Encouraging serendipity in research: designing technologies to support connection-making
Mobile applications have the ability to present information to users that is influenced by their surroundings, activities and interests. Such applications have the potential to influence the likelihood of individuals experiencing ‘serendipity’, through a combination of information, context, insight...
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| Format: | Article |
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Elsevier
2016
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/32691/ |
| _version_ | 1848794468778508288 |
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| author | Kefalidou, Genovefa Sharples, Sarah |
| author_facet | Kefalidou, Genovefa Sharples, Sarah |
| author_sort | Kefalidou, Genovefa |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Mobile applications have the ability to present information to users that is influenced by their surroundings, activities and interests. Such applications have the potential to influence the likelihood of individuals experiencing ‘serendipity’, through a combination of information, context, insight and activity. This study reports the deployment of a system that sends push text suggestions to users throughout the day, where the content of those messages is informed by users’ experience and interests. We investigated the responses to and interactions with messages that varied in format and relevance, and which were received at different times throughout the day. Sixteen participants were asked to use a mobile diary application to record their experiences and thoughts regarding information that was received over a period of five consecutive days. Results suggest that participants’ perception of the received suggestions was influenced by the relevance of the suggestion to their interests, but that there were also positive attitudes towards seemingly irrelevant information. Qualitative data indicates that participants, if in an appropriate time and place, are willing to accept and act upon push suggestions as long as the number of suggestions that they receive is not overwhelming. This study contributes towards an understanding of how mobile users make connections with new information, furthering our understanding of how serendipitous connections and insightful thinking could be accommodated using technology. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:16:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-32691 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:16:41Z |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-326912020-05-04T17:32:06Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/32691/ Encouraging serendipity in research: designing technologies to support connection-making Kefalidou, Genovefa Sharples, Sarah Mobile applications have the ability to present information to users that is influenced by their surroundings, activities and interests. Such applications have the potential to influence the likelihood of individuals experiencing ‘serendipity’, through a combination of information, context, insight and activity. This study reports the deployment of a system that sends push text suggestions to users throughout the day, where the content of those messages is informed by users’ experience and interests. We investigated the responses to and interactions with messages that varied in format and relevance, and which were received at different times throughout the day. Sixteen participants were asked to use a mobile diary application to record their experiences and thoughts regarding information that was received over a period of five consecutive days. Results suggest that participants’ perception of the received suggestions was influenced by the relevance of the suggestion to their interests, but that there were also positive attitudes towards seemingly irrelevant information. Qualitative data indicates that participants, if in an appropriate time and place, are willing to accept and act upon push suggestions as long as the number of suggestions that they receive is not overwhelming. This study contributes towards an understanding of how mobile users make connections with new information, furthering our understanding of how serendipitous connections and insightful thinking could be accommodated using technology. Elsevier 2016-01-14 Article PeerReviewed Kefalidou, Genovefa and Sharples, Sarah (2016) Encouraging serendipity in research: designing technologies to support connection-making. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 89 . pp. 1-23. ISSN 1071-5819 Making connections; Push text suggestions; Serendipity; Reflection; Diary study; Wizard of Oz http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1071581916000045 doi:10.1016/j.ijhcs.2016.01.003 doi:10.1016/j.ijhcs.2016.01.003 |
| spellingShingle | Making connections; Push text suggestions; Serendipity; Reflection; Diary study; Wizard of Oz Kefalidou, Genovefa Sharples, Sarah Encouraging serendipity in research: designing technologies to support connection-making |
| title | Encouraging serendipity in research: designing technologies to support connection-making |
| title_full | Encouraging serendipity in research: designing technologies to support connection-making |
| title_fullStr | Encouraging serendipity in research: designing technologies to support connection-making |
| title_full_unstemmed | Encouraging serendipity in research: designing technologies to support connection-making |
| title_short | Encouraging serendipity in research: designing technologies to support connection-making |
| title_sort | encouraging serendipity in research: designing technologies to support connection-making |
| topic | Making connections; Push text suggestions; Serendipity; Reflection; Diary study; Wizard of Oz |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/32691/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/32691/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/32691/ |