Ben Kraal | Queensland University of Technology (original) (raw)

Papers by Ben Kraal

In the absence of telehealth technology, rural patients must travel to a regional or metropolitan... more In the absence of telehealth technology, rural patients must travel to a regional or metropolitan hospital for a preadmission consultation one week before their surgery. Currently, examination of the patient's chest using a stethoscope (auscultation) is not possible over a telehealth network as existing digital stethoscopes have been designed for in-person auscultation. We report on the initial phase of research which ultimately aims to design a digital stethoscope for use in the telehealth context.

This paper is about how (automatic) speech recognition could be used at the ACT Magistrates Court... more This paper is about how (automatic) speech recognition could be used at the ACT Magistrates Court (the Court) in the courtroom. To explore how speech recognition could be used at the Court it was necessary to understand the work process into which a potential speech recognition system would be integrated. The potential speech recognition system was to aid magistrates at the bench and replace the time-consuming act of writing sentences in long-hand with simply being able to speak them aloud.

The goal of this research is to investigate what happens when artefacts mediate interaction. To d... more The goal of this research is to investigate what happens when artefacts mediate interaction. To do this we investigated nurse's interaction during the bandaging process in order to understand better how an artefact enhances user's experiences. To maintain research rigour we applied a triangulation approach that links observations of current procedures, talk-aloud protocol during interaction and retrospective interviews. Using software to aid our analysis of the videos we produced diagrammatic maps of their interaction.

The purpose of this chapter is to describe the use of caricatured contrasting scenarios (Bødker, ... more The purpose of this chapter is to describe the use of caricatured contrasting scenarios (Bødker, 2000) and how they can be used to consider potential designs for disruptive technologies. The disruptive technology in this case is Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) software in workplace settings. The particular workplace is the Magistrates Court of the Australian Capital Territory.

An airport is one of the largest and most complex systems in modern society. Observational field ... more An airport is one of the largest and most complex systems in modern society. Observational field studies have been conducted to investigate passenger experiences in, and interactions within, an international airport. Based on these studies, this paper discusses how activities mediate people's experiences in the airport. For example, moving through the security screening process is discussed from both passenger and staff perspectives. The applied coding scheme ensured research rigor.

Abstract Errorful speech recognition can be embraced in the design of automatic speech recognitio... more Abstract Errorful speech recognition can be embraced in the design of automatic speech recognition (ASR) support for the Magistrates Court. In this paper we describe processes and scenarios that led to a design by examining work practices and considering a more realistic understanding of ASR technology than is promoted in ASR literature. This paper also uses scenarios in a novel way to package and communicate field work data in a way that is accessible to a wide range of stakeholders.

This paper investigates how software designers use their knowledge during the design process. The... more This paper investigates how software designers use their knowledge during the design process. The research is based on the analysis of the observational and verbal data from three software design teams generated during the conceptual stage of the design process. The knowledge captured from the analysis of the mapped design team data is utilized to generate descriptive models of novice and expert designers.

Background This research addresses the development of a digital stethoscope for use with a telehe... more Background This research addresses the development of a digital stethoscope for use with a telehealth communications network to allow doctors to examine patients remotely (a digital telehealth stethoscope). A telehealth stethoscope would allow remote auscultation of patients who do not live near a major hospital. Travelling from remote areas to major hospitals is expensive for patients and a telehealth stethoscope could result in significant cost savings. Using a stethoscope requires great skill.

This short paper reports the preliminary findings of our ethnographic investigation into the use ... more This short paper reports the preliminary findings of our ethnographic investigation into the use of commercial speech recognition technologies in real work places. We discuss how our ethnographies have shown that the usability of speech recognition is equally about the technology and the social environment in which it is used. We also discuss our method and its wider implications to areas other than speech recognition.

