Behaviour insights have been extensively applied to public policy and service design. The potenti... more Behaviour insights have been extensively applied to public policy and service design. The potential for an expanded use of behaviour change to healthcare quality improvement has been underlined in the England's National Health Service Five-Year Forward View report, in which staff behaviour is connected to the quality of care delivered to patients and better clinical practice (NHS, 2014). Improving the quality of healthcare service delivery involves adopting improvement cycles that are conducted by multiple agents through systematic processes of change and evaluation (Scoville et al., 2016). Despite the recognition that some of the recurring challenges to improve healthcare services are behavioural in essence, there is insufficient evidence about how behavioural insights can be successfully applied to quality improvement in healthcare. Simultaneously, the discussion on how to better engage participants in intervention design, and how to better enable participation are not seen as fundamental components of behaviour change frameworks. This paper presents an integrative approach, stemming from comprehensive literature review and an ongoing case study, in which participatory design is used as the conduit to activate stakeholder engagement in the application of a behaviour change framework, aiming to improve the processes of diagnosing and managing urinary tract infection in the emergency department of a hospital in England. Preliminary findings show positive results regarding the combined use of participatory design and behaviour change tools in the development of a shared-vision of the challenges in question, and the collaborative establishment of priorities of action, potential solution routes and evaluation strategies.
In order to tackle complex sustainability challenges, top-down one-size-fits-all services and str... more In order to tackle complex sustainability challenges, top-down one-size-fits-all services and strategies do not always effectively address the diverse needs of local communities. It is increasingly recognised that multi-disciplinary stakeholders need to draw on their locally situated knowledge and cooperate towards achieving a social aim. With this in mind, and moving beyond the designer’s ‘parachuting’ into projects that do not grow or develop, this paper explores how the service designer can contribute to activate meaningful routes for the transition of textile artisan communities towards sustainable futures. This paper proposes a service design framework for better understanding local contexts, making sense of visions for the future and reframing them into meaningful actionable realities. For the purpose of this paper, the theory is here presented through its application to a community of Nottingham lace artisans, chosen as unit of analysis for this participatory case study research.
This article presents the design process behind the specification of a behaviour change intervent... more This article presents the design process behind the specification of a behaviour change intervention method to promote energy saving. The amount of energy used for food preparation is highly influenced by people’s behaviours. A user-centred design approach based on scenario analysis was applied to provide understanding of context of use and specification of user requirements. This knowledge was applied to the design of behaviour change interventions to motivate sustainable behaviours.
Increasing technological developments indicate potential for a variety of improvements in the dom... more Increasing technological developments indicate potential for a variety of improvements in the domestic environment. As part of an interdisciplinary research project, this study interviewed households prior to the installation of smart home technologies (SHTs) in order to identify critical issues at the pre-installation phase. Semi-structured interviews took place in 16 houses before the installation of SHTs, when a range of smart sensors and controls were presented to households for the first time. At this stage, they started to make key decisions about which devices to use, where to install, and how to position them. Participants mentioned diverse issues surrounding the introduction of SHTs. To guide the qualitative analysis, an organizing framework for research on smart homes and their users was used. This paper indicates that, even though participants appreciate the functional aspects of SHTs and the possibilities of a better living, their concerns related to technology (hardware & software), design (acceptability & usability) and spaces (home as complex places) are numerous. These results complement the existing literature (which focuses more on the use phase) with the perceived enablers and barriers prior to the installation of SHTs.
The LEEDR project was a four-year study that explored energy consumption in family homes. 20 hous... more The LEEDR project was a four-year study that explored energy consumption in family homes. 20 households took part, being involved for about three years. Insights were fed back to the participants at the end of the project in the form of a unique, tailored book for each family. This book represents the style, formatting and information content of those books. This version has been called ‘H99’ and it is an amalgam of chapters from multiple homes, and therefore should not be used as a source of data or analysis: please refer to publications. The information contained here has been released generally in the hope that it might inspire and inform the development of feedback from other similar projects.
