Brent Blihovde bblihovde3@gatech.eduSean Latif slatif6@gatech.edu

Chris Reynolds creynolds7@gatech.edu

The Problem Listening to music and reading generally

become solitary activities How can we make them social activities

instead?

The Solution B.A.M.!

Books and Music A portable tablet device that allows

users to listen to music and read books, AND sample the music and books of BAM users in their proximity

Wireless Headphones

Social eReader

The user enters a browsing screen where multiple books from other users nearby can be chosen and read.

A book is chosen and the user can read the book for as long as the book's owner is still nearby.

The user can make notes and comments on the book to be read by other nearby users, or flag the book if the user is interested in purchasing it.

The user finishes reading and returns to the browsing screen, with an updated list of books from nearby users.

Another book is selected and read while its owner is nearby.

If the current book's owner leaves the area, the book is no longer available and the user is returned to the browsing screen.

Overall Goal Raise awareness in users to those around

them Theoretically/Ideally: Similar interests, or

peaked interests, result in friendship.Users: College students who frequently read or

listen to music in public places Sherry Turkle notes that portable devices

are currently used as a means of escaping awkward situations, decreasing social awareness in place of exclusion

Research Direct Observation

How is it used now? Day-In-The-Life

User’s perspective? Drawing it Out

More User’s Perspective

InterviewsGathering of

additional qualitative and quantitative data

Findings:Draw it out Drawing-It-Out showed

that users are relatively spread out through the buses.

People on the bus tended to sit alone rather than next to others when the choice is available

Gauged user expectations

Interviewed 3 potential usersJoyce Wong (20), avid readerPriyank Patel (21), avid Stinger userMichael O’Rourke (20), avid music listener

Users’ taste in music tends to reflect their personality

Users tend to share tastes with their friends Interviews served mainly to justify idea’s existence

Had we had a second chance, we would have asked more relevant questions

Example: “How weird would it be to see someone looking at you through a tablet-like device?”

Findings:Interviews

Findings: Day in the Life Placed us in the user’s shoes Forced us to consider when the BAM

would be used (beginning of the day vs end of the day)

Made us think of creative, outlandish scenarios that could occur via the BAMMeeting your future spouseMaking a business out of supplying

textbooks via the BAM

Findings:Observation

Click icon to add picture

Observing potential users in their natural habitat, the Stingers, helped the process in two ways:1. Placed us in user environment2. Showed us a multitude of the

population that is excluded throughout previous research techniques

The Future Improvements to

Our DesignFinding some

alternative to the proximity feature due to “creepiness”

Focus on social network akin to iTunes and Facebook

Better research next time

Informing Similar DesignsImplementing the

proximity feature would encourage socialness in the right user

Is there a site for users to share their book and music interests?