Design probes are a User-centered Design method with focus on close involvement of users in design. This is done by creating a package of artefacts that participants can complete wherever and whenever the individual sees fit. Further, children are a user group that differentiate from other user groups having other needs and attributes within design. This study investigated how design probes motivate children in the design process. A focus of the study is also to compare the applicability of thematic and non-thematic design probes with children.  The study was conducted with a qualitative approach where the empirical data was in the shape of four different design probes that were created and tested by students from Linköping University from the program of Design and Product Development. The tests they carried out were performed on children at the age of 10 to 13. Data analysis were made through coding and thematic analysis.  The study concludes that design probes is an adequate method for designing with children. Although, there are additional challenges in terms of playfulness, motivation, language, rewards, time-sense, creativity, influences and reflection. If design probes with children are managed correctly, they will yield results of great value to design. Also, having a theme in the design probe might help to motivate children. Although, themes are no guarantee for success since it will not solve challenges that are independent of themes. Keywords: Design probe, children, designing with children, User-centered Design, motivation

Title: Designing Communication for Dialogue and Engagement Authors: Christopher Bradson & Sofia Amanuel Level: Master Thesis, 30p  Keywords: Dialogue, Communication Design, Stakeholder engagement, Stakeholder communication, CSR communication.  Background: The changed attitudes about the role of business in today's contemporary society alongside with globalization and the evolved media-information environment has enlarged the pressures on businesses in regards to how they should pursue profitability, while responding to demands about accountability that is motivated beyond financial gain. There is a need for a better understanding about communication choices and how these are perceived by intended stakeholders, in order to accelerate effective communication that initiates stakeholder engagement. Research Questions:(1)How is Volkswagens communication design constructed in creating dialogue and engagement after a corporate scandal with its customers? (2)How does Swedish Volkswagen customers, in attribute of being external stakeholders, perceive the opportunities for engagement based on the four selected Volkswagen tools? What challenges does Volkswagen encounter when trying to create dialogue through these tools? Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to examine how Volkswagen is creating opportunities for stakeholder dialogue and engagement through the theoretical perspective of communication design. By engagement we mean one-way or two-way communication, where stakeholders seek out or take part of communicative messages provided by the organisation.The study aims to examine how Volkswagen has designed their communication efforts, after being subjected to a global corporate scandal which proposed public demands for accountability and responsibility. Theoretical Framework: The framework consists of Communication theories, giving considerable space to literature from theorists Aakhus and Bzdak whom developed the framework for communication design used in this study. Additionally, the framework includes a smaller selection of CSR, Public Relation, and Media research focusing on stakeholder engagement.  Method: We have taken two parallel methodological pathways. The first method involved applying for elements provided by Aakhus and Bzdak framework for reconstructive design, while doing a thematic analysis on the media texts provided by the tools. The second research question was examined by conducting semi-structured interviews with Swedish Volkswagen stakeholders in order to gain a deeper understanding if Volkswagens communicative instruments were enabling engagement.   Findings & Conclusions: Our study concludes that Volkswagen is showcasing constructs in their design that aims to reduce scepticism among stakeholders, addressing important issues for stakeholders, providing solutions and articulating progress in multi-stake issues. Wealso conclude that Volkswagens communication messages are conveyed in a calculated way, with a persuasive nature to create an identity of being a ‘corporate good citizen’.There is a complexity in terms of diminishing scepticism, since stakeholders are being more demanding in today's society, particularly after a corporate scandal such as the one Volkswagen has been subjected to. Stakeholders are becoming more aware that companies are dictating the dialogic discourse, which affects the communication design in what motives a company incorporates in their communication. We conclude that customers felt that the opportunities to engage with the company was fairly low, and highly depended on how they where processing the nature of the messages (intrinsic/extrinsic),as well as how they defined engagement from personal beliefs and values.