The current economic crisis is building momentum for designers to challenge the linear take-make-... more The current economic crisis is building momentum for designers to challenge the linear take-make-waste model and explore sustainable strategies, services and systems. With this in mind, this research explores how service design can encourage textile artisans’ communities towards a sustainable future, providing social engagement, rescuing cultural heritage, boosting economic development and enhancing environmental stewardship. Service design is here proposed as an approach to empower such communities, co-design collaborative services and sustain innovations within an enabling ecosystem. The paper focuses on the first study of this research where a theoretical framework to help textile artisans’ communities transitioning to a sustainable future was co-developed with academic experts in the field. A Nominal Group Technique and semi-structure interviews were used to collect data; results and findings are presented as barriers, enablers and a manifesto to encourage a sustainable future. To conclude, next steps and challenges posed by the envisioned future are discussed.
This paper presents an empirical comparison of idea generation within the context of reducing the... more This paper presents an empirical comparison of idea generation within the context of reducing the number of single occupancy car journeys to and from a UK university campus. Separate co-design and consultative groups were matched with respect to (1) creativity when problem solving, (2) normal commuting mode and (3) intention to adopt sustainable behaviours. The co-design group generated a significantly greater number of innovative ideas than the consultative group (using an email-based methodology); however, this was due to the greater number of total ideas (rather than the higher proportion of innovative ideas) generated by this group. The co-design group was able to think more systemically about potential solutions and generate proposals that were not either linked to their own commute mode, or aligned with any one specific mode of transport. The findings suggest that co-design offers benefits as a process for idea generation within the sustainable travel context as it promotes idea generation and a more holistic perspective on the problem and potential solutions.
UbiComp '13 Adjunct. Proceedings of the 2013 ACM Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing Adjunct Publication, Sep 8, 2013
This research is focusing upon the human-computer interaction (HCI), evaluating the relationship ... more This research is focusing upon the human-computer interaction (HCI), evaluating the relationship between users and cooking appliances mediated by information-communication technologies (ICTs) applications designed specifically to motivate energy saving. User observation, energy monitoring and semi-structured interviews helped to understand user behaviours and its respective determinants. Group discussions and large scale surveys were used to evaluate the acceptance of energy saving techniques and intervention methods. This knowledge informed the development of a persuasive electronic energy saving intervention in the form of a mobile phone application, which is being tested.
Persuasive 2011: The Sixth International Conference on Persuasive Technology, Jun 5, 2011
Electric cookers and kettles are often high electricity consumers amongst household appliances. C... more Electric cookers and kettles are often high electricity consumers amongst household appliances. Cooking requires several interactions with these appliances, and furthermore people’s behaviours play an important role in the energy consumption. This research is seeking to understand people’s behaviours whilst cooking and also identify the determinants of these behaviours. Energy monitoring, video recording and semi-structured questionnaires were used to gather this information. This knowledge will inform the development of an intervention aiming at reducing energy expenditure.
The global economic and environmental crisis is leading to the end of a linear economy based on c... more The global economic and environmental crisis is leading to the end of a linear economy based on consumption and waste, while setting the ground for opening up resilient, flexible and redistributed micro-productions, based on new ethics of sustainability. With this in mind, this research is focused on exploring textile artisans’ communities, bottom-up and human-centred economic aggregations embodying the craft atmosphere of a territory due to physical proximity and shared material cultural background. Such communities are engaged in giving form and meaning to local natural fibres and managing the process of making culturally and socially significant garments. Currently, the textile crafts discourse is mainly based on patchy practices and individual making experiences, overlooking the human and social dimension of artisanship. It is still missing a strategic agenda which could create sustainable interconnections within this complex landscape. Therefore, this research aims to explore how service design can strategically drive textile artisans’ communities towards a sustainable future. This will be done through a holistic process based on a triple bottom line: empowering artisans’ creative assets and social bonds, co-designing collaborative services and scaling up initiatives within an enabling ecosystem of inter-networked textile artisans’ communities at glocal level.
