Current computer-assisted pronunciation training (CAPT) tools are too focused on what technologies can do, rather than focusing on learner needs and pedagogy. They also lack an embodied perspective on learning. This thesis presents a Research through Design project exploring what kind of interactive design features can support second language learners’ pronunciation learning of segmental speech sounds with embodiment in mind. ComPron was designed: an open simulated prototype that supports learners in learning perception and production of new segmental speech sounds in a second language, by comparing them to native language speech sounds. ComProm was evaluated through think-aloud user tests and semi-structured interviews (N=4). The findings indicate that ComPron supports awareness of speech sound-movement connections, association building between sounds, and production of sounds. The design features that enabled awareness, association building, and speech sound production support are discussed and what ComPron offers in comparison to other CAPT-tools.

Involuntary loneliness is today considered to be a public health problem, and studies show that feeling lonely can have major negative effects on one's health. Project Omtanke and the social administration in Helsingborg has mapped a big problem with loneliness in Helsingborg, and has come to the conclusion that they need a website with the purpose of mitigating loneliness. Thus, this research project explores how a website should be designed to make people feel less lonely.  This thesis essay explores the research question with the approach Research Through Design (RtD). The research was conducted by conducting user research, creating a prototype and validating the design with users.  This thesis has come to the conclusion that a website with the purpose of supporting lonely individuals should include content providing help and support to all relevant target groups, such as educational content and help alternatives. It should also be designed with the goal to decrease the gap between available help and the people in need of help, by increasing awareness and reassuring personal relevance of available help. The website should also include functions that promote social contact between people, and be designed with the goal of being perceived as inclusive. The website prototype that was created in this thesis was well received by potential users. The users expressed in the validation of the website that they would like to use it, and that they believe it could help them with their loneliness.

Advancements in technology have rendered social media an indispensable means of social communication. However, among the vast amount of data exchanged between users, there is often limited space for meaningful conversation and the cultivation of deeper interpersonal connections. This dissertation adopts a research-through-design approach to explore the concept of Minimal Social Interaction Design, focusing on the use of colours as the primary tool for facilitating these interactions. The main objective of this project is to investigate: What meaning-making communication practices are produced or altered when using colour-based minimal social communication? To achieve this objective, the study involves an auto-ethnographic pre-study and three focus groups to examine minimal colour-based interactions among individuals and groups. Additionally, Drawing inspiration from the concepts of Calm and Slow Technology, this project includes the design and evaluation of an online platform dedicated to facilitating minimal colour-based social interactions. The qualitative data collected from the study indicates that by engaging in minimal colour-based interactions in different social contexts individuals would face both opportunities and challenges. These opportunities and challenges ultimately create a space for individuals to enhance their social awareness, engage in effective negotiation, deepen their understanding of their partners, and develop an intimate private language based on colours. / Teknikens framsteg har gjort sociala medier till ett oumbärligt verktyg för social kommunikation. Trots den enorma mängd data som utbyts mellan användare är det ofta begränsat utrymme för meningsfulla konversationer och kultivering av djupare och mer personliga relationer. I denna avhandling antas en forskning-genom-design-ansats för att utforska konceptet Minimal Social Interaction Design, med fokus på användningen av färger som det primära verktyget för att underlätta dessa interaktioner. Det primära målet med projektet är att undersöka: Vilka betydelseskapande kommunikationspraktiker uppstår eller förändras vid användning av färgbaserad minimal social kommunikation? Denna studie innefattar en auto-etnografisk förstudie med tre fokusgrupper för att undersöka minimala färgbaserade interaktioner bland individer och grupper. Därtill, med inspiration från koncepten Calm och Slow Technology, inkluderar projektet design och utvärdering av en online-plattform dedikerad till att underlätta minimala färgbaserade sociala interaktioner. De kvalitativa data som samlats in från studien indikerar att genom att deltaga i minimala färgbaserade interaktioner i olika sociala sammanhang så möter individer både möjligheter och utmaningar. Dessa möjligheter och utmaningar skapar i slutändan utrymme för individer att öka sin sociala medvetenhet, kunna förhandla effektivare, fördjupa sin förståelse för sina partners och utveckla ett intimt privat språk baserat på färger.

Today, the world contains a large number of important non-profit organizations (NPOs) that seek to maintain the welfare of people and animals and to preserve the natural world. NPOs are extremely dependent on funds from the public which has resulted in severe competition between these organizations. This has also come as a result of the cut down of government support and a shortage of donations. Their lack of financial resources indicates that NPOs around the world face major challenges and are therefore in need of customized tools to increase their revenue and ensure their survival. With the purpose of increasing donations towards NPOs, this study aims to research how a media object can be developed and marketed in Bali to motivate tourists into donating money to the Bali Animal Welfare Association (BAWA) which is located in Canguu, Bali. By doing this, NPOs can use this research as tool for application within their own organization to increase their revenues.The media object that was chosen for this research was a poster, placed in the streets of Canggu, Bali and was selected because it has been shown that visual communication is a powerful tool for encouraging prosocial human behavior. The aim was to document how the media object affected levels of tourist engagement and ultimately their motivation to donate money to an NPO. A number of theories of motivation and behavior were used to form the foundation for this research. The methodology used included qualitative data collection by way of interviews, observations of local conditions pertinent to tourist interaction with media objects, as well as information gathered through a focus group involving local tourists. Research Through Design (RTD) was the framework that was used to structure the process for the creation and the testing of the prototype (the media object). The RTD included four phases, two of which were not completed due to complications involving the COVID-19 pandemic. The research concluded that the environment, attitudes towards legitimacy and emotional engagement all played a crucial role for the effectiveness and ultimately the success of a media object. Furthermore, it was concluded that there is a need for extended research on tourists’ behavior as well as consumer behavior, in relation to donors, in order to fully understand how a media object should be developed to motivate a tourist to donate money to an NPO.

Providing context behind customer feedback remains a challenge for company’s who rely on approaching Customer Experience (CX) through standardized Customer Satisfaction (CS) metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT), and Customer Effort Score (CES). Practical guidelines for monitoring CS throughout the customer journey are limited, creating a gap in academic research. This study addresses this gap by offering practical guidelines for CS, actionable insights, and alternative survey design strategies within the context of invoicing. Utilizing a Research-through-Design (RtD) approach guided by the Double Diamond design model, the study consists of four phases: Discover, Define, Develop, and Deliver. From a service design perspective using qualitative methods, the study acquires and analyzes both organizational and customer insights. Synthesized empirical findings emphasize the need for a more comprehensive approach that targets specific phases of the customer journey utilizing a more customer- centric approach, paving the way for alternative methods that reaches beyond just simply measuring CS. Introducing the concept of a personal companion, the study presents a dialogical approach where surveys are experienced as ongoing interactions rather mere tasks. By highlighting the importance of contextualization, alternative survey approaches, and a dialogical approach, this research aims to guide company’s in managing customer feedback strategies.