Context-aware computing utilizes information about users and/or their environments in order to provide relevant information and services. To date, however, most context-aware applications only take advantage of contexts that can either be produced on the device they are running on, or on external devices that are known beforehand. While there are many application domains where sharing context is useful and/or necessary, creating these applications is currently difficult because there is no easy way for devices to share information without 1) explicitly directing them to do so, or 2) through some form of advanced user coordination (e.g., sharing credentials and/or IP addresses, installing and running the same software). This makes these techniques useful when the need to share context is known a priori, but impractical for the one time, opportunistic encounters which make up the majority of users’ lives. To address this problem, this thesis presents the Group Context Framework (GCF), a software framework that allows devices to form groups and share context with minimal prior coordination. GCF lets devices openly discover and request context from each other. The framework then lets devices intelligently and autonomously forms opportunistic groups and work together without requiring either the application developer or the user to know of these devices beforehand. GCF supports use cases where devices only need to share information once or spontaneously. Additionally, the framework provides standardized mechanisms for applications to collect, store, and share context. This lets devices form groups and work together, even when they are performing logically separate tasks (i.e., running different applications). Through the development of GCF, this thesis identifies the conceptual and software abstractions needed to support opportunistic groups in context-aware applications. As part of our design process, we looked at current contextsharing applications, systems, and frameworks, and developed a conceptual model that identifies the most common conditions that cause users/devices to form a group. We then created a framework that supports grouping across this entire model. Through the creation of four prototype systems, we show how the ability to form opportunistic groups of devices can increase users and devices’ access to timely information and services. Finally, we had 20 developers evaluate GCF, and verified that the framework supports a wide range of existing and novel use cases. Collectively, this thesis demonstrates the utility of opportunistic groups in context-aware computing, and highlights the critical challenges that need to be addressed to make opportunistic context sharing both practical and usable in real-world settings. The contributions of this thesis are: 1. A conceptual model, based on an analysis of prior literature, which describes the conditions under which users and/or devices form and work in groups. 2. An implementation of the Group Context Framework, which highlights the software abstractions and architecture needed to support all of the group types identified in our conceptual model. 3. A demonstration of the value of opportunistic groups in context aware computing, through the creation of four major systems and numerous smaller applications. 4. A validation of GCF’s robustness, through an examination of 65 ideas submitted by 20 developers. 5. An examination of the challenges associated with utilizing opportunistic groups in context-aware applications, based on our own experiences using GCF, as well as from issues raised by developers from academia and industry.

Social media platforms have proliferated rapidly, altering societal norms of communication. Whilst a number of studies (Treem & Leonardi, 2012; Leonardi, 2014; Koch, Gonzalez & Leidner, 2013) have shed light on the implications of social media use for firms, there remains a limited understanding of how firms interpret and implement social media. This thesis seeks to address the gap by exploring the psycho-sociological processes underpinning social media use in small firms. Data was collected during a qualitative study of social media use in 31 organizations in the United Kingdom (UK) and interpreted using concepts from Swidlers (1986) cultural toolkit framework. This thesis contributes insights about the wide variety of resources required to participate in the networked society (Harris, Rae & Misner, 2012) using social media platforms. Previous studies have suggested that interpretations play an important role in social media use (i.e. Treem & Leonardi s affordances, 2012) but have failed to explicate how interpretations of social media are formed. This study found that respondents drew on a wide variety of cultural tools (Swidler, 1986) in order to interpret and operate their social media accounts. These included their embodied skills, habits and styles as well as resources that were available through their social networks. The study found that the respondents interpretation of social media as a low risk and highly uncertain endeavour prompted their experimentation with various combinations of cultural tools as attempts were made to overcome the common challenges of social media use (i.e. finding time for social media, knowing what to post on social media). One such challenge related to the marked difference between social media interactions and face-to-face encounters. The findings are used to extend Goffman s notion of situation-like encounters (1979). It is contended that social media provide a rich example of a situation-like context.