Abstract This paper explored the question of how volunteered and professional geographic informat... more Abstract This paper explored the question of how volunteered and professional geographic information (VGI and PGI) can be used together in an outdoor recreation context. In particular, consideration is given to what makes each information source valuable to the user, and how this can be used to help developers of GIS provide more useful, usable and satisfying products.
Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) has huge potential for influencing the use of geographic... more Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) has huge potential for influencing the use of geographic information systems. However, there is a wide range of individuals involved in this process, each with their own motivations for contributing and using volunteered data. This paper investigates the range of stakeholders involved with VGI, their relationships and the main tensions and issues involved. The research was based on a series of detailed interviews and theory-driven coding of data.
Amateur Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) has been used together with Professional Geograp... more Amateur Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) has been used together with Professional Geographic Information (PGI) since its inception during the mid 00's alongside neogeography. While the geographic accuracy and quality of VGI has been demonstrated to be more than good enough, no previous research has been published on the influence VGI has on the user perceptions of the mashup.
Recent fires and resulting casualties in major road tunnels have highlighted the need for both be... more Recent fires and resulting casualties in major road tunnels have highlighted the need for both better safety precautions and the need for a more effective emergency response during an incident. More complete, accurate and relevant information during an incident can increase the effectiveness of the response by the emergency team. Although traditional sensor networks (eg those detecting smoke or fire or enabling data transmission) can help supply information, they may be susceptible to damage and are relatively inflexible.
Volunteered Geographic Information has the potential to offer value and usability benefits to end... more Volunteered Geographic Information has the potential to offer value and usability benefits to end-users over and above that of Professional Geographic Information. For this to be accomplished, the user centred factors of both information types must be understood in detail. Through a series of focus groups, the differences between volunteer and professional information sources are investigated relative to the characteristics which are the most, or least relevant to the end-user.
Abstract Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) has the potential to offer benefits to end-user... more Abstract Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) has the potential to offer benefits to end-users over and above those of Professional Geographic Information (PGI). A multi-methods approach, consisting of participatory observation, focus groups and diary studies, was used to study how VGI and PGI were actually used by a target user group. A theoretical framework of information relevance was used to understand the attributes of information that were most important in relation to the characteristics of the users' activity and their community.
Abstract This paper describes the opportunities for location aware computing to enhance informati... more Abstract This paper describes the opportunities for location aware computing to enhance information capture and use within the construction industry. The construction industry is characterized as being slow to take up innovative mobile ICT, despite the highly mobile workforce who must collaborate with a range of on and off-site personnel, and make use of large volumes of information.
This set of personas represents archetypal owner-occupier families that live in solid wall (hard ... more This set of personas represents archetypal owner-occupier families that live in solid wall (hard to treat) UK homes.
Behaviour insights have been extensively applied to public policy and service design. The potenti... more Behaviour insights have been extensively applied to public policy and service design. The potential for an expanded use of behaviour change to healthcare quality improvement has been underlined in the England's National Health Service Five-Year Forward View report, in which staff behaviour is connected to the quality of care delivered to patients and better clinical practice (NHS, 2014). Improving the quality of healthcare service delivery involves adopting improvement cycles that are conducted by multiple agents through systematic processes of change and evaluation (Scoville et al., 2016). Despite the recognition that some of the recurring challenges to improve healthcare services are behavioural in essence, there is insufficient evidence about how behavioural insights can be successfully applied to quality improvement in healthcare. Simultaneously, the discussion on how to better engage participants in intervention design, and how to better enable participation are not seen as fundamental components of behaviour change frameworks. This paper presents an integrative approach, stemming from comprehensive literature review and an ongoing case study, in which participatory design is used as the conduit to activate stakeholder engagement in the application of a behaviour change framework, aiming to improve the processes of diagnosing and managing urinary tract infection in the emergency department of a hospital in England. Preliminary findings show positive results regarding the combined use of participatory design and behaviour change tools in the development of a shared-vision of the challenges in question, and the collaborative establishment of priorities of action, potential solution routes and evaluation strategies.
