This project is about designing for alternative public engagementin infrastructure projects that span over longtime scales and long distances: Looking specifically atthe case of the North Bothnia Line – a train line plannedbetween the two northern Swedish cities of Umeå andLuleå, 270 km apart, which could be estimated to befinished around 2040. With a participatory design approach, I investigate thescope of the infrastructure project – the different stakeholdersand examples of current public engagement efforts.I then explore how to facilitate dialogues on futurelife and mobility in the north in alternative ways. In my initial research I seek a systemic understandingof the project from public employees in city planning,project management and communication. Through interviews, field explorations, design probesand workshops, I identify a set of qualities that characterisethis particular project – to design for and with:Future anticipation, temporal uncertainty, and situatedhuman experiences. These qualities are used to create aframework for prototyping interactions to facilitate dialoguesaround expectations around future life, and howto engage people in discussing this now. Synthesizing from insights, ideas, and interactionsexplored in an iterative design process, I develop aconceptual platform and digital service design. Thedesign I eventually set out to create is a conceptualpublic engagement platform for infrastructure projectsspanning long distances and uncertain timeframes.Enabling a space for open anticipation in the regions ofVästerbotten and Norrbotten, and working with aspectsand metaphors of celebration, longing, and collectiveplanning and dialogues.

The Internet is rapidly growing in complexity, with increasing negative environmental and social impact. While heating and lighting are tangible examples of energy consumption, internet usage is not perceived as such. Therefore, it opens up opportunities for new, energy-efficient, slower, resource-saving and mindful protocols for the Internet to emerge. I propose Glow OS, an operating system that enables individuals and communities to align their online activities with intermittent solar energy. This system aims to accelerate the transition to a fossil-free internet by promoting solar literacy in the spirit of joy.

Research has focused heavily on the study of Clinical Decision Support Systems. However, CDS systems have generally had little impact on clinical practice. One of the most important reasons is the lack of human-computer interaction (HCI) considerations in designing these systems. Although physicians play an essential role in healthcare decision-making, there is little literature describing physicians' expectations and preferences prior to the development of these systems, which is an essential phase in user-centered design.This study aims to answer the following research question: What do physicians expect of interacting with future clinical decision support systems? An exploratory qualitative study was conducted, and data were collected by interviewing 9 physicians practicing in Sweden. A thematic analysis was used for data analysis, and the findings are four themes: 1) physicians' Expectations related to clinical practice; 2) physicians' expectations related to physician-patient relationship; 3) physicians' expectations related to the physician's role 4) physicians' expectations related to CDS governance.The research findings contribute to the knowledge of Anticipated UX in the context of healthcare and CDS systems. The empirical findings on potential user expectations are valuable for understanding the diversity of user experience and user expectations as phenomena in the specific domain of CDS systems. Service designers can utilize and build on the empirical findings to develop positive user experiences of future CDS systems

Playing video games is a common hobby for many Swedish teenagers. Bystanders might think that excessive exposure to video games will cause harm for the youth, but what is lesser known is that the games can help develop several cognitive functions. For example, many of the popular games today have an economic dimension to them, where players will need to learn the proper way to manage their money in a certain game. With this in mind, is there a possible correlation between the amount of time spent playing video games and financial capability? This study examines that question with a quantitative approach. A survey was sent out to swedish high school students, asking them questions about their habits in regards to video games as well as questions to measure their financial capability. The findings point towards a slightly negative correlation between hours spent per week playing video games and the students financial capability. The lowest negative number was from Spearman’s rho - 0.214, and was found in the attribute positive financial behaviour. Important to note is that the significance from the p-values has indicated that the results are not significant. Apart from the analysis, the pivot tables that showcased the answers from the survey exhibited some interesting patterns for the group that played more than 15 hours per week. For example, the object scenario shows that 15 of 39 respondents would choose an aesthetic non-functional item insted of an item which has a functional advantage in the game. These patterns could be researched further under different circumstances than the current study. / Playing video games is a common hobby for many Swedish teenagers. Bystanders might think that excessive exposure to video games will cause harm for the youth, but what is lesser known is that the games can help develop several cognitive functions. For example, many of the popular games today have an economic dimension to them, where players will need to learn the proper way to manage their money in a certain game. With this in mind, is there a possible correlation between the amount of time spent playing video games and financial capability? This study examines that question with a quantitative approach. A survey was sent out to swedish high school students, asking them questions about their habits in regards to video games as well as questions to measure their financial capability. The findings point towards a slightly negative correlation between hours spent per week playing video games and the students financial capability. The lowest negative number was from Spearman’s rho - 0.214, and was found in the attribute positive financial behaviour. Important to note is that the significance from the p-values has indicated that the results are not significant. Apart from the analysis, the pivot tables that showcased the answers from the survey exhibited some interesting patterns for the group that played more than 15 hours per week. For example, the object scenario shows that 15 of 39 respondents would choose an aesthetic non-functional item insted of an item which has a functional advantage in the game. These patterns could be researched further under different circumstances than the current study.

