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Main Authors: Salovaara, Antti, Vahvelainen, Leevi
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.14137
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author Salovaara, Antti
Vahvelainen, Leevi
author_facet Salovaara, Antti
Vahvelainen, Leevi
contents Plausible findings about futures are inherently difficult to obtain as they require critical, well-informed speculations backed with data. HCI scholars tackle this challenge via user studies wherein futuristic prototypes and other props concretise possible futures for participants. By observing participants' actions, researchers then can 'time travel' to see that future as reality, in action. However, such studies may yield particularised findings, inherent to study's intricacies, and lack broader plausibility. This paper suggests that triangulation of possible futures may help researchers disentangle particularities from more generalisable findings. We explored this approach by conducting a study on two alternative futures of AI-augmented knowledge work. Some findings emerged in both futures while others were particular to only one or the other. This approach enabled cross-checking of plausibility and simultaneously afforded deeper insight. The paper discusses how triangulating possible futures renders HCI studies more future-proof and provides means for reflective anticipation of possible futures.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2409_14137
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Triangulating on Possible Futures: Conducting User Studies on Several Futures Instead of Only One
Salovaara, Antti
Vahvelainen, Leevi
Human-Computer Interaction
Plausible findings about futures are inherently difficult to obtain as they require critical, well-informed speculations backed with data. HCI scholars tackle this challenge via user studies wherein futuristic prototypes and other props concretise possible futures for participants. By observing participants' actions, researchers then can 'time travel' to see that future as reality, in action. However, such studies may yield particularised findings, inherent to study's intricacies, and lack broader plausibility. This paper suggests that triangulation of possible futures may help researchers disentangle particularities from more generalisable findings. We explored this approach by conducting a study on two alternative futures of AI-augmented knowledge work. Some findings emerged in both futures while others were particular to only one or the other. This approach enabled cross-checking of plausibility and simultaneously afforded deeper insight. The paper discusses how triangulating possible futures renders HCI studies more future-proof and provides means for reflective anticipation of possible futures.
title Triangulating on Possible Futures: Conducting User Studies on Several Futures Instead of Only One
topic Human-Computer Interaction
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.14137