Designing Instructions using Self-Determination Theory to Improve Motivation and Engagement for Learning CraftRecent HCI research has shown significant interest in investigating digital working instructions for guiding novices to perform manual tasks. While performance enhancement has been a primary focus, it is increasingly recognized that technology's impact extends beyond objective metrics. Trainee motivation and engagement plays a pivotal role in enhancing learning outcomes and effectiveness. This paper investigates the utilization of principles from Self Determination Theory--clear attainable goals, meaningful rationale, and perspective taking--in designing multimedia instructions to enhance novice users' indicators of psychological well-being. We present findings from an experiment involving real-world woodworking, where novice users, in a between-subjects study, followed interactive, in-situ projection-based guidance. Results demonstrate that adhering to SDT postulates can positively influence perceived competence, intrinsic motivation and task execution quality. These findings offer valuable insights for designing digital instructions to guide and train novices, emphasizing the importance of psychological well-being alongside task performance.2024HDHitesh Dhiman et al.Institute Industrial IT, OWL University of Applied Sciences and ArtsAging-Friendly Technology DesignPrototyping & User TestingCHI
CircuitGlue: A Software Configurable Converter for Interconnecting Multiple Heterogeneous Electronic Components"We present CircuitGlue, an electronic converter board that allows heterogeneous electronic components to be readily interconnected. Electronic components are plugged into an eight-pin programmable header on the board, and the assignment of each pin in the header is configured in software. CircuitGlue supports a variety of connections, including power, ground, analog signals, and various digital protocols at different voltages. As such, off-the-shelf electronic components and modules are instantly compatible no matter what voltage levels, interface types, communication protocols, and pinouts they use. In this paper, we demonstrate the use of CircuitGlue to ease and expedite prototyping with electronics and we explore new opportunities enabled by CircuitGlue. Finally, we reflect on the results of a preliminary user study evaluating the usability of CircuitGlue for people new to electronics. https://doi.org/10.1145/3596265"2023MLMANNU LAMBRICHTS et al.Cognitive Impairment & Neurodiversity (Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia)Circuit Making & Hardware PrototypingUbiComp
Tasks of a Different Color: How Crowdsourcing Practices Differ per Complex Task Type and Why This MattersCrowdsourcing in China is a thriving industry. Among its most interesting structures, we find crowdfarms, in which crowdworkers self-organize as small organizations to tackle macrotasks. Little, however, is known as to which practices these crowdfarms use to tackle the macrotasks, and this goes hand in hand with the current practice of the HCI research community to treat all forms of complex crowdsourcing work as practically the same. However, macrotasks differ substantially regarding structure and decomposability. Treating them under one umbrella term - macrotasking - can lead to an imprecise understanding of the workforce involved. We address this gap by examining the work practices of 31 Chinese crowdfarms on the four main macrotask types, namely: modular, interlaced, wicked, and container macrotasks. Our results confirm essential differences in how these nascent crowd organizations address different macrotasks and shed light on what platforms can do to improve the uptake of such work.2023YWYihong Wang et al.Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool UniversityMental Health Apps & Online Support CommunitiesCrowdsourcing Task Design & Quality ControlDeveloping Countries & HCI for Development (HCI4D)CHI
Measurement Patterns: User-Oriented Strategies for Dealing with Measurements and Dimensions in Making ProcessesThe majority of errors in making processes can be tracked back to errors in dimensional specifications. While technical aspects of measurement, such as precision and speed have been extensively studied in metrology, the user aspects of measurement received significantly less attention. While little research exists that specifically addresses the user aspects of handling dimensions, various systems have been built that embed new interactive modalities, processes, and techniques which significantly impact how users deal with dimensions or conduct measurements. However, these features are mostly hidden in larger system contributions. To uncover and articulate these techniques, we conducted a holistic literature survey on measurement practices in crafting techniques and systems for rapid prototyping. Based on this survey, we contribute 10 measurement patterns, which describe reusable elements and solutions for common difficulties when dealing with dimensions throughout workflows for making physical artifacts.2023RRRaf Ramakers et al.Flanders Make - Expertise Centre for Digital MediaDesktop 3D Printing & Personal FabricationCircuit Making & Hardware PrototypingCHI
Understanding User Perceptions of Response Delays in Crowd-Powered Conversational SystemsCrowd-powered conversational systems (CPCS) are gaining considerable attention for their potential utility in a variety of application domains, for which automated conversational interfaces are still too limited. CPCS currently suffer from long response delays, which hampers their potential as conversational partners. The majority of prior work in this area has focused on demonstrating the feasibility of the approach and improving performance, while evaluation studies have primarily focused on response latency and ways to reduce it. Relatively little is currently known about how response delays in a CPCS can affect user experience. While the importance of reducing response latency is widely recognized in the broader field of human-computer interaction, little attention has been paid to how response quality, response delay, conversational context, and the complexity of the task affect how users experience the conversation, and how they perceive waiting for responses in particular. We conducted a between-subjects experiment (N = 478), to examine the influence of these four factors on the overall waiting experience of users. Results show that users 1) evaluated the waiting experience more negatively when the response delay was longer than 8 seconds, 2) underestimated the elapsed time but experienced more frustration in tasks with high complexity, 3) underestimated the elapsed time and experienced less frustration with high quality bot’s utterances, 4) judged response delays to be slightly longer, and experienced more frustration in an emotion-centric CPCS compared to a task-centric CPCS. Our insights can inform the design of future CPCSs with regards to defining performance requirements and anticipating their potential impact on the user experience they can facilitate.2022TATahir Abbas et al.CrowdsourcingCSCW
AirLogic: Embedding Pneumatic Computation and I/O in 3D Models to Fabricate Electronics-Free Interactive ObjectsResearchers have developed various tools and techniques towards the vision of on-demand fabrication of custom, interactive devices. Recent work has 3D-printed artefacts like speakers, electromagnetic actuators, and hydraulic robots. However, these are non-trivial to instantiate as they require post-fabrication mechanical-- or electronic assembly. We introduce AirLogic: a technique to create electronics-free, interactive objects by embedding pneumatic input, logic processing, and output widgets in 3D-printable models. AirLogic devices can perform basic computation on user inputs and create visible, audible, or haptic feedback; yet they do not require electronic circuits, physical assembly, or resetting between uses. Our library of 13 exemplar widgets can embed \al-style computational capabilities in existing 3D models. We evaluate our widgets' performance---quantifying the loss of airflow (1) in each widget type, (2) based on printing orientation, and (3) from internal object geometry. Finally, we present five applications that illustrate AirLogic's potential.2022VSValkyrie Savage et al.Desktop 3D Printing & Personal FabricationCircuit Making & Hardware PrototypingUIST
LamiFold: Fabricating Objects with Integrated Mechanisms Using a Laser cutter Lamination WorkflowWe present LamiFold, a novel design and fabrication workflow for making functional mechanical objects using a laser cutter. Objects fabricated with LamiFold embed advanced rotary, linear, and chained mechanisms, including linkages that support fine-tuning and locking position. Laser cutting such mechanisms without LamiFold requires designing for and embedding off-the-shelf parts such as springs, bolts, and axles for gears. The key to laser cutting our functional mechanisms is the selective cutting and gluing of stacks of sheet material. Designing mechanisms for this workflow is non-trivial, therefore we contribute a set of mechanical primitives that are compatible with our lamination workflow and can be combined to realize advanced mechanical systems. Our software design environment facilitates the process of inserting and composing our mechanical primitives and realizing functional laser-cut objects.2020DLDanny Leen et al.Laser Cutting & Digital FabricationCircuit Making & Hardware PrototypingUIST