This study investigates the feasibility of enhancing community engagement through gamification, using a prototype third-person 3D adventure game called Harmoni. The research targets international students in Gotland, Sweden, aiming to reduce cultural barriers and promote community involvement. By integrating game elements such as altruistic missions, language learning, and historical exploration, the prototype seeks to motivate real-life participation in community activities. Data collected from pre- and post-surveys and follow-up interviews with a small sample size (n=10) suggest that gamification can positively impact community involvement. Despite the limitations of sample size, the findings indicate that thoughtfully designed gamified experiences can foster a sense of belonging and encourage active participation in community life. The study underscores the potential of gamification in educational and social contexts, offering insights for future applications and improvements in game-based community engagement strategies.

In 2024, widespread usage of generative AI affects ComDev practitioners in their day-today jobs and have far-reaching implications for our societies. This thesis aims to (1) discover if humanitarians communicate about GenAI ethically and responsibly, (2) examine the existing power dynamics in shaping the discourses, and (3) determine if AI ethical frameworks help to safeguard the interests of vulnerable communities effectively. Though existing paradigms in Critical ICT4D and Digital for Development have suggested the need for critical reflections, this thesis has identified a gap in practical recommendations for Communication for Development. This research was conducted using a semi-systematic literature review and critical discourse analysis with two coding cycles on NVivo. Subsequently, themes, stakeholder maps, and a longitudinal analysis were derived to provide a practical toolkit to ComDev practitioners. Currently, there are multiple discussions and workshops in the area of GenAI in Geneva. However, the digital divide remains an ICT4D problem. Despite a boom in AI regulations and frameworks, organisations work in silos and maximise profits. Thus, there is a need for cross-sector collaboration and de-colonial programmes to mitigate the risks of the digital divide for vulnerable communities.

While online video communication has become a part of many people's lives, it still lacks an important aspect of human interaction – eye contact. Conventional technology does not provide the ability to share eye contact online. The NUNA machine is a unique communication unit that enables this shared virtual eye contact (VEC). The aim of this study was to explore how people experience VEC in a virtual therapeutic setting, specifically in a Motivational Interview (MI). This experience was specifically juxtapositioned to an in-person setting as it provides eye contact as a natural part of the conversation. Research questions included how participants would experience eye contact in a MI setting in 1) a video conference with shared eye contact and 2) an in-person conversation, how participants would make sense of the perceived differences between the settings, and which value participants saw in VEC. In the MI, participants first spoke to each other using the NUNAs and then seamlessly continued their conversation in-person. After this exposure, they took part in qualitative interviews sharing their experience and how they made sense of it. These qualitative interviews were then analyzed by conducting qualitative content analysis. In total, 10 university students, approximately in their 20s, were interviewed. The results suggest that VEC acts as an antagonist to the disembodiment that is inherent to virtual interactions by providing connection and increasing the degree of realness with which the vis-à-vis is perceived. It further revealed that the NUNA setting provided a focused environment in which participants felt like they could work on their emotions and feel validated by and committed to their vis-à-vis. Thus, VEC may strengthen therapeutic alliance and be a promising tool for online psychotherapy by providing a higher degree of realness as would be natural for in-person conversations. / Videokommunikation online har blivit en del av många människors liv, men det saknas fortfarande en viktig aspekt av mänsklig interaktion - ögonkontakt. Konventionell teknik ger inte möjlighet att ha ögonkontakt online. NUNA-maskinen är en unik kommunikationsenhet som möjliggör denna delade virtuella ögonkontakt (VEC). Syftet med den här studien var att undersöka hur människor upplever VEC i en virtuell terapeutisk miljö, särskilt i en motiverande intervju (MI). Den här upplevelsen var särskilt jämförbar med en personlig miljö eftersom ögonkontakt är en naturlig del av samtalet. Forskningsfrågorna omfattade hur deltagarna skulle uppleva ögonkontakt i en MI-miljö i 1) en videokonferens med ögonkontakt och 2) ett personligt samtal, hur deltagarna skulle förstå de upplevda skillnaderna mellan miljöerna och vilket värde deltagarna såg i VEC. I MI-miljön talade deltagarna först med varandra med hjälp av NUNA och fortsatte sedan sömlöst sitt samtal i en personlig konversation. Efter denna exponering deltog de i kvalitativa intervjuer där de delade med sig av sina erfarenheter och hur de tolkade dem. Dessa kvalitativa intervjuer analyserades sedan med hjälp av kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Sammanlagt intervjuades 10 universitetsstudenter, ungefär i 20-årsåldern. Resultaten tyder på att VEC fungerar som en antagonist till den kroppslöshet som är inneboende i virtuella interaktioner genom att tillhandahålla anslutning och öka graden av realitet med vilken motparten uppfattas. Vidare framkom att NUNA-miljön skapade en fokuserad miljö där deltagarna kände att de kunde bearbeta sina känslor och känna sig bekräftade av och engagerade i sin samtalspartner. VEC kan således stärka den terapeutiska alliansen och vara ett lovande verktyg för psykoterapi på nätet genom att ge en högre grad av realitet, vilket vore naturligt vid personliga samtal.

