Adopting the perspective of the traveller, this thesis examines how travel plans are actually made in the everyday situation and how information is used and drawn on when planning the many, often unremarkable, trips of ordinary urban life. Ethnographical field studies in southern Stockholm, Sweden, employing a practice theory perspective showed that people use a vast mixture of different types of information when planning and making trips. Therefore, the concept of travel information should be defined broadly enough to encompass informal, formal, analogue and digital types of travel information. Then, and only then, is it possible to perceive the interactions between these and see their potential as a change factor for sustainable city travel. In relation to this, situations when travel information was not used, were also identified in the qualitative data and are acknowledged and discussed in the thesis. Travel planning is in everyday practice undertaken little by little, squeezed in between other activities of daily life. It is a process more extended in time, space and content than the limited search for information about the best way to get from A to B, assumed and facilitated in many existing travel information services. Travel planning is closely connected to the overall scheduling of activities (planning of life) and thus spans much larger time frames than the single trip. Planning travel also includes consideration of issues such as preparations needed (things to be done before departure/brought on the trip); managing vehicles and equipment in time and space (getting the bicycle/car home again or safely parked); the weather (current and forecast); social relations (the potential of different travel options for relationship building or conflict triggering); social norms (e.g. of 'good parenting' or 'proper behaviour on public transport'); and health issues (wanting exercise or inability to manage stairs/luggage). The qualitative data revealed that travel information is sometimes perceived and used as a security blanket, i.e. something to hold on to and give the traveller courage on the trip until they are safe at their destination. It also showed that travel planning, depending on life situation, can be experienced as either a house of cards, i.e. if anything changes the whole house collapses and has to be rebuilt to a different layout, or a prefab building, i.e. the same prefabricated pieces are joined together in more or less the same pattern every time. Recent decades have seen rapid growth in ICT services relating to transportation. Different types of travel information services have been proposed as a means to decrease the environmental impacts of transportation through effecting behavioural change. Taking the empirical 4 insights provided by this thesis into travel planning and travel information use in practice, it is clear that travel information services of tomorrow, if connected to other ICT systems in everyday life, could be designed in a way that broadens their horizon of assistance in supporting travel planning processes in everyday life. Although, as this thesis demonstrates, the role and potential of travel information services and ICT in the work of achieving sustainable mobility should be discussed from a perspective critical of overly linear perceptions and instrumental starting points. / Denna avhandling tar resenärens perspektiv, och undersöker från vardagslivets horisont hur resor egentligen planeras, och hur information används när de många, ofta obemärkta, vardagsresorna görs i staden. Etnografiska fältstudier i södra Stockholm, gjorda och analyserade med ett praktikteoriperspektiv, visar att människor använder sig av många olika typer av information för att planera och genomföra sina resor. Därför bör begreppet reseinformation definieras vitt nog att rymma både informella, formella, analoga och digitala typer av reseinformation. Först då är det möjligt att iaktta interaktioner mellan dessa, och också se informationens eventuella potential som förändringsfaktor för hållbart stadsresande. Även situationer när reseinformation inte används uppmärksammas och diskuteras. Reseplanering är i vardaglig praktik något som sker lite i taget, i mellanrummen mellan andra sysslor och aktiviteter. Det är en process mer förgrenad i tid, rum och innehåll än den avgränsade sökning efter information om bästa sättet att ta sig mellan A och B som många existerande