly increasing phenomenon, and that the caused effects are relatively unknown. Gamification has been implemented in designs related to areas such as health care, education and workplaces, which have a major impact on societal health. Due to these factors, gamification has become the subject of ethical debates where strong opinions have been expressed. Thus, it is considered of great importance to conduct research in the field. To date, there are no reports of insights that could lead to more accurate research areas being discovered, the focus of this study is therefore examining the existence of such potential experiences, which could form the future basis for potential research areas and regulations. User Experience Design is considered having a strong connection to interaction design, which was the basis for designers in this professional group being the ones selected as the focus group for this study. The study is based on a formulated question with an open-ended nature with the purpose of having an open entrance without expectations, due to the fact that unexplored aspects were thought to be discovered more easily. In order to collect analyzable data, scientific literature on the subject was reviewed, and a digital survey was conducted and supplemented with in-depth interviews with a number of selected survey participants. The results of the study showed indications that there are tendencies towards knowledge gaps regarding gamification in the User Experience Design community. A large majority of those who participated in the study indicated the existence of widespread neutrality around gamification regarding the ethical views among User Experience Designers. Finally, a strong theme circulated around the context in which the design is created.