Energy utilization issues are becoming increasingly important around the world. Existing residential and building service sectors represent a large part of total energy utilization, and the corresponding operational costs and environmental impacts are high. Retrofitting is considered an effective way to accelerate the sustainable transformation of the existing building stock. In Sweden, 1945–1975 was a boom period for the construction of residential buildings. After 40–70 years of use, large contingents of buildings need to be systematically retrofitted. In the past, most Swedish buildings were retrofitted individually, and occasionally in small clusters. Cost-effective retrofitting for large-scale implementation has not yet been substantially attained. Standardizing and industrializing the retrofitting process is expected to produce the following benefits: availability of standardized toolkits based on building typologies; simplified and more efficient decision-making process; lower retrofitting costs; shorter project durations; greater resource-efficiency; lower environmental impact; and higher profitability.The overall aim of the present study is to contribute to the knowledge regarding industrialized retrofitting toolkits in Swedish residential buildings and evaluate the various toolkits. More specifically, the study aims to analyze the energy demand saving potential of different retrofitting measures and long-term profits based on the typology of residential buildings. Based on a systematic set of building properties and classification of existing residential types in Sweden, four slab houses (lamellhus) were selected as the major sub-types of building stock for the demonstration cases. The case buildings were constructed between 1945 and 1975 and are currently used as single-family houses, multi-family houses, or apartment blocks. The main approaches applied to model the retrofitting profits were Consolis Energy +, parametric-based sensitivity analysis, and life-cycle-based economic assessment.Based on the theoretical modeling and analytical results from the case studies, it was found that the energy-saving potential is strongly dominated by the building type, which affects the design of retrofitting toolkits and defines life cycle costs. The results show that improving the efficiency of heat recovery in exhaust ventilation systems is an effective retrofitting measure for energy demand savings in the studied building types. However, the efficiency of other measures is highly dependent on the typology of the buildings. From an economic perspective, toolkits that include all of the possible retrofitting measures may not lead to larger expected reduction in LCC compared to standard retrofits that only include the most sensitive parameters. In addition, the impacts of energy price changes to the LCC in the future are highly diverse in different types of residential buildings. Developing systematic retrofitting guidelines for Swedish residential buildings requires both further research and a close collaboration between all stakeholders involved in the retrofitting process. / <p>QC 20131118</p>

We test our hypotheses on 186 participants designing their own scarves with an MC toolkit. After completing the process, they submitted binding bids for "their" products in Vickrey auctions. We therefore observe real buying behavior, not merely stated intentions. We find that the subjective value of a self-designed product (i.e., one's bid in the course of the auction) is indeed not only impacted by the preference fit the customer expects it to deliver, but also by (1) the process enjoyment the customer reports, (2) the interaction of preference fit and process enjoyment, and (3) the interaction of preference fit and perceived process effort. In addition to its main effect, we interpret preference fit as a moderator of the valuegenerating effect of process evaluation: In cases where the outcome of the process is perceived as positive (high preference fit), the customer also interprets process effort as a positive accomplishment, and this positive affect adds (further) value to the product. It appears that the perception of the self-design process as a good or bad experience is partly constructed on the basis of the outcome of the process. In the opposite case (low preference fit), effort creates a negative affect which further reduces the subjective value of the product. Likewise, process enjoyment is amplified by preference fit, although enjoyment also has a significant main effect, which means that regardless of the outcome, customers attribute higher value to a self-designed product if they enjoy the process. The importance of the self-design process found in this study bears clear relevance for companies which offer or plan to offer MC systems. It is not sufficient to design MC toolkits in such a way that they allow customers to design products according to their preferences. The affect caused by this process is also highly important. Toolkits should therefore stimulate positive affective reactions and at the same time keep negative affect to a minimum. (authors' abstract)

Abstract: Title: An It consulting company and its relationship with customers Level: C-examination Bachelor’s degree in innovation, design and technology. IDT, 15hp. VT 17th Authors: Jonatan Clemens &amp; Staffan Hjalmarsson Handler: Anette Strömberg Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate how a major company meets the users and their needs as well as where and how the interaction with the user is done. Suggestions for areas of change are proposed in connection with the completion of the study. Research questions: -How does a consulting firm work with customers/users? -Are their work methods similar to what is described as successful in research on customer involvement? -Can work processes be improved? Method: The authors have used the qualitative method that has been developed as oral semi-structured interviews. The study is based much on hermeneutic form which means that one summarizes his own interpretations to get a deeper understanding. Conclusion: A conjunction and analysis of theoretical areas dealt with and empirical information led to the conclusion that there are indications that the company largely do not work according to established research the paper deals with. Assignment purpose: The essay should mainly have contributed to a deeper understanding on the subject of customer relations and should contribute beneficial information for a consulting firm regarding their client work. / Sammanfattning: Titel: Ett IT-konsultföretag och dess relation till kunder Nivå: C-uppsats: Examensarbete för kandidatexamen i innovationsteknik 15.0 hp. VT 17. Författarna: Jonatan Clemens &amp; Staffan Hjalmarsson Handledare: Anette Strömberg Datum: 2016-11-07 - 2017-01-12 Syfte: Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur ett större företag möter användare och deras behov samt var och hur interaktion med dessa användare sker. Förslag på förändringsområden föreslås i samband med fullföljd studie. Forskningsfrågor: -Hur arbetar ett konsultföretag med kunder/användare? -Liknar deras arbetssätt vad som beskrivs som framgångsrikt i forskning om kundinvolvering? -Kan arbetsprocesserna förbättras? Metod: Författarna har använt sig av en kvalitativ metod som tagits fram i form av muntliga semistrukturerade intervjuer. Studien Bygger mycket på hermeneutisk form som innebär att man sammanfattar sina egna tolkningar för att få en djupare förståelse. Resultat: En sammanvägning och analys av genomgångna teoretiska områden och empiri gav slutsatsen att det finns indikationer på att företaget till stor del inte arbetar efter etablerad forskning uppsatsen behandlar. Uppsatsens bidrag: Uppsatsen har framförallt bidragit till en djupare förståelse kring ämnet kundrelationer samt ska bidra med fördelaktig information för konsultföretaget gällande deras arbete.

