MIS-Digital Society

Digital Society

VU Current Topics of Information Systems, Especially the Digital Society

Dr. Alexander Novotny

Edition 1

Digital Technology and the Individual

Overview

» Human capabilities and machine capabilities

» Human-computer interaction

» Human attention and the attention economy

» Technology addiction

In-class exercise: Human and machine capabilities

» Get in teams of 4 students.

» Create a list - what machines can do better than humans - what humans can do better than machines

» Submit your list in OLAT (use the OLAT editor)

Machine capabilities versus human capabilities: Fitt‘s list

Fitts (1951, pp. 7-8)

Machine capabilities versus human capabilities: Fitt‘s list

1. Ability to detect a small amount of visual or acoustic energy

2. Ability to perceive patterns of light or sound

3. Ability to improvise and use flexible procedures

4. Ability to store very large amounts of information for long periods and to recall relevant facts at the appropriate time

5. Ability to reason inductively

6. Ability to exercise judgment

1. Ability to respond quickly to control signals and to apply great force smoothly and precisely

2. Ability to perform repetitive, routine tasks

3. Ability to store information briefly and then to erase it completely

4. Ability to reason deductively, including computational ability

5. Ability to handle highly complex operations, i.e., to do many different things at once

Machines are better at…

Fitts (1951)

Humans are better at…

What machines cannot have?

Ingenious creativity

True emotions

True conscience

Free will Empathetic sensitivity

A.T. Kearney (2015)

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)

“Human-computer interaction is a discipline concerned with the design, evaluation and implementation of interactive computing systems for human use and with the study of major phenomena surrounding them” (working definition in the ACM SIGCHI Curricula for HCI)

Computer science view point:

“Interaction between one or more humans and one or more computational machines”

What is HCI?

from ACM SIGCHI Curricula for HCI

HCI – An Interdisciplinary Area

Application design and engineering of human- computer interfaces.Computer Science

Application of theories of cognitive processes and the empirical analysis of user behavior.Psychology

Interactions between technology, work, and organization.

Sociology and Anthropology

Creating interactive products.Design and Industrial Design

Concerns in HCI

the joint performance of tasks by humans and

machines

the structure of communication

between humans and machines

human capabilities to use machines (including

the learnability of interfaces)

algorithms and programming of the

interface itself

engineering concerns that arise in designing and building interfaces

the process of specification, design,

and implementation of interfaces

design trade-offs

Utility, Usability, Likeability

� A product can be used to reach a certain goal or to perform a certain task.Utility

� Usability relates to the question of quality and efficiency. � e.g., how well does a product support the user to reach a

certain goal or to perform a certain task. Usability

� This may be related to utility and usability but not necessarily.

� People may like a product for any other reason. Likeability

What is Usability?

“Usability is a quality attribute that assesses how easy user interfaces are to use. The word ‘usability’ also refers to methods for improving ease-of-use during the design process.” (Nielson)

Usability has five quality dimensions.

� How easy is it for users to accomplish basic tasks the first time they encounter the design?Learnability

� Once users have learned the design, how quickly can they perform tasks?Efficiency

� When users return after a period of not using it, how easily can they re-establish proficiency?Memorability

� How many errors do users make, how severe are these errors, and how easily can they recover?Errors

� How pleasant is it to use the design?Satisfaction

Employees work with user interfaces

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What is User Interface Engineering?

User Interface Engineering is a structured approach for designing and implementing useful and usable interactive systems.

By following the user interface engineering process the interactive qualities of a system are ensured.

Common misconceptions about making good user interfaces

“If I (the developer) can use it, everyone can use it.”

“If our non-technical staff can use it, everyone can use it.”

“Good user interfaces are applied common sense.”

“A system is usable if all style guidelines are met.”

Creating usable systems is a structured process.

» Preconditions: Understanding how people interact with their environment. Understanding the capabilities and limitations of users. Basic ergonomics.

» User Interface Engineering is a part of the overall development process.

» The process is iterative (overall and at each step).

Creating usable systems is a structured process.

Analyze what interaction is required and what

technical options are available in a user centered way, evaluate the results of

the analysis.

Design and prototype user interfaces with

user involvement, evaluate

prototypes.

Implement an interactive digital

product.

Test and study the created product.

Understanding User Needs

» It is essential to focus on user needs

» However user needs are often very abstract and hence the guidance for a concrete implementation is often limited.

» Example: People have a need to communicate everywhere and at any time. Are popular solutions such as SMS, MMS and Email the best solution for this need?

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Realization of User Needs

» In the real world, solutions to abstract user needs are not always clear.

» The following characteristics need to be balanced:

» Tools and devices are appropriated by users.

» Users are very creative in using tools „If you have a nail, everything looks like a hammer.“

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freedom vs. limits

ease of use vs. generality

Why is Usability Important?