In order to tackle complex sustainability challenges, top-down one-size-fits-all services and str... more In order to tackle complex sustainability challenges, top-down one-size-fits-all services and strategies do not always effectively address the diverse needs of local communities. It is increasingly recognised that multi-disciplinary stakeholders need to draw on their locally situated knowledge and cooperate towards achieving a social aim. With this in mind, and moving beyond the designer’s ‘parachuting’ into projects that do not grow or develop, this paper explores how the service designer can contribute to activate meaningful routes for the transition of textile artisan communities towards sustainable futures. This paper proposes a service design framework for better understanding local contexts, making sense of visions for the future and reframing them into meaningful actionable realities. For the purpose of this paper, the theory is here presented through its application to a community of Nottingham lace artisans, chosen as unit of analysis for this participatory case study research.
This article presents the design process behind the specification of a behaviour change intervent... more This article presents the design process behind the specification of a behaviour change intervention method to promote energy saving. The amount of energy used for food preparation is highly influenced by people’s behaviours. A user-centred design approach based on scenario analysis was applied to provide understanding of context of use and specification of user requirements. This knowledge was applied to the design of behaviour change interventions to motivate sustainable behaviours.
Increasing technological developments indicate potential for a variety of improvements in the dom... more Increasing technological developments indicate potential for a variety of improvements in the domestic environment. As part of an interdisciplinary research project, this study interviewed households prior to the installation of smart home technologies (SHTs) in order to identify critical issues at the pre-installation phase. Semi-structured interviews took place in 16 houses before the installation of SHTs, when a range of smart sensors and controls were presented to households for the first time. At this stage, they started to make key decisions about which devices to use, where to install, and how to position them. Participants mentioned diverse issues surrounding the introduction of SHTs. To guide the qualitative analysis, an organizing framework for research on smart homes and their users was used. This paper indicates that, even though participants appreciate the functional aspects of SHTs and the possibilities of a better living, their concerns related to technology (hardware & software), design (acceptability & usability) and spaces (home as complex places) are numerous. These results complement the existing literature (which focuses more on the use phase) with the perceived enablers and barriers prior to the installation of SHTs.
The LEEDR project was a four-year study that explored energy consumption in family homes. 20 hous... more The LEEDR project was a four-year study that explored energy consumption in family homes. 20 households took part, being involved for about three years. Insights were fed back to the participants at the end of the project in the form of a unique, tailored book for each family. This book represents the style, formatting and information content of those books. This version has been called ‘H99’ and it is an amalgam of chapters from multiple homes, and therefore should not be used as a source of data or analysis: please refer to publications. The information contained here has been released generally in the hope that it might inspire and inform the development of feedback from other similar projects.
The current economic crisis is building momentum for designers to challenge the linear take-make-... more The current economic crisis is building momentum for designers to challenge the linear take-make-waste model and explore sustainable strategies, services and systems. With this in mind, this research explores how service design can encourage textile artisans’ communities towards a sustainable future, providing social engagement, rescuing cultural heritage, boosting economic development and enhancing environmental stewardship. Service design is here proposed as an approach to empower such communities, co-design collaborative services and sustain innovations within an enabling ecosystem. The paper focuses on the first study of this research where a theoretical framework to help textile artisans’ communities transitioning to a sustainable future was co-developed with academic experts in the field. A Nominal Group Technique and semi-structure interviews were used to collect data; results and findings are presented as barriers, enablers and a manifesto to encourage a sustainable future. To conclude, next steps and challenges posed by the envisioned future are discussed.
This paper presents an empirical comparison of idea generation within the context of reducing the... more This paper presents an empirical comparison of idea generation within the context of reducing the number of single occupancy car journeys to and from a UK university campus. Separate co-design and consultative groups were matched with respect to (1) creativity when problem solving, (2) normal commuting mode and (3) intention to adopt sustainable behaviours. The co-design group generated a significantly greater number of innovative ideas than the consultative group (using an email-based methodology); however, this was due to the greater number of total ideas (rather than the higher proportion of innovative ideas) generated by this group. The co-design group was able to think more systemically about potential solutions and generate proposals that were not either linked to their own commute mode, or aligned with any one specific mode of transport. The findings suggest that co-design offers benefits as a process for idea generation within the sustainable travel context as it promotes idea generation and a more holistic perspective on the problem and potential solutions.
