ABSTRACT The design of interactive dance is a challenging endeavor because both dance and computi... more ABSTRACT The design of interactive dance is a challenging endeavor because both dance and computing are in themselves full of complexity, thus to create a cohesive union of the two involves much trial and error and a mutual disciplinary understanding. Since interactive dance is a performing art, technologists working as designers must consider how all of the parts–choreography, media, interactivity–are integrated to inform the overall gestalt and intent of the piece.
Abstract Creativity is a fuzzy, complex concept with a wide range of definitions and theories. Si... more Abstract Creativity is a fuzzy, complex concept with a wide range of definitions and theories. Since there is no single agreed upon methodology for recognizing and evaluating creativity, this makes it particularly difficult to evaluate how well a creativity support tool (CST) supports the creativity of a user. My dissertation will be concerned with evaluating CSTs through the development of new quantitative metrics and methodologies.
Abstract We investigate the measurement of'in-the-moment creativity'(ITMC) as a step towards deve... more Abstract We investigate the measurement of'in-the-moment creativity'(ITMC) as a step towards developing new evaluation methods for improving creativity support tools (CSTs). We consider ITMC to be the periods of intense personal creative experience within a temporal, creative work process. Our approach to this work involves a triangulation method of several temporal metrics, including self-report ratings, external judgments, and physiological measurements.
Abstract We present a first attempt at capturing'in the moment&a... more Abstract We present a first attempt at capturing'in the moment'creativity (ITMC) through a triangulation self-report techniques, external judges, and physiological measures. In our study, participants were asked to sketch for 30 minutes while wearing GSR and EEG; then they retrospectively self-reported their creativity using a custom interface. External judges were also utilized to rate when participants were creative. Our initial results indicate high reliability for self-reporting ITMC, consensus between judges and participants, and that ...
The dance production process is strongly influenced within the physical rehearsal space by social... more The dance production process is strongly influenced within the physical rehearsal space by social context factors and dynamics, such as intimacy of bodies, gender distribution, and the hierarchy of choreographers and dancers. Introducing online tools for asynchronous collaboration can change the traditional dance production process and impact the social dynamics of the group. We developed and deployed the Choreographer's Notebook, a web-based, collaborative, multi-modal annotation tool used in the creative process of making dance. We collected usage logs and choreographer reflections on the use of this tool, along with conducting interviews and focus groups, from the interdisciplinary perspectives of both technologists and choreographers involved in the project. We describe the socio-technical impacts of the Choreographer's Notebook based on the results of its usage in three dance productions. We analyze these case studies through various contextual lenses and provide a visualization of how the choreographic correction process evolved.
We present a collaborative tool for choreographers and dancers, the Choreographer's Notebook, whi... more We present a collaborative tool for choreographers and dancers, the Choreographer's Notebook, which allows multimodal annotation of rehearsal videos during the dance production process. The dance production process is a creative process in which exploration and expression are paramount and we describe issues we have observed over four different dance production cycles. The Choreographer's Notebook addresses the recurring problem of scarcity of rehearsal time and space, which is a limiting factor for exploration and expression. The tool is a web-based video application that enables choreographers to provide multimodal, contextsensitive instructions and feedback to the dancers outside of formal rehearsal time. The novelty of this tool is its ability to provide a multimodal collaborative video-based workflow. This article also presents a thorough ethnographic investigation of the dance production process and results from the use of the Choreographer's Notebook as an artifact within that process.
Understanding audience responses to art and performance is a challenge. New sensors are promising... more Understanding audience responses to art and performance is a challenge. New sensors are promising for measurement of implicit and explicit audience engagement. However, the meaning of biometric data, and its relationship to engagement, is unclear. We conceptually explore the audience engagement domain to uncover opportunities and challenges in the assessment and interpretation of audience engagement data. We developed a display that linked performance videos with audience biometric data and presented it to 7 performing arts experts, to explore the measurement, interpretation and application of biometric data. Experts were intrigued by the response data and reflective in interpreting it. We deepened our inquiry with an empirical study with 49 participants who watched a video of a dance performance. We related temporal galvanic skin response (GSR) data to two self-report scales, which provided insights on interpreting this measure. Our findings, which include strong correlations, support the interpretation of GSR as a valid representation of audience engagement.