ABSTRACT: Some research suggests that speech dictation software is hard for novices to use and re... more ABSTRACT: Some research suggests that speech dictation software is hard for novices to use and recommends that it be adapted to their preferred interaction style. Older research into how novice users approach new software can provide insights into the preconceptions that novices have about all software and the ways in which dictation software can be redesigned to be aware of these preconceptions.

ABSTRACT This full day workshop gives participants the chance to explore the intersection of two ... more ABSTRACT This full day workshop gives participants the chance to explore the intersection of two fields that have until recently not been seen to be connected: service design and ubiquitous computing. This workshop is aimed at participants whose research or practice includes design or research for or about services and participants whose interest lie in ubicomp.

This paper reports on the study of passenger experiences and how passengers interact with service... more This paper reports on the study of passenger experiences and how passengers interact with services, technology and processes at an airport. As part of our research, we have followed people through the airport from check-in to security and from security to boarding. Data was collected by approaching passengers in the departures concourse of the airport and asking for their consent to be videotaped. Data was collected and coded and the analysis focused on both discretionary and process related passenger activities.

This paper describes how Actor-network theory, an approach to sociological analysis which comes f... more This paper describes how Actor-network theory, an approach to sociological analysis which comes from the field of Science and Technology Studies, can be used in the analysis of field work for design research. A case study of the investigation of the use of speech recognition dictation software is used to present an actor-network approach to the analysis of field work for design. Using an actor-network approach is useful in analyzing qualitative data, however it does not replace, or attempt to replace, the creativity involved in designing.

A telehealth stethoscope would make it possible for doctors to perform physical examinations on p... more A telehealth stethoscope would make it possible for doctors to perform physical examinations on patients at great distances. In order to develop a useful and usable telehealth stethoscope we have conducted fieldwork observations of existing anaesthetic preadmission clinics to understand how stethoscopes are currently used. Both face-to-face consultations and videoconference consultations have been studied.

Abstract This study addresses the ordinary activities of passengers in airports. Using observatio... more Abstract This study addresses the ordinary activities of passengers in airports. Using observational techniques we investigated how passenger activities are mediated by artefacts, in this the bags that people carry. The relationship between passengers and their bags is shown to be complex and contingent on many factors. We report on our early research in the airport and document an emerging taxonomy of passenger activity.

This paper presents a “research frame” which we have found useful in analyzing complex socio-tech... more This paper presents a “research frame” which we have found useful in analyzing complex socio-technical situations. The research frame is based on aspects of actor-network theory:“interressment”,“enrollment”,“points of passage” and the “trial of strength”. Each of these aspects are described in turn, making clear their purpose in the overall research frame. Having established the research frame it is used to analyse two examples.

The research is based on studying the early stage of the design process. It aims to identify diff... more The research is based on studying the early stage of the design process. It aims to identify differences in design approaches across two design domains. The research is based on the analysis of the observational data from the conceptual stage of (i) product and (ii) software design process. The activities captured from the analysis of the design process are utilized to outline similarities and differences across the two domains.

Intuitive interaction is based on past experience and is fast and often non conscious. We have co... more Intuitive interaction is based on past experience and is fast and often non conscious. We have conducted ten studies into this issue over the past ten years, involving more than 400 participants. Data collection methods have included questionnaires, interviews, observations, concurrent and retrospective protocols, and cognitive measures. Coding schemes have been developed to suit each study and involve robust, literature based heuristics.

Providing a positive user experience (UX) has become the key differentiator for products to win a... more Providing a positive user experience (UX) has become the key differentiator for products to win a competition in mature markets. To ensure that a product will support enjoyable experiences for its users, assessment of UX should be conducted early during the design and development process. However, most UX frameworks and evaluation techniques focus on understanding and assessing user's experience with functional prototypes or existing products.

Airports are vital sources of income to a country and city. Airports are often understood from a ... more Airports are vital sources of income to a country and city. Airports are often understood from a management perspective, rather than a passenger perspective. As passengers are a vital customer of airports, a passenger perspective can provide a novel approach in understanding and improving the airport experience. This paper focuses on the study of passenger experiences at airports.

