Gesna Aggarwal

Mrs. Michelle Bagley

Centennial High School

Intern Mentor G/T

Mentor: Olafur Olafsson

Placement: EcoCloud360 Inc.

January 17 2017.
 Social media has not taken over our lives. The average person does not check their

smartphone devices within 15 minutes of waking up. Also, most people can remember the last

time they were in a room with no recollection of where they kept their iPhone or MacBook. If

you questioned any of the aforementioned statements, you would understand how technology

has become the essence of the quintessential 21st century individual. A study published by IDC

Research shows that people with smartphones check their Facebook pages an average of 14

times each day. It would be far fetched to claim that society is approaching the Rise of the

Machines, as presented in popular movies like Transformers or The Terminator; however, it

would be fair to say that in the past decade human-computer interaction (HCI) has exponentially

increased. Todays smartphones have more computing power than laptops did years ago. It is

now possible to find an app that can help achieve almost anything, from learning a new

language to shopping for a new set of speakers. An increase in investments and research in areas

such as targeted graphical games shows how the future of HCI involves a more immersed

audience, which in turn will enable technology to have a greater impact on our daily lives and

thought processes. However, despite massive technological advancements, computers and

devices are still not as user-friendly as they should be, highlighting the need for a deeper

understanding of human cognitive capabilities in relation to machines like computers. With a

globalizing economy and a constantly increasing user base it is imperative to understand

that the effectiveness of an application or product based on human-computer interaction

depends on specific tailored designs, ease of communication, and the marketing strategies

employed.
 One of the most prevalent reasons for the failure of an application is its incompatibility

with the target audience. HCI facilitates the creation of online communities. Whether its an

online forum or a personal chat room, each and every set of individuals is different. Thus,

developers need to ensure that their products fit each communitys requirements. One of the

major focus areas in streamlined applications is education in the form of targeted games. In a

research paper by students at Carnegie Mellon University, the effects of solely virtual and

mixed-reality learning tools on ninety-two 6-8 year old children were tested. As outcomes, the

authors measured enjoyment of the game and pretest to posttest learning gains. The results

showed how the students both, learned and enjoyed the mixed-reality version of the game more,

while the presence or absence of a simple hands-on/physical control did not affect the children

much. The game also employed the use of a fictional, virtual gorilla that acted as the children's

mentor. The children mentioned that they liked the gorilla character in the game, telling their

friends about their gorilla friend. This suggests that having a character in the game made it more

engaging and memorable for children.(Yannier et al 9) This experiment yields two important

results. First, that the maximum retention rate was associated with a method of education that

incorporated computers, and second that in order for that application to be successful, it had to

appeal to and connect with the children. The gorilla friend might seem like a minor detail but

according to the study it increased the likeliness the children would play the game in the future.

Knowledge of the importance of these elements can help the educational gaming industry

produce products with the highest retention rate and the best pay-off. Furthermore, it can be

concluded that a gorilla friend would not be the most appropriate medium of communication

if the same game or application was designed for a political outreach program. The nuances of
each and every application is what facilitates meaningful interactions between the computer and

the user.

Arguably, the most famous and prevalent form of HCI is social networking. A Social

Networking Site (SNS) is an online community that relies on user contributions. This raises the

question of how user motivation and participation can be inspired for continued use. In an

attempt to understand why social networking sites are so popular, three Norwegian researchers

conducted an experiment by surveying 1200 SNS users. The experiment showed that 31% of the

people used a SNS to develop new relations and 21% of the people used a SNS to connect with

old friends and family. Thus, the atmosphere surrounding a SNS is of socializing and hearing

new ideas, not of narcissism and self-presentation. The study also showed how the option of

friending greatly increased its appeal. From these findings it is clear that SNS usage

experiences can be improved by implementing better tools for supporting different levels of

social interactions and different forms of information exchange. (Brandtzaeg et al 9) A similar

conclusion was drawn from another study done by students at the University of Lbeck,

Institute for Multimedia & Interactive Systems on conference-based online communities. In this

experiment, the students introduced an instant online community (IOC) solution as an add-on

for existing websites and monitored its effects, both between users and the content provider and

the users. Despite lack of visibility and awareness of the IOC, it managed to attract a significant

amount of users. This was mainly because the application included features like livestreaming,

Twitter, Flickr pictures, Google search box, messages, and media resources. These mediums

allowed conference members to easily communicate with one another. It stirred up discussion

and prepped audiences for the ensuing days. Thus, user innovation and contributions are enabled
through the existence of networks. These networks create interpersonal ties that provide

sociability, support, information, a sense of belonging, and social identity. (Ferebee and Davis

1), which ultimately leads to the success of an application.