The integration of interactive technology with temporal art such as dance is an exciting, emergin... more The integration of interactive technology with temporal art such as dance is an exciting, emerging area. The design space for such collaborations is immense, with variations in sensors, visualizations, and how these interact with dancers and choreography. This paper presents the evaluation methodology and results of Dance.Draw, a longitudinal project spanning two years and three productions, which aimed to develop a deep, interdisciplinary understanding of this space. Given that this is pioneering work, there is little guidance on how to evaluate such collaborations. We describe the significant confounds in doing evaluation in this area, and we present our evolving mixed-methods approach, which includes two unique methods to address the multiple stakeholders in a holistic manner: dancer focus groups and repeated presentations. Our approach has generated insights, such as differing perspectives of audience members and the responses of dancers to technological variables. We conclude by discussing the challenges and successes of our evaluation approach.
SoundPainter is an interactive dance performance that features a triad of dancers, musicians and ... more SoundPainter is an interactive dance performance that features a triad of dancers, musicians and projected visuals, where each of these three elements reacts to one another through improvisation, algorithmic representations of sound and vision-based technology.
In this paper we describe the process and technology behind a dance performance, "Bodies/Antibodi... more In this paper we describe the process and technology behind a dance performance, "Bodies/Antibodies," that will be presented at CHI 2010. This performance is part of an ongoing Dance.Draw project at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, which investigates lightweight methods for integrating dance motion with interactive visualizations and enhancing audience interaction with dance.
Abstract Understanding audience responses to art and performance is a challenge. New sensors are ... more Abstract Understanding audience responses to art and performance is a challenge. New sensors are promising for measurement of implicit and explicit audience engagement. However, the meaning of biometric data, and its relationship to engagement, is unclear. We conceptually explore the audience engagement domain to uncover opportunities and challenges in the assessment and interpretation of audience engagement data.
ABSTRACT We present a new survey metric, the Creativity Support Index (CSI) that is designed to h... more ABSTRACT We present a new survey metric, the Creativity Support Index (CSI) that is designed to help researchers and designers evaluate the level of creativity support provided by various systems or interfaces. We initially employed a topdown literature-based approach to develop a beta version of the Creativity Support Index (Beta CSI). We discuss our usage of the Beta CSI in three different studies and what we learned from those deployments.
Geovisualization has traditionally played a critical role in analysis and decision-making, but re... more Geovisualization has traditionally played a critical role in analysis and decision-making, but recent developments have also brought a revolution in widespread online access to geographic data and integration tools, particularly for map-based interfaces. This next generation of geovisualization applications is often characterized by high interactivity and strong end-user participation in both development and use. Building the most effective tools to support user-centered geographic visualization faces a significant challenge, though: very little is known about how people interact with maps. To date, map use research has typically focused on higher order use goals or cognitive interpretations of static map representations. Our research employs Human-Computer Interaction approaches in order to investigate user behaviors that contribute to interactive map use and understanding. This paper describes our approach to studying geovisualization interaction and presents our pilot user studies and initial interaction model. By building a better understanding of how people interact with map interfaces, we will be able to design better user-centered geographic visualizations and learn how to best customize these applications to specific user groups.
Introduction While the concept of creativity is something that people understand intuitively, it ... more Introduction While the concept of creativity is something that people understand intuitively, it is not easily defined, and it is therefore difficult to measure. If creativity itself is difficult to measure, the ability of a tool to support, promote, or enable creativity will also be difficult to measure. Due to the challenges of measuring creativity, there are many different approaches to its evaluation. Most commonly, Creativity Support Tools (CSTs) are evaluated using qualitative methods, such as observation and interview techniques. While these techniques can be ...
ABSTRACT Gender studies show numerous differences between genders in regard to technology, and em... more ABSTRACT Gender studies show numerous differences between genders in regard to technology, and emphasize that women are underrepresented in IT-related academic programs and careers. Because technology is so prevalent in our workforce, it is important to study how technology usage affects white-collared working women. We explore the relationship between three dimensions of technology overload and knowledge worker job performance (stratified by gender) through a quantitative analysis.
