Steve Howard12, Jesper Kjeldskov2, Mikael B Skov2, Kasper Garnoes2, Olga Gruberger2

1Interaction Design Group, 2HCI GroupDepartment of Information Systems Department of Computer ScienceThe University of Melbourne Aalborg UniversityCHI 2006 Proceedings. Awareness and Presence

Outline

Introduction

Understanding Presence-in-Absence

The Cube

Cube Evaluation

Conclusion

Introduction

Presence-in-absence is our subjective sense of social others whilst we are separated from them by time or space.

We discuss presence-in-absence in terms of its social (Contact) and information facets (Content), and the circumstance of the experience (Context).

Introduction (cont.)

Communication technologies in all their forms aid in bridging the gulf between physical absence and social presence.

If physical presence gains clearest support via ‘content oriented’ technologies, then social presence demands ‘contact oriented’ technologies.

Introduction (cont.)

Lombard and Ditton suggest that co-presence has received best support from technologies that converge content and contact capabilities.

A great deal of research has focused on its understanding and support, from video conference to tangible and ubiquitous solutions.

Understanding presence-in-absence

Previously we reported on the collection of forty-two weeks of ethnographic field data, across 6 intimate couples.

The primary data consisted of diaries, scrapbooks, photos and various self-reports.

Secondary data included interviews.

The Cube

The Cube consists of a virtual three-dimensional cube shared between intimate couples.

The Cube (cont.)

Each of the six sides of the Cube contains nine squares and users can compose messages to each other.

The Cube blends into the user’s virtual environment and the possibility for being in contact is increased despite being physically separated.

Cube Evaluation

All the participants were positive in regard to the value of personalized symbolic language.

We will highlight two examples from our data where we failed to strike an appropriate balance.

Cube Evaluation (cont.)

1. The Cube was nevertheless used selectively in mediating presence-in-absence.

Several couples felt that a telephone call would provide a better impression of their partner’s state of mind.

Cube Evaluation (cont.)

2. Our earlier field work had indicated that intimate couples were not willing to expend effort in maintaining presence-in-absence.

However, the Cube asked too much of this content creation.

Conclusion

The Cube did provide our participants with a feeling of being in touch, it supported lightweight and frequent exchanges.

The frequency of the exchanges was a critical variable in influencing that special sense of being there.