In the absence of telehealth technology, rural patients must travel to a regional or metropolitan... more In the absence of telehealth technology, rural patients must travel to a regional or metropolitan hospital for a preadmission consultation one week before their surgery. Currently, examination of the patient's chest using a stethoscope (auscultation) is not possible over a telehealth network as existing digital stethoscopes have been designed for in-person auscultation. We report on the initial phase of research which ultimately aims to design a digital stethoscope for use in the telehealth context.

This paper is about how (automatic) speech recognition could be used at the ACT Magistrates Court... more This paper is about how (automatic) speech recognition could be used at the ACT Magistrates Court (the Court) in the courtroom. To explore how speech recognition could be used at the Court it was necessary to understand the work process into which a potential speech recognition system would be integrated. The potential speech recognition system was to aid magistrates at the bench and replace the time-consuming act of writing sentences in long-hand with simply being able to speak them aloud.

The goal of this research is to investigate what happens when artefacts mediate interaction. To d... more The goal of this research is to investigate what happens when artefacts mediate interaction. To do this we investigated nurse's interaction during the bandaging process in order to understand better how an artefact enhances user's experiences. To maintain research rigour we applied a triangulation approach that links observations of current procedures, talk-aloud protocol during interaction and retrospective interviews. Using software to aid our analysis of the videos we produced diagrammatic maps of their interaction.

The purpose of this chapter is to describe the use of caricatured contrasting scenarios (Bødker, ... more The purpose of this chapter is to describe the use of caricatured contrasting scenarios (Bødker, 2000) and how they can be used to consider potential designs for disruptive technologies. The disruptive technology in this case is Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) software in workplace settings. The particular workplace is the Magistrates Court of the Australian Capital Territory.

An airport is one of the largest and most complex systems in modern society. Observational field ... more An airport is one of the largest and most complex systems in modern society. Observational field studies have been conducted to investigate passenger experiences in, and interactions within, an international airport. Based on these studies, this paper discusses how activities mediate people's experiences in the airport. For example, moving through the security screening process is discussed from both passenger and staff perspectives. The applied coding scheme ensured research rigor.

Abstract Errorful speech recognition can be embraced in the design of automatic speech recognitio... more Abstract Errorful speech recognition can be embraced in the design of automatic speech recognition (ASR) support for the Magistrates Court. In this paper we describe processes and scenarios that led to a design by examining work practices and considering a more realistic understanding of ASR technology than is promoted in ASR literature. This paper also uses scenarios in a novel way to package and communicate field work data in a way that is accessible to a wide range of stakeholders.

This paper investigates how software designers use their knowledge during the design process. The... more This paper investigates how software designers use their knowledge during the design process. The research is based on the analysis of the observational and verbal data from three software design teams generated during the conceptual stage of the design process. The knowledge captured from the analysis of the mapped design team data is utilized to generate descriptive models of novice and expert designers.

Background This research addresses the development of a digital stethoscope for use with a telehe... more Background This research addresses the development of a digital stethoscope for use with a telehealth communications network to allow doctors to examine patients remotely (a digital telehealth stethoscope). A telehealth stethoscope would allow remote auscultation of patients who do not live near a major hospital. Travelling from remote areas to major hospitals is expensive for patients and a telehealth stethoscope could result in significant cost savings. Using a stethoscope requires great skill.

This short paper reports the preliminary findings of our ethnographic investigation into the use ... more This short paper reports the preliminary findings of our ethnographic investigation into the use of commercial speech recognition technologies in real work places. We discuss how our ethnographies have shown that the usability of speech recognition is equally about the technology and the social environment in which it is used. We also discuss our method and its wider implications to areas other than speech recognition.

ABSTRACT: Some research suggests that speech dictation software is hard for novices to use and re... more ABSTRACT: Some research suggests that speech dictation software is hard for novices to use and recommends that it be adapted to their preferred interaction style. Older research into how novice users approach new software can provide insights into the preconceptions that novices have about all software and the ways in which dictation software can be redesigned to be aware of these preconceptions.