ABSTRACT The design of interactive dance is a challenging endeavor because both dance and computi... more ABSTRACT The design of interactive dance is a challenging endeavor because both dance and computing are in themselves full of complexity, thus to create a cohesive union of the two involves much trial and error and a mutual disciplinary understanding. Since interactive dance is a performing art, technologists working as designers must consider how all of the parts–choreography, media, interactivity–are integrated to inform the overall gestalt and intent of the piece.
Abstract Creativity is a fuzzy, complex concept with a wide range of definitions and theories. Si... more Abstract Creativity is a fuzzy, complex concept with a wide range of definitions and theories. Since there is no single agreed upon methodology for recognizing and evaluating creativity, this makes it particularly difficult to evaluate how well a creativity support tool (CST) supports the creativity of a user. My dissertation will be concerned with evaluating CSTs through the development of new quantitative metrics and methodologies.
Abstract We investigate the measurement of'in-the-moment creativity'(ITMC) as a step towards deve... more Abstract We investigate the measurement of'in-the-moment creativity'(ITMC) as a step towards developing new evaluation methods for improving creativity support tools (CSTs). We consider ITMC to be the periods of intense personal creative experience within a temporal, creative work process. Our approach to this work involves a triangulation method of several temporal metrics, including self-report ratings, external judgments, and physiological measurements.
Abstract We present a first attempt at capturing'in the moment&a... more Abstract We present a first attempt at capturing'in the moment'creativity (ITMC) through a triangulation self-report techniques, external judges, and physiological measures. In our study, participants were asked to sketch for 30 minutes while wearing GSR and EEG; then they retrospectively self-reported their creativity using a custom interface. External judges were also utilized to rate when participants were creative. Our initial results indicate high reliability for self-reporting ITMC, consensus between judges and participants, and that ...
The dance production process is strongly influenced within the physical rehearsal space by social... more The dance production process is strongly influenced within the physical rehearsal space by social context factors and dynamics, such as intimacy of bodies, gender distribution, and the hierarchy of choreographers and dancers. Introducing online tools for asynchronous collaboration can change the traditional dance production process and impact the social dynamics of the group. We developed and deployed the Choreographer's Notebook, a web-based, collaborative, multi-modal annotation tool used in the creative process of making dance. We collected usage logs and choreographer reflections on the use of this tool, along with conducting interviews and focus groups, from the interdisciplinary perspectives of both technologists and choreographers involved in the project. We describe the socio-technical impacts of the Choreographer's Notebook based on the results of its usage in three dance productions. We analyze these case studies through various contextual lenses and provide a visualization of how the choreographic correction process evolved.
We present a collaborative tool for choreographers and dancers, the Choreographer's Notebook, whi... more We present a collaborative tool for choreographers and dancers, the Choreographer's Notebook, which allows multimodal annotation of rehearsal videos during the dance production process. The dance production process is a creative process in which exploration and expression are paramount and we describe issues we have observed over four different dance production cycles. The Choreographer's Notebook addresses the recurring problem of scarcity of rehearsal time and space, which is a limiting factor for exploration and expression. The tool is a web-based video application that enables choreographers to provide multimodal, contextsensitive instructions and feedback to the dancers outside of formal rehearsal time. The novelty of this tool is its ability to provide a multimodal collaborative video-based workflow. This article also presents a thorough ethnographic investigation of the dance production process and results from the use of the Choreographer's Notebook as an artifact within that process.
Understanding audience responses to art and performance is a challenge. New sensors are promising... more Understanding audience responses to art and performance is a challenge. New sensors are promising for measurement of implicit and explicit audience engagement. However, the meaning of biometric data, and its relationship to engagement, is unclear. We conceptually explore the audience engagement domain to uncover opportunities and challenges in the assessment and interpretation of audience engagement data. We developed a display that linked performance videos with audience biometric data and presented it to 7 performing arts experts, to explore the measurement, interpretation and application of biometric data. Experts were intrigued by the response data and reflective in interpreting it. We deepened our inquiry with an empirical study with 49 participants who watched a video of a dance performance. We related temporal galvanic skin response (GSR) data to two self-report scales, which provided insights on interpreting this measure. Our findings, which include strong correlations, support the interpretation of GSR as a valid representation of audience engagement.