Finally, developers need to ensure that their consumer market is aware of their product.

A big hurdle to the success of new interactive software is the lack resources allocated towards

advertising and visibility. In the same study done by students at the University of Lbeck,

Institute for Multimedia & Interactive Systems on conference-based online communities, it was

noted that several of the attendees did not use the IOC simply because they were unaware of it.

The widget on the website was too small to obtain the attention of users. It was concluded that if

users were informed through help texts or email introductions, there would be a higher number

of users utilizing the service. In addition, if the speakers at the conference informed their

audience of the IOC and used it as a source for both feedback and starting conversations, the

percentage of users would have risen. Similar behaviour has been noted in applications designed

for learning purposes. A study was done by Towson University on the effectiveness of virtual

environments to teach computer science. The application Second life was used to help

students at all levels of difficulty understand complex coding principles. Second life helped

students get a more visual, real-life and interactive learning experience, which helped them

grasp and retain concepts better. However, most of the students had no prior knowledge to

Second life. Thus, they were not interested or wanted to take out any time to understand the

application. This lack of participation takes away from the entire purpose of an online

community. Conversely, a survey done by two researchers from Sandia National Laboratories,

shows how most college-bound students own a mobile phone. The amount of ownership
suggests that the mobile device has enough visibility in student use that the concept of using

these devices as a course support tool becomes practical. (Willis and Raybourn 6) Thus,

increased visibility and advertising goes a long way in increasing user participation, which

ultimately determines the success of the application.

It is inevitable that website add-ons, social networking outlets, and virtual learning

environments are going to increase in the coming decade. With technology having the potential

to have a significant influence, we need to ensure that we lead our products in the right

direction. Developers need to continue to strive towards more streamlined products. With more

personalization, HCI based technologies have the power to influence all socioeconomic sectors

of society. In addition to specialization, applications need to increase connectivity and promote

new relationships amongst users and the user and the content provider. The most prominent

attraction to interactive technologies is the presence of these online communities that fosters a

sense of self expression and purpose which often determines the success rate of the product.

Finally, an application can only be used if users are aware of it. In the upcoming years software

developers need to shift their focus to both increasing user-friendliness and visibility of

software. An unaware audience ultimately leads to an unsuccessful application. In pop culture

the Rise of the Machines often refers to an army of robots taking over civilization. Despite the

emergence of new technology like simulated virtual reality, we are still far from reaching such

an advanced level of artificial intelligence. However, in the most rudimentary way technology

hastaken over daily life. May it be the GPS system in your car, or setting a sleep schedule

through an iPhone app, humans have become dependent on technology. As a society, it is our

responsibility to ensure that our applications have the most positive influences possible.
Bibliography
1. Braman, James, et al. "Learning Computer Science Fundamentals through
Virtual Environments." Towson University.
2. Brandtzaeg, Peter Bae, and Jan Heim. "Why People Use Social Networking
Sites?" SITEF.
3. Kindsmller, Martin Christof, et al. "Instant Online Communities as a Means to
Foster Conferences." Online Communities and Social Computing. Originally
published in University of Lbeck, Institute for Multimedia & Interactive
Systems, Ratzeburger Allee 160, D-23538 Lbeck, Germany.
4. Ferebee, Susan Shepherd, and James Davis. "The Innovation Architectures of
Facebook." Online Communities and Social Computing.

5. Reis, Jlio Cesar, et al. "Mobile Phone Interfaces for Informal Education."
Institute of Computing- State University of Campinas.
6. Willis, Matthew, and Elaine M. Raybourn. "Leveraging Mobile Devices to
Develop Intercultural Competency for Digital Students." Online Communities
and Social Computing.
7. Yannier, Nesra, et al. "Learning from Mixed-Reality Games: Is Shaking a Tablet
as Effective as Physical Observation?" Carnegie Mellon University.