The purpose of this study is to explore the possibilities of using auditory stimulation in order to raise somatic awareness of horse riders while riding using Somaesthetic Appreciation Design as a method. In research of Somaesthetics and horse-human relations, a gap in Somaesthetics is being questioned, and a new dimension is suggested. Somaesthetics in the design of technology often surround the self of a user, and Somaesthetics as described by Shusterman is focused on self development, but many of our experiences are in union to other beings. The suggestion of a new dimension is called Centaur Somaesthetics, and it focuses on the relation and communication between two somas in order to understand and improve oneself.  One example of an experience where the self is dependent to another being is within equestrianism, where the rider is dependent on the horse. Riders, as well as their horses, use their bodies to communicate while riding, meaning that being aware of one's body as a tool for communication is crucial. When horse and rider find harmony within teamwork, the rider may experience a centaur feeling of being one with the horse. This centaur feeling relies on the rider's ability to support and direct the horse, but to do this we need to understand the horse. One of the basics in equestrianism is rhythm and tempo, where a correct rhythm and a consistent tempo in all gaits is desirable as it is a sign of good communication and a well-educated horse. By applying the Somaesthetics principle of raising somatic awareness to understand and improve oneself - this study has explored the possibilities of using audio in combination with the self-tracking application Equilab, using their technology of tracking motion data to determine rhythm and tempo. This has resulted in the concept of using rhythm-adaptive and tempo-flexible music to support the riders to be more aware of their bodies as a tool for communication. The music will present a correct rhythm of the ridden gait as well as it is being played at a consistent tempo of the horse’s natural tempi. While testing a design of the concept called Hear the Centaur, the conclusion of the music having great signs of a heightened somatic awareness was established. No objective data of a more consistent tempo or a more correct rhythm was found, but all riders who participated in the study articulated that they found a great support in the music. All riders found support in the area that they were currently struggling with, and all riders mentioned that the music helped them with their communication to their horse.

This thesis builds on the fields of Participatory Design and Service Design to develop an inquiry into future repair practices: what they could be, how they might be encouraged and what would be their relations with public policies. It presents the concept of a municipal scheme promoting a better use of old electrical and electronic items through the creation of dedicated spaces where items can be repaired, sold or recycled and the granting of credit to be spent on repair services. Through this concept, this thesis presents a reflection on how technological infrastructures, policy instruments and local actors could be combined to encourage new practices. It therefore contributes to the research on Interaction Design and sustainability by arguing that the field can embrace a transdisciplinary perspective to design both infrastructure changes and their technological mediations.

In this project, the intersection between animism and smart things is being explored, with a special focus on gaming chairs. Integrated sensors and actuators become an opportunity to create interactivity and autonomous behaviour which creates illusions of life. Gaming chairs are interesting to explore because it’s a piece of furniture that is often and well used, for longer periods at a time, allowing a space to create a personal relationship between the human user and the chair. With the goal to develop design beyond the current norms of interactions and relationships between the user and belongings in their home this project uses Research Through Design, Speculative Design, Animism and Posthumanism. By transferring insights of visual expressions, capabilities of beloved belongings, familiar interactions and behaviours to a non-living entity combined with technology and smart things as a contributor for animistic expression - this project proposes that it is possible to create an illusion of life and for humans to develop a relationship to a non-human entity. The actuators applied on the conceptual gaming chair affected the participants testing it - the participants seemed to care for the chair and perceived it to be an extension of themselves.