The integration of interactive technology with temporal art such as dance is an exciting, emergin... more The integration of interactive technology with temporal art such as dance is an exciting, emerging area. The design space for such collaborations is immense, with variations in sensors, visualizations, and how these interact with dancers and choreography. This paper presents the evaluation methodology and results of Dance.Draw, a longitudinal project spanning two years and three productions, which aimed to develop a deep, interdisciplinary understanding of this space. Given that this is pioneering work, there is little guidance on how to evaluate such collaborations. We describe the significant confounds in doing evaluation in this area, and we present our evolving mixed-methods approach, which includes two unique methods to address the multiple stakeholders in a holistic manner: dancer focus groups and repeated presentations. Our approach has generated insights, such as differing perspectives of audience members and the responses of dancers to technological variables. We conclude by discussing the challenges and successes of our evaluation approach.
SoundPainter is an interactive dance performance that features a triad of dancers, musicians and ... more SoundPainter is an interactive dance performance that features a triad of dancers, musicians and projected visuals, where each of these three elements reacts to one another through improvisation, algorithmic representations of sound and vision-based technology.
In this paper we describe the process and technology behind a dance performance, "Bodies/Antibodi... more In this paper we describe the process and technology behind a dance performance, "Bodies/Antibodies," that will be presented at CHI 2010. This performance is part of an ongoing Dance.Draw project at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, which investigates lightweight methods for integrating dance motion with interactive visualizations and enhancing audience interaction with dance.
Abstract Understanding audience responses to art and performance is a challenge. New sensors are ... more Abstract Understanding audience responses to art and performance is a challenge. New sensors are promising for measurement of implicit and explicit audience engagement. However, the meaning of biometric data, and its relationship to engagement, is unclear. We conceptually explore the audience engagement domain to uncover opportunities and challenges in the assessment and interpretation of audience engagement data.
ABSTRACT We present a new survey metric, the Creativity Support Index (CSI) that is designed to h... more ABSTRACT We present a new survey metric, the Creativity Support Index (CSI) that is designed to help researchers and designers evaluate the level of creativity support provided by various systems or interfaces. We initially employed a topdown literature-based approach to develop a beta version of the Creativity Support Index (Beta CSI). We discuss our usage of the Beta CSI in three different studies and what we learned from those deployments.
Geovisualization has traditionally played a critical role in analysis and decision-making, but re... more Geovisualization has traditionally played a critical role in analysis and decision-making, but recent developments have also brought a revolution in widespread online access to geographic data and integration tools, particularly for map-based interfaces. This next generation of geovisualization applications is often characterized by high interactivity and strong end-user participation in both development and use. Building the most effective tools to support user-centered geographic visualization faces a significant challenge, though: very little is known about how people interact with maps. To date, map use research has typically focused on higher order use goals or cognitive interpretations of static map representations. Our research employs Human-Computer Interaction approaches in order to investigate user behaviors that contribute to interactive map use and understanding. This paper describes our approach to studying geovisualization interaction and presents our pilot user studies and initial interaction model. By building a better understanding of how people interact with map interfaces, we will be able to design better user-centered geographic visualizations and learn how to best customize these applications to specific user groups.
Introduction While the concept of creativity is something that people understand intuitively, it ... more Introduction While the concept of creativity is something that people understand intuitively, it is not easily defined, and it is therefore difficult to measure. If creativity itself is difficult to measure, the ability of a tool to support, promote, or enable creativity will also be difficult to measure. Due to the challenges of measuring creativity, there are many different approaches to its evaluation. Most commonly, Creativity Support Tools (CSTs) are evaluated using qualitative methods, such as observation and interview techniques. While these techniques can be ...
ABSTRACT Gender studies show numerous differences between genders in regard to technology, and em... more ABSTRACT Gender studies show numerous differences between genders in regard to technology, and emphasize that women are underrepresented in IT-related academic programs and careers. Because technology is so prevalent in our workforce, it is important to study how technology usage affects white-collared working women. We explore the relationship between three dimensions of technology overload and knowledge worker job performance (stratified by gender) through a quantitative analysis.
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Papers by Erin Carroll