The large and ever-increasing amounts of multi-dimensional, multivariate, multi-source, spatio-temporal data represent a major challenge for the future. The need to analyse and make decisions based on these data streams, often in time-critical situations, demands integrated, automatic and sophisticated interactive tools that aid the user to manage, process, visualize and interact with large data spaces. The rise of `Web 2.0', which is undisputedly linked with developments such as blogs, wikis and social networking, and the internet usage explosion in the last decade represent another challenge for adapting these tools to the Internet to reach a broader user community. In this context, the research presented in this thesis introduces an effective web-enabled geovisual analytics framework implemented, applied and verified in Adobe Flash ActionScript and HTML5/JavaScript. It has been developed based on the principles behind Visual Analytics and designed to significantly reduce the time and effort needed to develop customized web-enabled applications for geovisual analytics tasks and to bring the benefits of visual analytics to the public. The framework has been developed based on a component architecture and includes a wide range of visualization techniques enhanced with various interaction techniques and interactive features to support better data exploration and analysis. The importance of multiple coordinated and linked views is emphasized and a number of effective techniques for linking views are introduced. Research has so far focused more on tools that explore and present data while tools that support capturing and sharing gained insight have not received the same attention. Therefore, this is one of the focuses of the research presented in this thesis. A snapshot technique is introduced, which supports capturing discoveries made during the exploratory data analysis process and can be used for sharing gained knowledge. The thesis also presents a number of applications developed to verify the usability and the overall performance of the framework for the visualization, exploration and analysis of data in different domains. Four application scenarios are presented introducing (1) the synergies among information visualization methods, geovisualization methods and volume data visualization methods for the exploration and correlation of spatio-temporal ocean data, (2) effective techniques for the visualization, exploration and analysis of self-organizing network data, (3) effective flow visualization techniques applied to the analysis of time-varying spatial interaction data such as migration data, commuting data and trade flow data, and (4) effective techniques for the visualization, exploration and analysis of flood data.

The primary argument in favor of mass customization is the delivery of superior customer value. Using willingness-to-pay (WTP) measurements, Franke & Piller (2004) have recently shown that customers designing their own watches with design toolkits are willing to pay premiums of more than 100% (DWTP). In the course of three studies, we found that this type of value increment is not a singular occurrence but might rather be a general phenomenon, as we again found average DWTPs of more than 100% among customers designing their own cell phone covers, T-shirts, and scarves. Building on this, we discuss the sources of benefits that are likely to explain this tremendous value increment. We argue that compared to conventional standard products, a mass-customized product might render the following utilitarian and hedonic benefits: (1) First, the output might be beneficial as self-designed products offer a much closer fit between individual needs and product characteristics. In addition to this mere functional benefit, extra value might also stem from (2) the perceived uniqueness of the self-designed product. As the customer takes on the role of an active codesigner, there may also be two general 'do-it-yourself effects': (3) First, the process of designing per se is likely to allow the customer to meet hedonic or experiential needs (process benefit). (4) Customers may also be likely to value the output of self-design more highly if they take pride in having created something on their own (instead of traditionally buying something created by somebody else). This is referred to as the 'pride of authorship' effect. (author's abstract)

UX designers define digital products that shape our modern world. They are at the very beginning of product development and can directly influence the impact the products generate. However, little attention is paid to sustainability values in day-to-day business, which has a counterproductive effect on all dimensions of sustainable development. This thesis explores how a digital co-design toolkit can help UX design (UXD) practitioners find ways to integrate sustainable values into their daily work. Thematically, this project focuses on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). On the one hand, to ensure a holistic point of view on the topic of sustainable development. On the other hand, to provide an approach to contribute to the SDGs from the UXD field. This research builds upon Sustainable Interaction Design (SID) theories, and a participatory design approach is pursued using a co-design process. The result of this work is a digital toolkit, which is designed for a collaborative online whiteboard platform for UX practitioners. The thesis contributes knowledge to the field of Interaction Design by proposing a toolkit for sustainable UX design.

