Experiences of Supporting Local and Remote Mobile Phone Interaction in Situated Public Display Deployments - Human-Computer Interaction and Innovation in Handheld, Mobile and Wearable Technologies - page 120

Figure 5. Key areas influencing the relation between users and public displays

displays and therefore ignored them.
Suggestion : It seems insufficient to provide
high benefit and advertise the system. In
order to make people look at the displays at
all, a paradigm shift for users seems to be
necessary so they expect something useful.
A coherent system that is installed at multiple
locations could help people learn what to
expect from the displays.
2. Provide a high benefit and unique functional-
ity. Because of technical problems, mobile
phone interaction currently requires quite
some effort for the user. But even in the
future, the necessity of taking the mobile
phone out of one's pocket maybe sufficient
to prohibit spontaneous interaction with a
public display. To warrant spontaneous use,
the interaction should provide a high benefit.
If the same functionality is provided via an
additional channel, like the web, there is a
danger that the mobile phone interaction will
be eschewed in favour of the channel which
requires less effort. Suggestion : Monetary
benefit may not be best, as even a 10€ coupon
was redeemed only by a few users. Until
the technical hurdles of interaction become
lower, rare interaction with high value, like
a SMS notice of being late, may be the only
option.
3. Provide feedback that shows the whole
context. Consistently we observed that users

became frustrated if content they submitted
to the displays did not appear immediately.
If they put a representation of themselves
or others on a display, they are eager how
it looks in context. Suggestion : It may be
best for remote interaction to send a photo
of the display including surroundings or at
least a full screenshot as feedback.
4. Install displays visibly, so users can stand
comfortably in front of them. Displays in
areas where people merely pass by seem to
attract much less interaction than in places
where people wait. Care should be taken so
that people can stand comfortably in front
of the displays without disturbing others or
blocking the way. However, even in waiting
areas displays often seem to be overlooked
entirely. Suggestion : Displays should be
installed at locations where many people
will look even without a display, preferably
at eye height.
5. Combine Observations, Interviews and
Logging. Casual , video and automated
observations proved useful to detect pat-
terns in behaviour, and interviews to ask
for the 'why'. Logging revealed long-term
trends and technology uptake. To obtain a
full picture of appropriation and integration
into everyday life, a combination of these
methods is necessary. For example, logs for
the MobiDiC coupons revealed that only