Improving usability can

� increase productivity of users � reduce costs (support, efficiency) � increase sales/revenue (e.g., web shop) � enhance customer loyalty � win new customers

Usability is often considered as a sign of high quality.

Working with users can create ideas for new products, e.g., "similarities" (people who bought this also bought that).

Machine characteristics that preserve the freedom of individuals

Spiekermann (2015, p. 77)

Attention economy

» Information management approach that treats human attention as a scarce and therefore valuable resource

What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention, and a need to allocate that attention efficiently among the overabundance of information sources that might consume it.

Herbert Simon (1971)

“

”

Interruptions of the interaction flow do not pay off

» Interruptive ads significantly lowered the willingness to pay for goods associated with the advertising brand (Acquisti & Spiekermann, 2011)

Message push vs. pull delivery

Spiekermann (2015, p. 87)

Designing HCI for Privacy

� Provide users easy information on providers’ data collection, analysis and usage

� Reduce information asymmetry between data subjects and controllers/processors

Transparency Enhancing

Technologies (TETs)

Zimmermann (2015)

Digital technology addiction

Problematic or pathological use of digital technologies

Behavioral: compulsive, lack of self-control

Impairment in at least one life area over

prolonged period of time

Social media �e.g., Instagram, Twitter, …

Gaming �MMOG: e.g., LoL, WoW,

Fortnite, … Online shopping

Video Streaming �Online series, … Virtual Reality

Neuronal reward system

» mesocorticolimbic circuit (reward system) is a neural structure in the human brain for: Motivational salience: wanting, desire, craving for reward Associative learning: positive reinforcement, classical conditioning (Pavlov) Positive emotions: pleasure, joy, euphoria, ecstasy

» Primary rewards: e.g., water, food, parental care, sex

» Secondary rewards: e.g., money, privileges, etc.

» Dopamine: Hormone, neurotransmitter, psychotropic substance Æ „luck“, „motivation“, etc.

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Neuronal reward system: intrinsic and extrinsic rewards

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Blain & Sharot (2021)

Technology addictions and employee wellbeing

Impact on employee wellbeing

� Lack of sleep � Backache and eye strain � Feeling of envy � Lack of depth in personal

relationships � Tendency to seek approvals

Impact on work productivity

� Not meeting deadlines � Compromise with the work

quality � Distraction from work

Digital technology addictions can have impact on employee wellbeing and performance

Priyadarshini, et al. (2020)

Behavioural strategies for treating online addiction

Practice the opposite Intentionally break through online routines

External stoppers Online time limits

Setting goals For behavioral change

Reminder cards Of negative consequences

Personal inventory List of “lost” other activities

Abstinence Measure of last resort

Young (1999)

References » Acquisti, A., & Spiekermann, S. (2011). Do interruptions pay off? Effects of interruptive ads on consumers'

willingness to pay. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 25(4), 226-240. » A.T. Kearney (2015). Wie werden wir morgen leben? Deutschland 2064 – Die Welt unserer Kinder.

https://www.atkearney.com/documents/6645533/7018232/Deutschland+2064+- +Wie+werden+wir+morgen+leben.pdf/2601f89b-eca8-4521-b43c-4f2b9a04c42c , Feb 25, 2016.

» Blain, B., & Sharot, T. (2021). Intrinsic reward: potential cognitive and neural mechanisms. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 39, 113-118.

» Fitts PM (ed) (1951) Human engineering for an effective air navigation and traffic control system. National Research Council, Washington, DC.

» Priyadarshini, C., Dubey, R. K., Kumar, Y. L. N., & Jha, R. R. (2020). Impact of a social media addiction on employees' wellbeing and work productivity. The Qualitative Report, 25(1), 181-196.

» Spiekermann, S. (2015). Ethical IT innovation: A value-based system design approach. CRC Press. » Young, K. S. (1999). Internet addiction: symptoms, evaluation and treatment. In Innovations in Clinical Practice: A

Source Book (eds L. VandeCreek & T. Jackson), vol. 17, pp. 19–31. Professional Resource Press. » Zimmermann, C. (2015). A categorization of transparency-enhancing technologies. arXiv preprint

arXiv:1507.04914.

Image sources

» http://images04.kurier.at/46-76500174.jpg/htmlTaggingImage620/174.483.431

» https://kurier.at/2030/jeder-zweite-job-faellt-robotern-zum-opfer/174.483.394

» https://webinerds.com/app/uploads/2015/08/Usability-15-1-1024x682-570x380.jpg

» https://support.content.office.net/de-de/media/915321dc-3c35-4a4b-b544-9304ec05e456.png

» https://www.telekom.com/de/konzern/details/augmented-reality-t-systems-gewinnt-red-dot-award- 509470

» https://www.digitale-exzellenz.de/metaverse-nichts-genaues-weiss-man-nicht/metaverse-work/

» https://e.huawei.com/at/solutions/enterprise-collaboration/video-conferencing