Abstract
Dundee University’s School of Computing is researching technology for older users, whose difficulty with technology often exclude them from its benefits. This paper discusses the problems raised in consulting potential users who feel they do not understand technology and are anxious about using it. How should the technologists and designers get over to this clientele the somewhat abstract concepts of ‘what might be developed‘ and how it might affect the users‘ quality of life? How could they keep the focus of discussion while giving the older people the confidence to be truthful? Experiments made with video and live theatre in consulting with older users, requirements gathering and evaluation of designs are described. This paper addresses: the process of scientific data being transformed into appropriate and useful ‘stories‘ to the satisfaction both of writer and researchers: the role of actors and facilitator: the impact on the ‘extreme users‘ in the audience: and the data thus gained by the researchers.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Carmichael, A., Newell, A.F., Dickinson, A., Morgan, M.: Using theatre and film to represent user requirements. Include, Royal College of Art, London (April 5-8, 2005)
Dickinson, A., Eisma, R., Syme, A., Gregor, P.: UTOPIA: Usable Technology for Older People: Inclusive and Appropriate. In: Brewster, S., Zajicek, M. (eds.) A New Research Agenda for Older Adults, Proc. BCS HCI, London, pp. 38–39 (2002)
Eisma, R., Dickinson A., Goodman, Mival, O,J., Syme, A., Tiwari L.: Mutual inspiration in the development of new technology for older people. In: Proc. Include 2003, London, pp.7:252–7:259 (March 2003)
Grudin, J.: Why Personas Work – the psychological evidence. In: Pruitt, J., Adlin, T. (eds.) The Persona Lifecycle, keeping people in mind throughout product design, Elsevier (In press)
Head, A.: Personas: Setting the stage for building usable information sites. Online 27(4), 14–21 (2003)
Marquis-Faulkes, F., McKenna, S.J., Gregor, P., Newell, A.F.: Gathering the requirements for a fall monitor using drama and video with older people. Technology and Disability 17(4), 227–236 (2005)
Newell, A.F., Carmichael, A., Morgan, M., Dickinson, A.: The use of theatre in requirements gathering and usability studies. Interacting with Computers 18, 996–1011 (2006)
Newell, A.F., Gregor. P.: User sensitive inclusive design in search of a new paradigm. In: Scholtz, J., Thomas, J. (eds.) CUU 2000, Proc. First ACM Conference on Universal Usability, USA. pp. 39–44 (2000)
Newell, A.F., Gregor, P., Alm, N.: HCI for older and disabled people in the Queen Mother Research Centre at Dundee University, Scotland. In: CHI 2006 Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 22-27 April 2006. pp. 299–303 (2006)
Newell, A.F., Morgan, M.: The use of theatre in HCI research. In: “Engage” 20th Annual BCS HCI Conference University of London (September 11-15, 2006)
Pruitt, J., Grudin, J.: Personas: Practice and Theory. In: Proceedings DUX 2003, CD ROM, 15 (2003)
Rice, M., Newell, A.F., Morgan, M.: Forum Theatre as a requirement gathering methodology in the design of a home telecommunication system for older adults, Behaviour and Information Technology (In press )
Sato, S., Salvador, T.: Playacting and Focus Troupes: Theatre Techniques for creating quick, intensive, immersive and engaging focus group sessions, Interactions, pp. 35–41 (September-October, 1999)
Strom, G.: Perception of Human-centered Stories and Technical Descriptions when Analyzing and Negotiating Requirements. In: Proceedings of the IFIP TC13 Interact 2003, Conference (2003)
Utopia Trilogy can be downloaded from: http://www.computing.dundee.ac.uk/projects/UTOPIA/utopiavideo.asp
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2007 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Morgan, M., Newell, A. (2007). Interface Between Two Disciplines - The Development of Theatre as a Research Tool. In: Jacko, J.A. (eds) Human-Computer Interaction. Interaction Design and Usability. HCI 2007. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 4550. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-73105-4_21
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-73105-4_21
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-73104-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-73105-4
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)