UbiComp '13 Adjunct. Proceedings of the 2013 ACM Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing Adjunct Publication, Sep 8, 2013
This research is focusing upon the human-computer interaction (HCI), evaluating the relationship ... more This research is focusing upon the human-computer interaction (HCI), evaluating the relationship between users and cooking appliances mediated by information-communication technologies (ICTs) applications designed specifically to motivate energy saving. User observation, energy monitoring and semi-structured interviews helped to understand user behaviours and its respective determinants. Group discussions and large scale surveys were used to evaluate the acceptance of energy saving techniques and intervention methods. This knowledge informed the development of a persuasive electronic energy saving intervention in the form of a mobile phone application, which is being tested.
Persuasive 2011: The Sixth International Conference on Persuasive Technology, Jun 5, 2011
Electric cookers and kettles are often high electricity consumers amongst household appliances. C... more Electric cookers and kettles are often high electricity consumers amongst household appliances. Cooking requires several interactions with these appliances, and furthermore people’s behaviours play an important role in the energy consumption. This research is seeking to understand people’s behaviours whilst cooking and also identify the determinants of these behaviours. Energy monitoring, video recording and semi-structured questionnaires were used to gather this information. This knowledge will inform the development of an intervention aiming at reducing energy expenditure.
The global economic and environmental crisis is leading to the end of a linear economy based on c... more The global economic and environmental crisis is leading to the end of a linear economy based on consumption and waste, while setting the ground for opening up resilient, flexible and redistributed micro-productions, based on new ethics of sustainability. With this in mind, this research is focused on exploring textile artisans’ communities, bottom-up and human-centred economic aggregations embodying the craft atmosphere of a territory due to physical proximity and shared material cultural background. Such communities are engaged in giving form and meaning to local natural fibres and managing the process of making culturally and socially significant garments. Currently, the textile crafts discourse is mainly based on patchy practices and individual making experiences, overlooking the human and social dimension of artisanship. It is still missing a strategic agenda which could create sustainable interconnections within this complex landscape. Therefore, this research aims to explore how service design can strategically drive textile artisans’ communities towards a sustainable future. This will be done through a holistic process based on a triple bottom line: empowering artisans’ creative assets and social bonds, co-designing collaborative services and scaling up initiatives within an enabling ecosystem of inter-networked textile artisans’ communities at glocal level.
Abstract This paper explored the question of how volunteered and professional geographic informat... more Abstract This paper explored the question of how volunteered and professional geographic information (VGI and PGI) can be used together in an outdoor recreation context. In particular, consideration is given to what makes each information source valuable to the user, and how this can be used to help developers of GIS provide more useful, usable and satisfying products.
Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) has huge potential for influencing the use of geographic... more Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) has huge potential for influencing the use of geographic information systems. However, there is a wide range of individuals involved in this process, each with their own motivations for contributing and using volunteered data. This paper investigates the range of stakeholders involved with VGI, their relationships and the main tensions and issues involved. The research was based on a series of detailed interviews and theory-driven coding of data.
Amateur Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) has been used together with Professional Geograp... more Amateur Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) has been used together with Professional Geographic Information (PGI) since its inception during the mid 00's alongside neogeography. While the geographic accuracy and quality of VGI has been demonstrated to be more than good enough, no previous research has been published on the influence VGI has on the user perceptions of the mashup.
Recent fires and resulting casualties in major road tunnels have highlighted the need for both be... more Recent fires and resulting casualties in major road tunnels have highlighted the need for both better safety precautions and the need for a more effective emergency response during an incident. More complete, accurate and relevant information during an incident can increase the effectiveness of the response by the emergency team. Although traditional sensor networks (eg those detecting smoke or fire or enabling data transmission) can help supply information, they may be susceptible to damage and are relatively inflexible.