ABSTRACT This full day workshop gives participants the chance to explore the intersection of two ... more ABSTRACT This full day workshop gives participants the chance to explore the intersection of two fields that have until recently not been seen to be connected: service design and ubiquitous computing. This workshop is aimed at participants whose research or practice includes design or research for or about services and participants whose interest lie in ubicomp.

This paper reports on the study of passenger experiences and how passengers interact with service... more This paper reports on the study of passenger experiences and how passengers interact with services, technology and processes at an airport. As part of our research, we have followed people through the airport from check-in to security and from security to boarding. Data was collected by approaching passengers in the departures concourse of the airport and asking for their consent to be videotaped. Data was collected and coded and the analysis focused on both discretionary and process related passenger activities.

This paper describes how Actor-network theory, an approach to sociological analysis which comes f... more This paper describes how Actor-network theory, an approach to sociological analysis which comes from the field of Science and Technology Studies, can be used in the analysis of field work for design research. A case study of the investigation of the use of speech recognition dictation software is used to present an actor-network approach to the analysis of field work for design. Using an actor-network approach is useful in analyzing qualitative data, however it does not replace, or attempt to replace, the creativity involved in designing.

A telehealth stethoscope would make it possible for doctors to perform physical examinations on p... more A telehealth stethoscope would make it possible for doctors to perform physical examinations on patients at great distances. In order to develop a useful and usable telehealth stethoscope we have conducted fieldwork observations of existing anaesthetic preadmission clinics to understand how stethoscopes are currently used. Both face-to-face consultations and videoconference consultations have been studied.

Abstract This study addresses the ordinary activities of passengers in airports. Using observatio... more Abstract This study addresses the ordinary activities of passengers in airports. Using observational techniques we investigated how passenger activities are mediated by artefacts, in this the bags that people carry. The relationship between passengers and their bags is shown to be complex and contingent on many factors. We report on our early research in the airport and document an emerging taxonomy of passenger activity.

This paper presents a “research frame” which we have found useful in analyzing complex socio-tech... more This paper presents a “research frame” which we have found useful in analyzing complex socio-technical situations. The research frame is based on aspects of actor-network theory:“interressment”,“enrollment”,“points of passage” and the “trial of strength”. Each of these aspects are described in turn, making clear their purpose in the overall research frame. Having established the research frame it is used to analyse two examples.

The research is based on studying the early stage of the design process. It aims to identify diff... more The research is based on studying the early stage of the design process. It aims to identify differences in design approaches across two design domains. The research is based on the analysis of the observational data from the conceptual stage of (i) product and (ii) software design process. The activities captured from the analysis of the design process are utilized to outline similarities and differences across the two domains.

Intuitive interaction is based on past experience and is fast and often non conscious. We have co... more Intuitive interaction is based on past experience and is fast and often non conscious. We have conducted ten studies into this issue over the past ten years, involving more than 400 participants. Data collection methods have included questionnaires, interviews, observations, concurrent and retrospective protocols, and cognitive measures. Coding schemes have been developed to suit each study and involve robust, literature based heuristics.

Providing a positive user experience (UX) has become the key differentiator for products to win a... more Providing a positive user experience (UX) has become the key differentiator for products to win a competition in mature markets. To ensure that a product will support enjoyable experiences for its users, assessment of UX should be conducted early during the design and development process. However, most UX frameworks and evaluation techniques focus on understanding and assessing user's experience with functional prototypes or existing products.

Airports are vital sources of income to a country and city. Airports are often understood from a ... more Airports are vital sources of income to a country and city. Airports are often understood from a management perspective, rather than a passenger perspective. As passengers are a vital customer of airports, a passenger perspective can provide a novel approach in understanding and improving the airport experience. This paper focuses on the study of passenger experiences at airports.