Live streaming has become an increasingly popular form of entertainment, more and more people are trying to enter the live streaming space. Because of this, it becomes more difficult to stand out as a streamer. A recommended way to retain viewers and grow as a streamer is to be interactive during the stream. Kvix, a live streaming platform for health and wellness  noticed a lack of interactivity throughout the streamers on the platform, and wanted to increase the overall interactivity. Part of the issue was narrowed down to the distance between streamers and their streaming device. The objective of this thesis was to evaluate interaction method for live streamers on the Kvix platform, and build a Hi-Fi prototype of a second screen application that could help streamers increase their interactivity. A second screen application could help streamers by providing them with information that could not fit their main streaming device, at the same time as bringing that information closer to the streamer, alleviating their need to constantly approach their streaming device to inspect if something happened on their stream. Research of the second screen theory, streamers current workflow and competition online was conducted. A prototype was created in Figma, an online collaborative interface design tool. The prototype was tested with users as well as the User Experience designer and employees at Kvix, making revisions throughout the testing process, resulting in a Hi-Fi prototype of a mobile application that provided users with features that were well received by both users and employees at Kvix. / Live streaming har blivit en alltmer populär form av underhållning, med fler och fler som försöker att ta sig in i live streaming branchen. Till följd av detta så har det blivit svårare att stå ut som streamer. En rekommendation för att behålla tittare och växa som streamer är att vara interaktiv med sina tittare under streamen. Kvix, en live streaming plattform för hälsa and friskvård noterade en brist i interaktiviteten hos deras streamers och ville att interaktiviteten ska ökas överlag. En del av problemet begränsades till avståndet mellan streamer och deras streaming-enhet. Syftet med denna avhandling var att utvärdera interaktions metoderna tillgängliga till live streamare hos Kvix, och bygga en Hi-Fi prototyp av en mobil applikation som kan hjälpa streamers öka interaktiviteten under streams. En mobil applikation kan hjälpa streamers genom att förse dem med information som ej får plats på deras huvudsakliga streaming-enhet, föra informationen närmare streamern, och ta bort streamerns behov att närma sig deras streaming-enhet för att se det händer på deras stream. Forskning på second screen teorin, streamers nuvarande arbetsflöde och konkurrens online utfördes. En prototyp skapades i Figma som är ett verktyg för design och gränsnitt. Prototypen testades med användare, samt User Experience designern och anställda hos Kvix, där det gjordes korrigeringar under testnings processen. Vilket resulterade i en Hi-Fi prototyp av en mobil applikation som förser användare med funktionalitet som mottogs väl av både användare och anställda hos Kvix.

Quantifying personal information is a rapidly emerging lifestyle that has now extended to tracking non-personal information as well. The Quantified Pet (QP) domain enablespet owners to gain insights in their pet’s behavior and wellbeing. This study investigates how to design a QP application using the User Centered Design Method. To gain understanding in the inner drivers that form the human-pet relationship, five dog owners are interviewed. Three inner drivers that trigger interaction are revealed: habits, love and guilt. By surveying 104 users of existing QP applications, this study examined what motivates users to use a pet activity tracker and what sustains this usage. After performing a thematic analysis on this data, it was found that Activities,interest in activity data, and Health, improving and ensuringthe dog’s health, are dominantly portraited in the results. These themes provide the foundation for the establishment of two personas, of which the Health persona is chosen to be the primary design target. Next to user requirements following from the persona design, a heuristic evaluation is performed on one QP application (FitBark) to provide an additional set of design requirements. From these requirements, a design solution is proposed and evaluated amongst ten participants by means of a task list, semi- structured interview and a questionnaire. This revealed high usability for navigation and successful implementation of most requirements. However, design flaws, in specific of data visualization, and some misunderstanding of informational components remain. Future work proposes an improved design and provides additional suggestions for implementation and examination. / Att kvantifiera personlig information är en starkt växande uppkommande livsstil och har nu även utökats till att följa icke-personlig information. Quantified Pet (QP) domänen möjliggör husdjursägare att få insikter i deras husdjurs beteende och välmående. I denna studie undersöks hur en QP-applikation ska designas genom att använda metoden User Centered Design. För att få förståelse för de innersta drivkrafterna till det som formar relationen mellan människa och husdjur blev fem hundägare intervjuade. Tre innre drivkrafter som triggar interactionen klarlades: vanor, kärlek och skuldkänslor. Genom att studera 104 användare av redan existerande QP-applikationer, denna studie undersökte vad som motiverar användare till att använda en pet activity tracker och vad som upperäthåller ett fortsatt användande. Efter att ha genomfört en tematisk analys av denna data visade det sig att Aktiviteter, intresse av aktivitetsdata, och Hälsa, förbättra och säkerställa hundens hälsa är de mest framträdande i resultaten. Dessa teman bidrar till grunden för etableringen av två personas, där personan för Hälsa är vald som primärt mål för designen. Utöver de användarkrav som uppkommit från personadesignen, har en hueristisk evaluering av en QR-applikation (Fitbark) gjorts för att bidra till ett ytterligare antal designkrav. Utifrån dessa krav föreslås en designlösning som evalueras bland tio deltagare genom en uppdragslista, semistrukturerad intervju och frågeformulär. Detta visade på en hög användbarhet för navigering och en lyckad implementation av de flesta av kraven. Dock existerar fortfarande brister i designen, specifikt för datavisualisering och några missförstånd över informationskomponenter. Framtida arbeten föreslår en förbättrad design och bidrar med ytterligare förslag på implementation och examinering.