Volunteered Geographic Information has the potential to offer value and usability benefits to end... more Volunteered Geographic Information has the potential to offer value and usability benefits to end-users over and above that of Professional Geographic Information. For this to be accomplished, the user centred factors of both information types must be understood in detail. Through a series of focus groups, the differences between volunteer and professional information sources are investigated relative to the characteristics which are the most, or least relevant to the end-user.
Abstract Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) has the potential to offer benefits to end-user... more Abstract Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) has the potential to offer benefits to end-users over and above those of Professional Geographic Information (PGI). A multi-methods approach, consisting of participatory observation, focus groups and diary studies, was used to study how VGI and PGI were actually used by a target user group. A theoretical framework of information relevance was used to understand the attributes of information that were most important in relation to the characteristics of the users' activity and their community.
Abstract This paper describes the opportunities for location aware computing to enhance informati... more Abstract This paper describes the opportunities for location aware computing to enhance information capture and use within the construction industry. The construction industry is characterized as being slow to take up innovative mobile ICT, despite the highly mobile workforce who must collaborate with a range of on and off-site personnel, and make use of large volumes of information.
This set of personas represents archetypal owner-occupier families that live in solid wall (hard ... more This set of personas represents archetypal owner-occupier families that live in solid wall (hard to treat) UK homes.
This presentation showcases an innovative approach to pedagogy involving the teaching of Industri... more This presentation showcases an innovative approach to pedagogy involving the teaching of Industrial Design through a User Experience Design (UXD) lens. Emerging from an initial collaboration between HCI, Industrial Design, and Social Science academics from Loughborough Design School and University College London’s Knowledge Lab, Industrial Design students are challenged to design user experiences ‘beyond the screen’, applying conventionally digital UXD methods and approaches to inform the design of future physical product concepts. Through this case study we communicate the process from both teacher and student perspectives, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of teaching and learning this way. We also critically reflect upon pedagogic synergies and barriers, as well as discussing future directions for Industrial Design.
Behavioural insights' is a term that refers to the application of findings from behaviour science... more Behavioural insights' is a term that refers to the application of findings from behaviour science to support the design of public policy and services. The potential for an expanded use of behavioural insights to healthcare quality improvement has been underlined in the NHS Five-Year Forward View. In the report, the NHS recognises that changes in staff behaviour will be of primary importance to reducing human error and delivering of "new care models" (NHS, 2014). Improving quality in healthcare entails implementing and sustaining a continuous cycle of change and critical evaluation (Scoville et al., 2016). Adopting this improvement cycle can be challenging in many respects that range from recognising the most pressing problems and developing appropriate solutions, to managing data and evaluating practice and outcomes . Many approaches and tools to Quality Improvement exist -including recent HFE integrative proposals -and yet little is known about how behavioural insights can be applied to quality improvement in healthcare.
Conference Presentation at the DRS2016 Conference (Paper Session 'Sustainable Design') at the Uni... more Conference Presentation at the DRS2016 Conference (Paper Session 'Sustainable Design') at the University of Brighton on 29/06/2016
Volunteered Geographic Information has the potential to offer value and usability benefits to end... more Volunteered Geographic Information has the potential to offer value and usability benefits to end-users over and above that of Professional Geographic Information. For this to be accomplished, the user centred factors of both information types must be understood in detail. Through a series of focus groups, the differences between volunteer and professional information sources are investigated relative to the characteristics which are the most, or least relevant to the end-user. These findings have implications for how different forms of information may be most effectively utilised within different usage situations.
The global economic and environmental crisis is leading to the end of a linear economy based on c... more The global economic and environmental crisis is leading to the end of a linear economy based on consumption and waste, while setting the ground for new ethics of sustainability and cutting-edge business opportunities. Artisanship is an interesting opportunity for opening up flexible and redistributed micro-factories, while bridging local realities with global markets. It is a key contributor to sustainable development as it preserves cultural heritage, provides social employment, and boosts creative economies and environmental stewardship. This PhD aims to explore how service design can strategically drive textile artisans’ communities towards a sustainable future. This means empowering artisans’ creative assets and social bonds, co-designing collaborative services and scaling up glocal initiatives within an enabling ecosystem.
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Papers by Val Mitchell