As waste is separated at the source, the success of the Swedish recycling system largely depends on an active participation of households. However, especially young people were found to not consistently follow their local recycling schemes. A recent and promising approach to tackle such suboptimal household recycling behaviour (HRB) is the use of persuasive technology. To understand and further its context-specific potential, this research aims to explore the key elements of persuasive technology which aspires to promote sustainable household recycling behaviour among adults in Sweden. The chosen methodology is research through design. Based on the results of a literature review and online survey among target users (N=50), a mobile phone application was designed in an iterative manner. Through these activities, the following key elements were established: (1) easy access to information about optimal household recycling behaviour, (2) employment of several motivational strategies, (3) recognition of differences between local recycling schemes, (4) regard of users as equals and (5) use of a readily accessible technology channel. The impact of these elements depends on the users’ ability to carry out the target behaviour and therefore on a well-functioning recycling system. The technological format of persuasive technology interventions was found to spark the target users’ curiosity. Using this as a ‘carrot’, a well-designed content is argued to encourage repeated use and a reflection process to help break unsustainable household recycling habits. / Eftersom avfall separeras vid dess källa, beror Sveriges återvinningssystems framgång i stor utsträckning på aktivt deltagande hushåll. Studier har visat att särskilt unga inte följer lokala återvinningsrutiner på ett konsekvent sätt. Ett nytt och lovande tillvägagångssätt för att hantera detta suboptimala hushållsåtervinningsbeteende (English: household recycling behaviour (HRB)) är användningen av övertygande teknik. Syftet med denna studie är att utforska de viktigaste delarna av övertygande teknik som strävar till att främja ett hållbart hushållsåtervinningsbeteende hos vuxna i Sverige. Den valda metodiken är forskningsdriven design. Baserat på resultat från en litteraturstudie samt en online enkätundersökning fokuserad på målgruppen unga (N=50), designades en mobilapplikation genom ett iterativt tillvägagångssätt. Studien identifierade följande nyckelelement för en övertygande design i domänen: (1) Lättillgänglig information angående optimalt hushållsåtervinningsbeteende, (2) Användning av flera motivationsstrategier, (3) Identifiering av skillnader mellan lokala återvinningsrutiner, (4) Betrakta användare som jämställda och (5) Användning av lättillgänglig teknikkanal. Effekterna av dessa element är beroende av att användarna även har möjlighet att utföra den önskade sopsorteringen, och därför på ett välfungerande återvinningssystem. Designlösningen att använda sig av övertygande teknik i form av en app visade sig väcka målanvändarnas nyfikenhet. Studien visar att en väldesignad app kan fungera som en 'morot' för att uppmuntra användning över en längre tid, och skapa en reflektionsprocess som kan bryta ohållbara återvinningsvanor.

In 2015, the Narrative model was created as a result of a study exploring how episodic games keep player’s interests through combining narrative and gameplay. In this thesis, the Narrative model is used as a framework for designing a language game for children to see whether that makes players more inclined to keep playing than a game not designed based on the model. Two games were created and evaluated in a within subject controlled experiment. Player enjoyment was measured by using GameFlow as a basis for interview questions and Likert scales. The results indicated that the game based on the model more successfully achieved GameFlow than the game that was not. As such, it was concluded that the model can be used as a tool for game design to increase the desire to keep playing a game, but that it needs further study to be validated.

The current case study served to investigate roles, uses, attitudes, and future implications of a collaborative artificial intelligence system [CAIS] at a user experience and service design firm. Due to the shortage in the body of literature for human machine co-creative collaboration, this study obliged in expanding on it from a qualitative and conceptual level. Findings from a thematic analysis on design practitioners, indicated three main themes: Attitudes, Attributes, and Awareness. Main findings indicate that negative attitudes affect how much autonomy is ascribed to CAIS; There is a lack of actuating design with this type of technology, partly due to lack of knowledge but also a central authority in the community; CAIS is perceived to foster creativity, but not truly collaboratively; Finally, ethical considerations towards designing with such intelligent systems are discussed both regarding the designer and the design process, but also towards the end-user.

Dagens omvärldsförhållanden ger oss nya förutsättningar till kontinuerligt förändringsarbete. Nyckeln till ett lyckat förändringsarbete är att anpassa verksamheten efter de nya förutsättningarna där förändringar ses som möjligheter istället för risker. En kontinuerlig strävan efter förbättring i kombination med vilja kan skapa ytterligare tillfällen för kvalitetsutveckling. Anticimex är ett internationellt serviceföretag som arbetar med skadedjurskontroll, fuktkontroll, matsäkerhet, brandskydd och husbesiktningar. Kundtjänstavdelningen på kontoret i Sollentuna lyfter att företaget idag lider av en internt bristande kommunikation. Syftet med examensarbetet är att fokusera på grundorsaker till den bristande kommunikationen samt hur berörda moment kan effektiviseras. Utifrån ett kvalitetsmässigt perspektiv kommer studien att redogöra förbättrings-och implementeringsförslag rörande det bristande problemområdet. Utförd fallstudie har genomförts tillsammans med samtliga medarbetare inom kundtjänstavdelningen som respondenter. Utefter respondenternas utsagor har teori som berör offensiv kvalitetsutveckling, kommunikation, förändringsarbete samt motivation redogjorts för att utveckla analysens innebörd. Resultatet visar på att det överväldigande informationsflödet beror på lednings sätt att förmedla ut informationvia intranätet som även är kopplat till forum och mail. Intranätets överväldigande informationsflöde i samband med en otydlig struktur bidrar även till att information går miste där väsentliga förändringar kan påverka medarbetarnas arbetsuppgifter samt kundernas upplevelse. Fallstudiens slutsats är att Anticimex är i behov av en förändring rörande intranätets utformande. Att avgränsa informationsutskick till enbart de parter som berörs kan skapa en större tydlighet för medarbetarna på kontoret. En bra igångsättande tackling på problemet kan även vara att införa avdelningsmöten på lokalnivå. Anställda inom kundtjänstavdelningen kan då gemensamt diskutera frågor rörande otydligheter eller förändringar där informationsflödet blir tydligare. För en helhetslösning krävs åtgärder på ledningsnivå rörande intranätets utformande med ett mer avgränsat utskick. / Today’s market condition gives us new opportunities for continuous change. The key to successful change is to adapt the business to the new conditions, where change is seen as opportunities instead of risks. A continuous pursuit of improvement in combination with will can create additional facilities regarding quality development. Anticimex is an international service company that handles pest controls, food safety, fire protection, house inspections etc. The customer service department in Sollentuna, north of Stockholm, emphasizes that the company today suffer from an internal communication failure. The purpose of the thesis of this work is to focus on root causes of the communication failure and how relevant elements can be streamlined. Based on a quality perspective, the case study will describe improvement and implementation proposals regarding the described problem area. Performed case study has been carried out together with all the employees at the customer service department as respondents. Follow the respondents’ statements, theory related to offensive quality management, communication, improvement work and motivation have been reported to develop the meaning of the thesis analysis. The results show that the overwhelming flow of information depends management’s way of communicating information mainly through the intranet which is connected to internal forums and mail. The intrinsic structure of the intranet also contributes to the loss of important information, where significant changes can affect employees’ duties and the overall customer satisfaction. The case study concludes that Anticimex is in need of change regarding the overwhelming information flow in connection with the intranet’s design. To delimit the information sent to only the parties concerned can create greater perspicuity for employees in the customer service department in Sollentuna. A good start to the problem may also be to introduce departmental meetings at local level. Employees in the customer service section can then jointly discuss issues related to ambiguities or change in which information becomes clearer. For a complete solution, it is suggested to introduce a change on management-level where the information is delimited or the intranet is restructured.