IT-baserade reseplanerare verkar förutsätta och i dagsläget assisterar. Reseplanering är starkt knutet till den övergripande planeringen av aktiviteter i livet, och reseplanering har därför oftast ett vidare tidsspann än endast en resa. Planering av resor inkluderar även hänsyn till faktorer som nödvändiga förberedelser (saker att göra innan avfärd/ta med sig på resan); hantering av fordon och bagage i tid och rum (få hem cykeln/bilen igen eller få den säkert parkerad); vädret (nuvarande och prognostiserat); sociala relationer (potentialen för konflikter/positiv samvaro vid olika färdmedelsval); sociala normer (om gott föräldraskap eller hur man för sig på kollektiva färdmedel); och hälsoaspekter (vilja till motion eller oförmåga att gå i trappor). Fältarbetet gjorde tydligt att reseinformation ibland används som en snuttefilt – något att ty sig till och hålla i handen på okänt territorium tills du har kommit till målet för din resa. Reseplanering kan också, beroende på livssituation, antingen upplevas och liknas vid husbygge med prefabricerade element – samma standardiserade, välkända bitar sammanfogas på ungefär samma sätt varje gång; eller också ett korthus – om någonting ändras brakar hela huset ihop, och måste byggas upp igen med en helt annan design. Under de senaste decennierna har det skett en snabb utveckling av IT-lösningar på transportområdet. Olika typer av reseinformationstjänster har föreslagits som ett verktyg för att ändra resebeteenden och därmed minska transporters miljöpåverkan. Med utgångspunkt från studiens 6 empiriska insikter i hur reseplanering går till i praktiken, och hur reseinformation används blir det tydligt att morgondagens reseplanerartjänster, om de kopplades ihop med andra digitala system vi använder i vår vardag, skulle kunna utformas på ett sätt som utvidgar systemets "assistanshorisont" för att bättre passa ihop med reseplaneringspraktikerna i vår vardag. Potentialen och rollen för reseinformationstjänster och IT i arbetet med att minska transporters miljöpåverkan bör diskuteras från ett perspektiv som är kritiskt till alltför linjära och instrumentella utgångspunkter, vilket denna avhandling bidrar till. / <p>QC 20141030</p>

Reconnu comme l’une des principales causes d’invalidité, le traumatisme crânio-cérébral (TCC) est une condition chronique pouvant occasionner des déficits physiques, cognitifs, émotionnels et comportementaux. Ces déficits interfèrent avec la capacité de la personne à s’engager dans ses activités quotidiennes, incluant des activités complexes comme la préparation de repas. Afin de soutenir cette population lors de la préparation de repas, une technologie d’assistance à la cognition (TAC) nommée Cognitive Orthosis for coOKing (COOK) a été développée en partenariat avec une résidence alternative pour des personnes ayant des incapacités graves à la suite d’un TCC. Suivant l’installation de COOK, trois résidents ont été en mesure de préparer des repas de façon sécuritaire et autonome. Toutefois, rien n’est connu sur la façon avec laquelle COOK pourrait répondre aux besoins des personnes ayant eu un TCC et vivant dans la communauté, ni comment cette technologie pourrait offrir de l’assistance personnalisée, minimale et contextualisée pour soutenir cette population. Cette thèse vise donc à développer des connaissances pour soutenir le développement d’une version bonifiée de COOK qui correspondrait aux besoins variés de ces utilisateurs, en répondant à trois objectifs : 1) définir les besoins d’assistance verbale des personnes ayant eu un TCC modéré à grave afin d’améliorer les capacités de personnalisation de COOK; 2) évaluer son utilisabilité et expérience utilisateur en laboratoire et en milieu réel; et 3) identifier les facilitateurs et obstacles pouvant influencer l’implantation de COOK auprès de personnes ayant eu un TCC et vivant dans la communauté. Suivant une démarche de conception centrée sur l’utilisateur, quatre études ont été réalisées : (1) une étude mixte avec transformation des données et analyse d’enregistrements vidéo pour documenter l’assistance verbale offerte à 45 participants ayant un TCC lors de la préparation d’un repas; (2) une étude d’utilisabilité mixte pendant laquelle 10 participants ayant un TCC ont testé COOK en laboratoire; (3) une étude mixte à sujet unique pour évaluer l’utilisabilité de COOK au domicile d’une personne ayant eu un TCC grave; et (4) une étude qualitative descriptive impliquant