This paper presents MusiCushions, a set of interactive sofa cushions used as an interface to music. Built on physical affordances of sofa cushions and e-textile technology, the artefact is used to explore how an e-textile interface can be used for music interaction at home. Challenges in prototyping e-textile interfaces would also be identified. Three cushions are prototyped with off-the-shelf e-textile and electronic components: in one cushion, its case is explored as an interactive surface; another cushion explores the softness and how it can be easily pressed; and the last cushion explores its portability. The set is then mapped to music interaction in two scenarios: as a remote control to a music player and as a musical instrument to control a synthesizer. Evaluation is conducted in two focus group discussions involving students in Media Technology. It is concluded that MusiCushions could be received as a new way to control media such as music player at home, with broader possible use to interact with other services and objects. As a musical instrument, however, it might not be accepted due to the lack of precision control. / Den här studien handlar om MusiCushions, ett set med interaktiva soffkuddar som används som ett gränssnitt för interaktion med musik. De är utvecklade baserat på soffkuddars fysiska affordances och teknologier för e-textil och används för att undersöka hur ett e-textilt gränssnitt kan användas för att interagera med musik i hemmet. Utmaningar som kan komma att uppstå när man utvecklar ett gränssnitt av e-textil är också identifierade. Tre soffkuddar utvecklades med off-the-shelf elektronik och komponenter för e-textil: en kudde undersöker möjligheten att använda dess fodral som en interaktiv yta; en annan undersöker kuddens fysiska egenskaper, att den är mjuk och enkelt kan pressas ihop, medan den tredje är baserad på att den är enkel att flytta runt. Kuddarna är sedan mappade till två olika scenarier där man interagerar med musik: som en kontroll att styra musik med och som ett musikaliskt instrument. Kuddarna är sedan testade i två olika fokusgrupper där studenter från medieteknik deltar. Av denna studie kan slutsatsen dras att MusiCushions kan användas som ett nytt sätt att kontrollera musik på och det finns även möjlighet att integrera dem med andra tjänster och objekt. Däremot är de inte uppskattade som ett musikaliskt instrument, då interaktionen med det textila gränssnittet saknar precision.

