< Back

Dec 2014: Smartphone Interaction Study (participate by 31st Dec 2014 and win 50CHF Gift Card)

Thanks to our collaboration with the Google Research Group, we are currently investigating smartphone usage and interaction for building better interfaces. Since smartphone are becoming a common and ubiquitous devices supporting our daily life activities, better and more usable interfaces are required to make a smartphone even smarter. With the study we are currently conducting at the Quality of Life Group, CUI/ISS, University of Geneva (Switzerland), we want to identify strengths and limits of smartphone interfaces.

We welcome your help to achieve this goal.

You will be asked to perform several exercises using your Android smartphone. The estimated time requested to complete all the exercises is about ***one hour***, and once started, the exercises should be completed without any interruptions. It is not possible to resume the exercises once you interrupt it. You would need to start from the beginning.

Three are the main exercises:

  • Search task: three different icons are provided, and is requested to find all the repetitions of these icons mixed on the screen with other icons. Please note that it is necessary to scroll and swipe on the screen to show all the icons. To select an icon, just click on it.
  • Write task: given a particular sentence, use the provided keyboard (standard QWERTY keyboard) to rewrite the same sentence with least possible errors.
  • Math task: several easy math exercises (additions and subtractions) are provided and is necessary to give the correct answer. You should provide your answer scrolling the digits until you select the correct number. A minimum score is necessary to complete this task.
logos

During the exercise, we will ask to provide some information about your personal feelings, in particular referring to your energy (low or high energy), valence (positive or negative feeling are positive) and stress (stressed or not stressed).

To participate to this study, please follow the simple set of rules to assure the quality of the results:

  • Make sure you are not disturbed for an hour before you start the exercises.
  • Sit on a chair where you are comfortable, and hold your smartphone as naturally as possible (do not put it on a table or somewhere else, but keep it in your hand), as you would do in everyday life.
  • Put the smartphone in an airplane mode (in order to eliminate external distractions) and connect to WiFi to get the app and submit the scores (follow the instructions below).
  • Be as much as possible involved in the task, but interact with the smartphone as naturally as possible,
  • There is an associated sound (soft music) in specific components of the study, hence use of headset is recommended, especially if you are not alone.

No risks are associated with these exercises. To thank our participants like you, we will randomly extract 3 persons to receive a Google Play Gift Card (value of 50CHF).

No personal data will be collected. We will ask you to provide basic information (gender and age) for statistical purposes, while your email address will be used in case you are selected to receive a Google Play Gift Card.

If you agree with the above-mentioned guidelines, please understand your participation is voluntary and you have the right to withdraw or discontinue participation at any time without penalty. For any further information about the collected data, its treatment, the research etc. please feel free to contact Matteo Ciman () or Katarzyna Wac ().

If you wish to continue with the research and participate in the study, please follow this link for the QoLSmartphoneTest.apk from your phone, http://goo.gl/zCGccs) download (15MB) and install the application, and start the exercises. Do not forget to press “Send me your data” button for the data to be synchronised with our server and to become eligible for the gift card.

To be included in the Google Play Gift Card raffle, please complete the exercises by end of Friday ***31st December*** 2014 (23:59 CET).

You can delete the application after you have finished the test.

Thank you for your help!

Matteo Ciman and Katarzyna Wac