des personnes ayant eu un TCC, des personnes proches aidantes et des intervenants, pour explorer leurs perceptions quant aux facilitateurs et obstacles à l’implantation de COOK dans leur milieu respectif. La première étude a permis d’identifier neuf types d’assistance cognitive et un type d’assistance motivationnelle, et de documenter les difficultés pour lesquelles les ergothérapeutes offraient de l’assistance. Des enjeux d’utilisabilité ont ensuite été documentés pendant les essais en laboratoire (étude 2) et en milieu réel (étude 3), particulièrement au niveau du système de sécurité autonome. Plusieurs besoins de bonifications technologiques ont aussi été identifiés par les participants (études 2, 3 et 4). Enfin, la quatrième étude a identifié divers facilitateurs (p.ex. les fonctionnalités disponibles dans COOK) et obstacles (p.ex. la logistique entourant l’installation, l’apprentissage et le soutien) à l’implantation de TAC comme COOK pour soutenir les personnes vivant dans la communauté avec un TCC grave. Ultimement, ces connaissances cliniques pourront soutenir le développement continu et l’implantation de TAC comme COOK pour qu’elles répondent aux besoins d’une plus grande population. / Defined as one of the main causes of disability, traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a chronic condition that can cause physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral deficits. These deficits may interfere with the person's ability to engage in daily activities, including complex activities such as meal preparation. To support this population during meal preparation, an assistive technology for cognition (ATC) called Cognitive Orthosis for coOKing (COOK) was recently developed in collaboration with an alternative residence for people with severe TBI. Following the installation of COOK, three residents were able to prepare meals safely and independently within their home. However, little is known about how COOK could meet the needs of people with TBI living in the community, or how it could provide personalized, minimal and contextualised assistance to support this population. This thesis aimed to develop a knowledge base to support the development of an improved version of COOK that would meet the varied needs of this new population, by meeting three objectives: 1) define the verbal assistance needs of people with moderate to severe TBI to enhance COOK's customization possibilities; 2) evaluate the usability and user experience of COOK in a laboratory setting and in a real-world environment; and 3) identify the facilitators and obstacles that may influence the implementation of COOK within the homes of people with TBI and in clinical settings. Integrated in a user-centered design process, four studies were conducted: (1) a study using conversion mixed design and video data analysis to document the verbal assistance provided to 45 participants with TBI during a meal preparation task; (2) a usability mixed-methods study during which 10 participants with TBI tested COOK in a laboratory setting; (3) a mixed-methods single-case study to assess the usability of COOK with a man with severe TBI living in the community; and (4) a qualitative descriptive study involving people with TBI, caregivers and healthcare professionals, to explore their perceptions of the facilitators and obstacles to the potential implementation of COOK in their respective settings. The first study identified nine types of cognitive assistance and one type of motivational assistance that were provided by occupational therapists to support people with TBI, and documented the difficulties for which these assistances were provided. Several usability issues were also documented when testing COOK in a laboratory setting (study 2) and in a real-world environment (study 3), particularly with the self-monitoring security system. Modification needs were also identified by the participants (studies 2, 3, and 4) to improve COOK. Finally, the fourth study highlighted many facilitators (e.g., the functionalities available in COOK) and obstacles (e.g., the logistics surrounding installation, learning and support of COOK) to consider before implementing ATCs like COOK. Ultimately, this knowledge base will support the continued development and the implementations of ATCs such as COOK to meets the needs of a larger population.