The dire state of Cuban internet connectivity has inspired local informal innovations. One such innovation is El Paquete, a weekly distribution of downloaded content spread through an informal network. Taking a postcolonial approach, I investigate through user experiences how this network operates in a resource-poor environment. This investigation articulates a model of El Paquete centered on social interactions, which inform the system’s function but also shape El Paquete’s design and role in society. Based on this model, a set of speculative design exercises probe possibilities to streamline El Paquete’s compilation, involve consumer preferences in its design directions, or act as a disruption tolerant network. In uncovering the technical possibilities of El Paquete, these designs illuminate how its current design serves Cuban communities by embodying realities and limitations of Cuban society. El Paquete’s embodiment of informal innovation serves as a call to designers to continuously rethink development design processes, centering communities and their knowledge and technical practices. / Det kritiska tillståndet för den kubanska internetanslutningen har inspirerat flertalet informella lokala innovationer. Ett exempel på en sådan innovation är El Paquete, vars lösning går ut på distribution av nedladdat innehåll som sprids veckovis genom ett informellt nätverk. Jag har undersökt hur detta nätverk fungerar i en resursfattig miljö genom att undersöka användarupplevelser ur ett postkolonialt perspektiv. I denna undersökning framförs en modell av El Paquete som inriktas på sociala interaktioner, vilket utgör systemets funktioner men som också formar El Paquete’s design och samhällsroll. Baserat på denna modell undersöks möjligheterna till att effektivisera El Paquete’s sammanställning, genom ett antal olika spekulativa designövningar som inkluderar konsumentpreferenser i designinriktning, eller som ett avbrottstolerant nätverk. Dessa designer belyser hur dagens tekniska möjligheter med El Paquete är till nytta för kubanska samhällen genom förkroppsligandet av deras verklighet och begränsningar. El Paquete’s förkroppsligande av informell innovation fungerar som en uppmaning till designers att kontinuerligt ompröva utvecklingen av designprocesser som fokuserar på samhällets kunskap och tekniska praxis.

Numerous facets of society have undergone major change as a result of the quick development of technology. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has established itself as a particularly remarkable and controversial breakthrough among the countless technical advancements, and is influencing numerous different industries. Given its transformational potential, it is critical to investigate how AI is affecting the digital design profession. The research aims to discover how the digital design profession is influenced by the adoption of AI from the perspectives of industry professionals. Thus, the research explores factors such as current knowledge and usage of AI, experience with significant changes in work practices, and attitudes towards the use of AI-tools. This study is being conducted using a qualitative research methodology. Interviews with relevant designers working in the sector and literature reviews are part of the process. Important information is gathered during these interviews, which is then analysed. The major goals of the interviews are to understand the participants' perspectives on the matter, learn about their AI experiences, and determine how AI isaffecting their work practices. The study sheds light on the overall attitudes regarding AI, encompassing expectations and concerns, by assessing the manner in which AI is used in creative processes. The research's conclusions show that different respondents have various viewpoints and awareness about AI. Regardless of designers' explicit acknowledgement, AI has already found its way into different design processes and tools. As a result, it can be said that AI has had an more or less impact on the digital design industry and certain fields of work practices. However, depending on the various roles and tasks involved, various implications apply. While the majority of professionals exhibit a strong desire to explore and utilize AI, naturally occurring scepticism and a lack of knowledge might prevent its general acceptance and adoption.

In recent years, the use of video games has increased worldwide. A variety of industries such as business and education have taken a great interest in this phenomenon by applying game elements in a non-game context with the goal to increase users motivation. However, there are still areas where the use of Gamification is yet to be explored. One of these areas is Gamification applied to statistics, where there is a limited amount of research. Research suggests that statistics can be difficult for people to interpret, especially when there is a lack of interest involved. Therefore this study examined if Gamification could be used to to influence the user experience when presenting data in a dashboard. The user centered design method double diamond was used to create two prototypes, one with gamification and one without. These prototypes were compared through A/B testing, where the gamified prototype proved to be the winner, resulting in that gamification did have an positive impact of the user experience when presenting data in a dashboard. The resulting prototype proposes a way of how gamification can be applied when presenting data in a dashboard.

Planning and estimating are important parts of Agile methodologies. Estimating aproject or sprint backlog for Agile teams is often quite challenging but there are many benefits of doing accurate estimations. Teams do not want to spend too much time esti-mating backlog items and are usually doing this by adopting methods such as planning poker. To estimate the size of the sprint backlog, the amount of work required for eachitem needs to be set, and also what pace the team is working with (Velocity) must betaken into consideration. This thesis is about finding guidelines for developing a tool toassist with sprint planning and to ease planning decisions such as how much work shouldbe included in each sprint and what kind of metrics should be visualized for influencingthe Scrum team and to increase team efficiency. The planning tool was evaluated byconducting user studies and collecting data from several sprints across different Scrumteams. The conducted user studies show that many teams did become more efficient byusing the planning tool. Although more extensive research would have to be made tofurther support this claim.