Au cours de la dernière décennie, les technologies de l'information et de la communication intégrées aux produits de consommation ont considérablement modifié la nature de leurs usages. Réactives, les entreprises se sont emparées de ces nouvelles technologies et proposent aux consommateurs de customiser leurs produits quotidiens après achat. J’ai intitulé cette approche "Smart Customization", dans ma thèse. L´idée étant que, pour qu'une telle customisation "intelligente" ait lieu, il faut intégrer directement des boîtes à outils intelligentes (ou smart UTCD) dans nos produits de consommation. Ces boites à outils intelligentes sont ensuite destinées à guider les consommateurs dans le procédé de customisation de leurs objets. Actuellement, il n’y a pas véritablement de recherche académique alors que, au contraire, la presse industrielle évoque la smart customization comme une opportunité à exploiter. Il semble pourtant essentiel, d'identifier les facteurs de succès de ces nouvelles offres de customisation, notamment, en adoptant le point de vue du consommateur sur l´élément principal Smart UTCD. C´est ce qui a déterminé l´objectif de ma thèse. Via une étude d´acceptante technologique dans le papier 1, un choice-based conjoint analysis dans l’article 2 et une exploration des mécanismes de co-conception qui ont lieu entre le consommateur et l´outil de conception « smart UTCD », je participe à la recherche sur la smart customisation. / In the last decade, our products have been more and more equipped with information and communication technology (ICT), which has modified the nature of their applications greatly. Notably, firms find finally a mean to empower customers to customize their products after purchase. One talks about “Smart Customization”. For such “smart” customization to happen, the idea is to embed directly smart user toolkits for co-design (smart UTCD) into our consumer products. That said, while in the business press, they largely view smart customization as an opportunity to be tapped, in contrast, research is hardly focused on it. Notably, it appears essential to identify factors of customer - based success of such novel customization offers. Thereby, in paper I, I adapt and test a technology acceptance model to smart UTCD. In paper II, I realize a choice based conjoint analysis on smart UTCD. In article III, I expose a theoretical framework for use generation and apply it one the two existing types of smart UTCD. With my findings, I contribute to theory by adding to our limited understanding of the smart UTCD acceptance, providing in-depth knowledge on the customer´s choice process on the smart UTCD´ design features and by opening the black box on the co-design mechanisms that occur between customers - smart UTCD. Additionally, the findings of my three article that compose my dissertation permit firms to be provided with some measures on how to design smart customization offers that fit better the target customers.

Human Computer Interaction (HCI) is a fascinating research field because of its multidisciplinary nature, combining such diverse research domains as design, human factors and computer science as well as a variety of methods including empirical and theoretical research. HCI is also fascinating because it is still young and so much is left to discover, invent and understand. The evolution of computers, and more generally of interactive systems, is not frozen, and so are the ways in which we interact with them. From desktop computers, to mobile devices, to large displays or multi-surface environments, technology extends the possibles, needs initiate technologies, and HCI is thus a constantly moving field. The variety of challenges to address, as well as their underlying combinations of sub-domains (design, computer science, experimental psychology, sociology, etc.), imply that we should also adapt, question and sometimes reinvent our research methods and processes, pushing the limits of HCI research further. Since I entered the field 12 years ago, my research activities have essentially revolved around two main themes: the design, implementation and evaluation of novel interaction techniques (on desktop computers, mobile devices and multi- surface environments) and the engineering of interactive systems (models and toolkits for advanced input and interaction). Over time, I realized that I had entered a loop between these two concerns, going back and forth between design- ing and evaluating new interaction techniques, and defining and implementing new software architectures or toolkits. I observed that they strongly influence each other: The design of interaction techniques informs on the capabilities and limitations of the platform and the software being used, and new architectures and software tools open the way to new designs and possibilities. Through the discussion of several of my research contributions in these fields, this document investigates how interaction design challenges technology, and how technology - or engineering of interactive systems - could support and unleash interaction design. These observations will lead to a first definition of the "Designeering Interaction" conceptual framework that encompasses the specificities of these two fields and builds a bridge between them, paving the way to new research perspectives. In particular, I will discuss which types of tools, from the system level to the end user, should be designed, implemented and studied in order to better support interaction design along the evolution of interactive systems. At a more general level, Designeering Interaction is also a contribution that, I hope, will help better "understand how HCI works with technology".