Bibliography: leaves 207-224 / Abstracts and keywords following the Appendices / This thesis evaluates Ethiopian higher learning institutes’ digital libraries (DLs) for their usability and usefulness. The outcome contributes knowledge by helping to propel development efforts; satisfy DL stakeholders; provide information and fill information gaps; serve as cross-reference for academicians and researchers in the discipline; make decisions and solve managerial issues in DLs of the developing world; and provide scientific interests and merits for the advancement of information systems. When undertaking usability and usefulness evaluation research in DLs, there is no agreed-upon established conceptual framework that guides researchers in the developing world. Therefore, the overall objective of this research is to propose a framework for DL evaluation that fits into the context of developing countries. As the study is concerned with users’ internal attributes, the interpretive research paradigm is applied. A qualitative research approach is employed and a case study research design is followed. Multiple data-collection techniques, namely semi-structured interviews (17 respondents), open-ended questionnaires (17 respondents) and observations (4 observations) are employed. The study encompasses four public university DLs in Ethiopia. The participants have a positive perception of all attributes of usability. Most of the attributes of usefulness are also perceived positively, except coverage. The major challenges encountered by participants are network accessibility, interruption and speed, and access restrictions imposed on some DL content. DL benefits include easy access to the DL content, enhanced teaching and research, lower cost and easy sharing of contents. The expectations of users are ensuring resource availability and sustainability, overcoming the absence of user feedback and federated search problems, and improving network infrastructure and speed. The interaction triptych framework (ITF), which is used in the current study, is a well-known framework that is commonly implemented by researchers. However, since it does not incorporate the contextual situation of developing countries, ITF has some limitations. Therefore, based on the output of this empirical research and considering the usability and usefulness themes of ITF and its relationships with other socio-technical and contextual themes, a contextual DL evaluation framework is proposed. The proposed framework emphasises the social, institutional and contextual aspects of DLs. The proposed framework has six DL components, namely: DL user; content and collection; system and technology; services and support; user interface; and context. The proposed framework is called a digital library components interaction evaluation framework. / Lo mqondo uhlaziya imitapo yolwazi yedijithali (i-DLs) yezikhungo zokufunda ephezulu zase-Ethiopia ngokusebenziseka kwazo nokuba wusizo. Umphumela unikela ngolwazi ngokusiza ukuhambisa imizamo yentuthuko; ukwanelisa ababambiqhaza be-DL; ukuhlinzeka ngolwazi nokugcwalisa izikhala zolwazi; ukusebenza okubhekiswe kukho kwezifundiswa nabaphenyi emkhakheni; yenza izinqumo futhi ixazulule izingqinamba zokuphatha kuma-DL wezwe elisathuthuka; futhi unikeze izintshisekelo zesayensi kanye nokufaneleka ekuthuthukisweni kwezinhlelo zolwazi. Lapho wenza ucwaningo lokusebenziseka neliwusizo okuhlaziya kuma-DL, akukho luhlaka lomqondo okuvunyelwene ngalo oluhola abacwaningi ezweni elisathuthuka. Ngakho-ke, inhloso ephelele yalolu cwaningo ukuphakamisa uhlaka lokuhlaziya kwe-DL oluhambisana nomongo wamazwe asathuthuka. Njengoba ucwaningo luphathelene nezimpawu zangaphakathi zabasebenzisi, inqubo yocwaningo ehumushekayo iyasetshenziswa. Indlela yokucwaninga esezingeni elifanele iyasetshenziswa bese kulandelwa ukwakheka kocwaningo lwesifundo. Kusetshenziswa amasu amaningi wokuqoqa imininingwane, njengezingxoxo ezihlelwe kahle (abaphenduli abayi-17), imibuzo evulekile (abaphenduli abayi-17) kanye nokubhekwayo (okubhekwayo oku-4). Lolu cwaningo luhlanganisa ama-DL amane wemfundo ephakeme yomphakathi wase-Ethiopia. Abahlanganyeli banombono omuhle wazo zonke izici zokusebenziseka. Iningi lezimpawu eziwusizo zibonwa kahle futhi, ngaphandle kokumbozwa. Izinselela ezinkulu ababambiqhaza abahlangabezana ngazo ukufinyeleleka kwenethiwekhi, ukuphazamiseka nejubane, nemikhawulo yokufinyelela ebekiwe kokunye okuqukethwe kwe-DL. Izinzuzo ze-DL zifaka ukufinyelela okulula kokuqukethwe kwe-DL, ukufundiswa