Digital fabrication technologies such as 3D printing is predicted to have a significant impact on our future society. However, the complexity of current 3D modelling softwares  risk deterring novices from engaging with the technology. In this thesis, a series of workshops were conducted to explore the implications for novices to create models out of tangible materials such as clay, paper and LEGO, that were then scanned and printed with a 3D printer. The results show that while the tangible materials create engaging opportunities for novices to engage with digital fabrication technologies such as 3D printing, the materials also provide limitations and constraints depending on their physical properties.

This research paper investigates the language that is used by upper secondary students both in gaming and in school related situations. The overarching aim is to compare the language that students in upper secondary school use during online gaming and in classroom situations and how one influences the other and what attitudes students have regarding spoken English during online gaming and in the classroom. A questionnaire was used to gather information about the students’ gamer habits and how they perceive the connection between online games and second language learning. The results provided by the questionnaire showed that there is a positive attitude among the students regarding how online games can provide opportunities for expansion of a second language vocabulary. Many of the students felt that the online sphere provided a more secure and more accessible setting for learning than what their school could give them. It also showed that second language learning through online gaming is possible, but at the same that the language provided through online games has limited use in for example a school environment. Words and phrases that the students have picked up from online gaming are in many cases not useful outside of the speech community of gamers. Therefore, the conclusion that was made was that online gaming is a large part of many students’ second language learning and that many students feel that is a more accessible way to learn a second language. Therefore, a didactic implication is that it is important that teachers start to include online gaming language in their education.

Humans were made to move. Many hours in front of a screen leads to stiff bodies and a diminished bodily awareness. The aim of this project was to explore how technology can serve to increase our body awareness and adapt to our physical conditions in everyday life with focus on office spaces. The study is explorative with a user-centered approach and a focus on embodied prototyping, where the user is a subject of design. Data was collected with recordings, interviews, and workshops. Reflexion-on-action, prototyping and iterations lead to the final outcome. The final concept is a wearable that encourage people to move and stretch out more often and spontaneously throughout the day. It does so by vibration patterns along your spine and shoulders. The idea of this concepts is to make people move often and regularly during the day; to react spontaneously to a reminder from the body, mediated by the vibrations. The system is thought to be self-awarding; if it feels good to stretch out, to extend the arms, to move – then you will want to do it again.

Remotely-controlled technologies are no longer limited to military applications, such as unmanned military airborne weapons or explosive diffuser robots. Nowadays we can see more and more of remotely controlled devices used as medical equipment, toys, and so forth. One of the most recent areas of interest is robotic telepresence, also known as Mobile Robot Presence (MRP), which provides the ability to interact socially and professionally with other people and even objects in remote locations. One of the known issues with using remotely-controlled devices is the cognitive overload which their operators (pilots) experience and MRP pilots are no exception. However, despite vast research on different ways to address this in military or medical scenarios, little has been done regarding MRPs. This thesis study aims to make a contribution in closing that gap by suggesting a method, developing a prototype implementing it; then conducting an empirical assessment of the method and the prototype as a part of a broader study on MRP, supported by Swedish Research Council. I have suggested a method comprised of a Secondary-task (ST) method and Subjective Rating Scales (SRS), in which the latter act as an evaluation method for the former. Both of them were used in an overarching study in search for the best control device amongst four chosen devices. I collected and analyzed secondary task performance data (e.g. response time, error rates), subjective user ratings, explicit rankings, and observations recordings. My analysis of the collected data shows that using a monitoring and response face recognition secondary task is a plausible method for the assessment of MRP pilot’s cognitive load.