research-article

Indexicality: Understanding mobile human-computer interaction in context

Authors:

Jesper Kjeldskov,

Jeni PaayAuthors Info & Claims

ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction (TOCHI), Volume 17, Issue 4

Article No.: 14, Pages 1 - 28

https://doi.org/10.1145/1879831.1879832

Published: 29 December 2010 Publication History

Abstract

A lot of research has been done within the area of mobile computing and context-awareness over the last 15 years, and the idea of systems adapting to their context has produced promising results for overcoming some of the challenges of user interaction with mobile devices within various specialized domains. However, today it is still the case that only a limited body of theoretically grounded knowledge exists that can explain the relationship between users, mobile system user interfaces, and their context. Lack of such knowledge limits our ability to elevate learning from the mobile systems we develop and study from a concrete to an abstract level. Consequently, the research field is impeded in its ability to leap forward and is limited to incremental steps from one design to the next. Addressing the problem of this void, this article contributes to the body of knowledge about mobile interaction design by promoting a theoretical approach for describing and understanding the relationship between user interface representations and user context. Specifically, we promote the concept of indexicality derived from semiotics as an analytical concept that can be used to describe and understand a design. We illustrate the value of the indexicality concept through an analysis of empirical data from evaluations of three prototype systems in use. Based on our analytical and empirical work we promote the view that users interpret information in a mobile computer user interface through creation of meaningful indexical signs based on the ensemble of context and system.

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Paay JKjeldskov JBønnerup MRasenthiran T(2023)Sketching and context: Exploring creativity in idea generation groupsDesign Studies10.1016/j.destud.2022.10115984(101159)Online publication date: Jan-2023
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Klumpp MHanelt AGreve MKolbe LTofangchi SBöhrnsen FJakob JKaczmarek SBörsting IEhmke CDüsing HJuhra C(2022)Accelerating the Front End of Medicine: Three Digital Use Cases and HCI ImplicationsHealthcare10.3390/healthcare1011217610:11(2176)Online publication date: 30-Oct-2022
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Kataria P(2021)Towards a Semantic Classification of Possible Human-to-Environment Interactions in IoTDistributed, Ambient and Pervasive Interactions10.1007/978-3-030-77015-0_10(135-152)Online publication date: 24-Jul-2021
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Index Terms

Indexicality: Understanding mobile human-computer interaction in context
1. Human-centered computing
  1. Human computer interaction (HCI)

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cover image ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction

ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction Volume 17, Issue 4

December 2010

149 pages

ISSN:1073-0516

EISSN:1557-7325

DOI:10.1145/1879831

Issue’s Table of Contents

Copyright © 2010 ACM.

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Publication History

Published: 29 December 2010

Accepted: 01 July 2010

Revised: 01 March 2010

Received: 01 November 2009

Published in TOCHI Volume 17, Issue 4

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Paay JKjeldskov JBønnerup MRasenthiran T(2023)Sketching and context: Exploring creativity in idea generation groupsDesign Studies10.1016/j.destud.2022.10115984(101159)Online publication date: Jan-2023
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.destud.2022.101159
Klumpp MHanelt AGreve MKolbe LTofangchi SBöhrnsen FJakob JKaczmarek SBörsting IEhmke CDüsing HJuhra C(2022)Accelerating the Front End of Medicine: Three Digital Use Cases and HCI ImplicationsHealthcare10.3390/healthcare1011217610:11(2176)Online publication date: 30-Oct-2022
https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10112176
Kataria P(2021)Towards a Semantic Classification of Possible Human-to-Environment Interactions in IoTDistributed, Ambient and Pervasive Interactions10.1007/978-3-030-77015-0_10(135-152)Online publication date: 24-Jul-2021
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/978-3-030-77015-0_10
Martinez-Toro GAriza-Zabala GRico Bautista DRomero-Riaño E(2019)Human computer interaction in transport, a systematic literature reviewJournal of Physics: Conference Series10.1088/1742-6596/1409/1/0120021409(012002)Online publication date: 26-Nov-2019
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