okuthuthukisiwe nocwaningo, izindleko eziphansi nokwabelana okulula kokuqukethwe. Okulindelwe abasebenzisi ukuqinisekisa ukutholakala kwezinsiza nokusimama, ukunqoba ukungabi bikho kwempendulo yomsebenzisi nezinkinga zokusesha ezihlanganisiwe, nokwenza ngcono ingqalasizinda yenethiwekhi nejubane. Uhlaka lokusebenzisana lwe-triptych (ITF), olusetshenziswa ocwaningweni lwamanje, uhlaka olwaziwa kakhulu olusetshenziswa ngokuvamile ngabaphenyi. Kodwa-ke, njengoba lungafaki isimo somongo samazwe asathuthuka, i-ITF inemikhawulo ethile. Ngakho-ke, ngokuya ngokukhishwa kwalolu cwaningo olunamandla kanye nokubheka ukusebenziseka nosizo lwezindikimba ze-ITF kanye nobudlelwano bayo nezinye izingqikithi zomphakathi nezobuchwepheshe nezingqikithi zomongo, kuhlongozwa uhlaka lokuhlaziya lomongo lwe-DL. Uhlaka oluhlongozwayo lugcizelela izici zenhlalo, zesikhungo nezingqikithi zomongo zama-DL. Uhlaka oluhlongozwayo lunezingxenye eziyisithupha ze-DL, okuyilezi: Umsebenzisi we-DL; okuqukethwe neqoqo; uhlelo nobuchwepheshe; izinsizakalo nokwesekwa; isikhombimsebenzisi somsebenzisi nomongo. Uhlaka oluhlongozwayo lubizwa ngohlaka lokuhlaziya kokusebenzisana kokuqukethwe komtapo wolwazi wedijithali. / Hierdie proefskrif evalueer Ethiopië se hoër leerinstellings se digitale biblioteke (DBe) ten opsigte van hulle bruikbaarheid en nuttigheid. Die uitkoms dra by tot kennis wat kan help om die ontwikkelingspogings aan te dryf; om belanghebbers van digitale biblioteke tevrede te hou; om inligting te verskaf en inligtingsgapings te vul; deur te dien as kruisverwysing vir akademici en navorsers in die vakgebied; om besluite te neem en bestuursaangeleenthede in digitale biblioteke van die ontwikkelende wêreld op te los; en om wetenskaplike belange en meriete vir die bevordering van inligtingstelsels te voorsien. Wanneer bruikbaarheids- en nuttigheidsevalueringsnavorsing in digitale biblioteke onderneem word, is daar geen ooreengekome, gevestigde raamwerk wat leiding aan navorsers in die ontwikkelende wêreld kan gee nie. Die algehele doelwit van hierdie navorsing was derhalwe om ’n raamwerk vir die evaluaering van digitale biblioteke voor te stel wat in die konteks van ontwikkelende lande pas. Omdat die studie gemoeid is met gebruikers se interne eienskappe, is die vertolkende paradigma gebruik. ’n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering is gebruik en ’n gevallestudie-navorsingsontwerp is gevolg. Veelvuldige data-insamelingstegnieke, naamlik semigestruktureerde onderhoude (17 respondente), oop vraelyste (17 respondente) en waarnemings (vier waarnemigs), is ingespan. Die studie sluit vier openbare universiteite se digitale biblioteke in Ethiopië in. Die deelnemers het ’n positiewe persepsie van al die eienskappe van bruikbaarheid. Die meeste van die eienskappe van nuttigheid word ook as positief waargeneem, met die uitsluiting van voorsiening. Die grootste uitdagings wat die deelnemers ervaar het, was netwerktoeganklikheid, -onderbrekings en -spoed en die toegangbeperkings wat sommige digitale biblioteke oplê. Voordele van digitale biblioteke sluit die volgende in: toegang tot digitalebiblioteekinhoud; beter onderrig en navorsing; laer koste; en die maklike deel van inhoud met ander. Die verwagtings van gebruikers verseker hulpbronbeskikbaarheid en -volhoubaarheid, en om die afwesigheid van gebruikersterugvoer en gefedereerde soekprobleme en die verbetering van netwerkinfrastruktuur en -spoed te oorkom. Die interaksietriptiekraamwerk (ITF) wat in hierdie studie gebruik is, is ’n bekende raamwerk wat algemeen deur navorsers geïmplementeer word. Omdat dit egter nie die kontekstuele situasie van ontwikkelende lande inkorporeer nie, het ITF sekere beperkings. Gebaseer op die uitset van hierdie empiriese navorsing en met die inagneming van die bruikbaarheids- en nuttigheidstemas van ITF en sy verhouding met ander sosio-tegniese en kontekstuele temas, word ’n kontekstuele digitalebiblioteekraamwerk derhalwe voorgestel. Die voorgestelde raamwerk beklemtoon die sosiale, institusionele en kontekstuele aspekte van digitale biblioteke. Die voorgestelde raamwerk het ses digitalebiblioteekkomponente, naamlik: digitalebiblioteekgebruiker; inhoud en insameling; stelsel en tegnologie; dienste en ondersteuning; gebruikerkoppelvlak; en konteks. Die voorgestelde raamwerk word ’n interaksie-evalueringsraamwerk vir digitalebiblioteekkomponente genoem. / School of Computing / D. Phil. (Information Systems)