Mobile tv or tv on mobile? iterative contextual and usability user research on TV practices and experiences

Dr. An Jacobs (IBBT-SMIT) & Dirk Bollen (IBBT-CUO) Vrije Universiteit Brussel KULeuven

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Intro

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Mobile TV : anyplace, anytime ?

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Conceptual redesign : user research

Where, when and how is watching television on a mobile appropriate?

step 1: Information from other trials, contextual inquiry, literature

step 2: Proxy technology assessment = Using existing technologies that resemble as much as possible the affordances under development

  Elicit the VARIETY of everyday life, user experiences/ practices to forecast everyday practices with future technologies

  Integrated in a multi method social research plan

a) free access to vodaphone, with/without phone (4 weeks) b) logging use (Proximus) c) tasks (week 1) d) 4 cultural probe question cards (week 3) e) diary & auto-collecting photos (week 3) f) in depth interview with other proxies (after week 4)

 Output: Analysis & recommendations; Personas & scenarios

Proxy Technology Assessment (PTA)

 Connection   Coverage: anywhere?   Speed of connection   consequence: zapping is difficult

 Hardware:   first place a useful phone   quality of image and sound

  almost everyone: no earphone use   screen size?

 “Voor het nieuws gaat dat nog, maar bij de sport zie ik toch graag de bal.”

Recommendations : Technical barriers

Safety issues

  Theft   Show off/mister gadget image   Road safety

 “Want ik vind ook een serieus bezwaar aan het kijken van mobiele televisie dat is dat je daar niet mee op een tram of in een bus of zo gaat zitten. (...) Allez ja ik zou me toch niet zo dadelijk nog veilig voelen.”

Recommendations : Safety and image

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Time ideals

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Place ideals

Ideals on social context

  Channel: same as TV

  Programmes: short

  On demand N=572, (01/05/2006 – 31/05/2006)

I: Wanneer kijk je het meeste tv op je vast toestel? R: Dat is vooral 's avonds.

I: Een beetje een parallel met het mobiel toestel. R: Ja, alleen dat er 's middags is bijgekomen en de dode momenten overdag.

(Male: 45, non owner)

Recommendations : programmes & interactivity

View duration log Volume 4 weeks 10 persons

< 5 min. 469

5 min. - 15 min. 79

15 min. - 30 min. 20

> 30 min. 4

Personas & scenarios

  Aim: communication of results in actionable way

  User behavior and attitudes clustering   Three potential profiles:

 Pluggers  Social fillers  Long viewers

Pedro Mertens “ ik ga eerder op zoek gaan naar informatieve euh programma's”

-  43 j, Denderleeuw, girlfriend - Translator; commutes 20 min

- Basketbal, skiing, not much tv - News & NBA competition

- Weekend: film - Gadgets & design

- Internetradio, RSS feeds, looks for specfic information, downloaden

music, games

Mobile tv scenario plugger

- Pedro use the mob tv on the train or waiting - He watches for a short period, e.g news - Mob tv helps him to keep him informed in a quick way

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Design for mobile devices

 Swiss army knife  Sms  Internet  Music player  Camera

 Not the same as the real stuff

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Recommendation from user study

 Mobile user is shifting context /environment   more interruptible and easy to distract

 Outside/inside  Not performing one obvious task  Present in a public, social space

  Quality video and audio

  ‘Channel hopping’ and navigation (faster, less steps, intuitive language use)   Faster   less steps   intuitive language use

  Mobile tv = extension of tv   In competition with other activities

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Literature on mobile interface & TV

 All video content should be provided through a single ‘Mobile tv’ area

 Putting the guide between the user and the content significant changes the nature of the tv experience (Knoche & McCarthy)

 Avoid obstructing tv screen space

 Provide a clear way of adjusting the channel without going ‘back’

 Different forms of channel selection (Taylor & Harper)   1. Channel hopping   2. Wait for information   3. Knowledge of program gide   4. Paper program guide / on screen EPG

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Conceptual model

 First abstract design of the user interface  Based on information from user- and task analysis  Focus on:

 Overall structure  Logic  Navigation

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Concept model : channel hopping

Iteration 1: try out carrousel idea

Iteration 2: adaptation on technical requirement on loading time

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Concept model : channel hopping

Iteration 3: combination of 1 & 2

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Conceptual model EPG

1) 2)

3)

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Concept model : user interaction sms

phone Pay channel

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Concept model : integration

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Paper prototype Iterative development by user tests

•  6 users •  different scenario’s and functionalities •  by doing 10 tasks •  pre and post questionnaire

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Paper prototype results

 Navigation  Begin trial : users prefer navigation carousel  End trial : users prefer EPG  Caution! We did not simulate channel loading time  No information about long term use

 EPG  Function timeline in EPG is not clear  Selection of programs in EPG

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Paper prototype results

Suggested improvements EPG

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Implementation

DVB-H first choice

But: Implementation of concept EPG & carrousel on a 3G device

 Version of paper prototype without suggested improvements

 A lot implementation problems  Platform  Java

 But: test version realized in short development time

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Evaluation research setup

Step 1: Task observation 3G introduction of epg and carrousel for 3G test users - interface: same issues as with paper prototype

Step 2: diary and focusgroup 3G & DVB-H -  new 4 week period (Nov-Dec 2007) 2 groups:

1) first group of 7 persons recruted by survey MICT in Ghent using DvB-H -experienced 3G prototype during focusgroup

2) 9 people from first phase PTA research reusing 3G with prototype application -experienced DVB-H during focusgroup

• Both 2 week diary and auto-collecting photo’s

Reaction on the prototype   EPG is popular

  Gives a good program overview   Familiar interface : tv

  EPG solution too advanced   Channel hopping is improved with introduction of navigation carousel

Evaluation results

Comparing practices: Appropriation of television on mobile device   Same topics as in 2006

  Validation of previous insights   Validation of made persona and scenario’s   No visible changes in attitudes and behavior with mobile TV

  Changing reference point people experienced with 3G in 2006

Conclusion