This study explores how alternative scrolling techniques compare to traditional vertical scrolling. It is studied in the context of user experience and information allocation. The alternative scrolling methods are evaluated through a focus group and a controlled experiment. A focus group explores different scrolling techniques and participants' attitudes toward alternative scrolling methods while seeking dissatisfaction with normal scrolling. The controlled experiment delves deeper into the hedonic and pragmatic qualities of scrolling, examining the time it takes for participants to allocate information to be complemented with semi-structured interviews. By delving deeper into the user experience and user preference for scrolling, the study aims to answer the following research question: “How can scrolling techniques alternative to vertical and continuous scrolling benefit users in terms of efficiently allocating specific information and increasing perceived user experience and usability?”. In summary, the study's findings show that the alternative scrolling techniques are not statistically more efficient than normal conventional scrolling. They are, however, viewed as having more hedonic qualities and are generally more preferred from a usability standpoint.

Satsningar på en-till-en, det vill säga en dator eller pekplatta per elev, blir allt vanligare i svensk skola, men det finns begränsad forskning om hur detta påverkar elever med funktionsnedsättning och/eller i behov av stöd. I en inkluderande skola behöver tekniken vara tillgänglig för alla och användas i ett meningsfullt sammanhang. Studiens syfte var att undersöka hur en-till-en-satsningar kan påverka elevers möjligheter i skolan,alla elever oavsett funktionsförmåga inräknade. I detta ingick att identifiera såväl positiva som negativa aspekter av att ha ständig tillgång till en dator per elev i undervisningssituationen och hur detta förhåller sig till den inkluderande skolan. Metoder som användes i insamlingen var fallstudien som metod, deltagande semistrukturerade observationer på två skolor samt semistrukturerade elevintervjuer på en av dessa skolor. Som stöd för analysen av materialet användes en modell för undervisning och lärandeprocesser som bygger på ett didaktiskt designperspektiv. Resultatet visar att en-till-en, om tekniken används inom ramen för en medveten pedagogisk tanke hos läraren, ger många möjligheter i form av anpassningar utifrån varje elevs behov. Eleverna är ofta positiva till datorn och kan komma runt sina svårigheter utan att sticka ut i klassrummet. Dessutom ökar möjligheten för läraren att kommunicera enskilt och i grupp med eleverna, vilket ger rikliga tillfällen till formativ bedömning och ytterligare individanpassning. Samtidigt identifieras stora svårigheter med IKT i klassrummet, bland annat att vissa elever får väldigt lite skolarbete gjort på grund av att de inte kan motstå sociala medier, spel och annat som en Internetuppkopplad dator ständigt erbjuder. Med andra ord finns en risk för att lärmiljön blir otillgänglig och exkluderande, särskilt för elever med koncentrationssvårigheter. Allt detta behöver pedagoger vara medvetna om för att genom kollegialt lärande kunna utveckla fungerande strategier som gynnar alla elevers lärande. / Investing in one-to-one computing (1:1), i.e. a computer or tablet per student, is increasingly common in Swedish schools, but there is limited research on how this affects students with disabilities or with special educational needs. The purpose of the study was to investigate how 1:1 may affect students with disabilities or special educational needs. The purpose included identification of positive and negative aspects related to the constant access to personal devices in the classroom, as well as an analysis of how that relates to the concept of inclusive education. The methods used in the case study were semi-structured observations in two schools and semi-structured interviews with students at one of these schools. The analysis of the research material was made with the support of a model for teaching and learning processes based on a didactic design perspective. The results show that 1:1 can provide many possibilities in the form of adjustments based on each student’s needs, providing the technology is used in accordance with the teacher’s intentions with her or his teaching. Many students enjoy their computers and can overcome personal difficulties without showing it to their classmates. The use of personal devices also leaves more time for teachers to communicate individually or in small groups with their students, i.e. opportunities for formative assessment and further individualization. However, the study also identifies major difficulties with ICT in the classroom. Some students perform poorly as they cannot resist the social media, computer games and other issues that Internet connected devices can offer. In other words, there is a risk that the learning environment becomes inaccessible and excluding, especially for pupils with special needs. Teachers need to be aware of these possibilities as well as limitations with one-to-one computing in order to find strategies that benefit all pupils.

Every day, we use technology. Online interactions leave traces and traces serves as portals into different aspects of our personalities, or how we want to be perceived by others. We are encouraged to record and express everything, from our most important moments to the least. However, the digital tools we use privilege only the moment, not the long term. They also tend to make everything feel equally important, thus giving us no incentive to go through our digital traces and decide what has lasting meaning and should be preserved and what we would like to be forgotten.The fabric of our lives is intertwined with our digital traces. What happens to them after the end of our lives? Just as our physical things live on past us, sometimes becoming a part of the lives of our family and friends this will surely be true for our data.How might we curate our digital legacy?