Unified user experience model enabling a more comprehensive understanding of emotional experience design

Design deals with improving the lives of people. As such interactions with products, interfaces, and systems should facilitate not only usable and practical concerns but also mediate emotionally meaningful experiences. This paper presents an integrated and comprehensive model of experience, labeled 'Unified User Experience Model', covering the most prominent perspectives from across the design field. It is intended to support designers from different disciplines to consider the complexity of user experience. The vision of the model is to support both the analysis of existing products, interfaces, and systems, as well as the development of new designs that take into account this complexity. In essence, we hope the model can enable designers to develop more marketable, appropriate, and enhanced products to improve experiences and ultimately the lives of people.

A stakeholder analysis of one institution’s assuring learning experience – is the promise and the practice worth the price?

Universities around the world are rushing to implement assurance of learning policies and practices with varying degrees of success. One School investigated its own policy and practice development through the eyes of its key stakeholders to identify whether the practice was worth the price. Findings indicate that although the key stakeholders considered different needs and viewed their experiences differently, value did abound and was in the eye of the beholder.

Australian nurses volunteering for the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake and tsunami of 2004 : a review of experience and analysis of data collected by the Tsunami Volunteer Hotline

This paper provides an outline of the work undertaken by nurses who participated in the relief effort as members of Australian medical teams during the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake and tsunami response. This profile is contrasted with the information provided by nurses who registered their interest in volunteering to help via the Australian Tsunami Hotline. The paper provides an overview of the skills and background of the nurses who provided information to the hotline and describes the range and extent of experience among this cohort of potential volunteers. This data is compared to nursing workforce data and internal rates of volunteering in Australia. The paper concludes that further research is necessary to examine the motivations of and disincentives for nurses to volunteer for overseas (disaster) work and, to develop an improved understanding within the discipline of the skills and experience required of volunteer responders. Further, it is argued that the development of standards for the collection of disaster health volunteer data would assist future responses and provide better tools for developing an improved understanding of disaster volunteering.

Defence relationship health - deployment impact experience. A prospective study of the impact of deployment on the intimate relationships of Australian Army personnel

A comprehensive literature review has been undertaken exploring the stressors placed on the personal relationships of Australian Army personnel, through service life and also overseas deployments. This work is the first step in a program of research aimed at developing a screening tool, aimed at acting as an early warning system to enable the right assistance to be given to affected personnel at the earliest possible time. It is envisioned that this tool will be utilised by the day-to-day managers of Australian Army personnel, of whom the vast majority are not health practitioners. This review has identified the commonalities of relationships that last through service life and/or deployments, and those that fail. These factors are those which will aid the development of the screening tool, and enable the early identification of Australian Army personnel who are at risk of having their personal relationship break down. Several of the known relationship stressors are relevant to other ‘high intensity’ professions, such as paramedics. Personal experience as an Army Officer has helped to highlight the importance of this research, and the benefits of developing a tool tailored to the unique social microclimate that is the Australian Army are clear. This research is, to the author’s knowledge, unique in the Australian context.

Therapeutic practice with refugee clients: a qualitative study of therapist experience

Background There is limited research on the subjective experience of therapists and their understanding of therapeutic process when working with people from refugee backgrounds. Objective The present study provides a qualitative account of therapists’ conceptions of therapeutic practice and experiences of working therapeutically with refugee clients. Method Participants were 12 mental health workers who had worked therapeutically with people from refugee backgrounds, with an average of 7.6 years (range 1.5-16 years) experience in this field. Participants completed a semi-structured interview and completed a brief quantitative survey. Findings Thematic analysis revealed a number of super-ordinate themes. Four key themes are explored in the current study: principles of therapeutic practice; therapy as a relational experience; the role of context in informing therapeutic work with refugee clients; and the impact of therapeutic work on the therapist. Discussion The results revealed the complexity and demands of working with people from refugee backgrounds. Further, the lack of research evidence for the methods of therapeutic practice described in the current study highlights the distinction between naturalistic therapeutic practice and the current state of the evidence regarding therapeutic interventions for refugee clients. The findings have important implications for training and supporting therapists to work with people who have fled their countries of origin and who have often been exposed to highly traumatic events.

Sessional academic success : the QUT Law School experience

Sessional academics are an important part of the provision of legal education in higher education with many institutions relying to a large extent on their sessional academics to deliver the teaching program, particularly in the first year. This is particularly relevant to Law Schools as many sessional academics are legal practitioners rather than HDR students. Therefore it is important for both the staff and student experience as well as to the attainment of the learning outcomes that consideration is given to the professional development and training of sessional academics. The QUT Law School has been a participant in a university pilot providing opportunities through the Sessional Academic Success program for academic development, support and developing a sense of belonging for sessional academics. This article will explain the program and initial outcomes and report on the results of surveys and focus groups of sessional academics as well as feedback from fulltime staff. The article will conclude with an analysis of the benefits to sessional academics, students and the School as a whole.

In search of Nirvana : why Nirvana : the True Story could never be "true"

In my book Nirvana: The True Story (2006), I undertake an autoethnographical approach to biography, attempting to impart an understanding of my chosen subject - the rock band Nirvana - via discussion of my own experiences. On numerous occasions, I veer off into tangential asides, frequently using extensive footnotes to explain obscure musical references. Personal anecdotes are juxtaposed with "insider" information; at crucial points in the story (notable concerts, the first meeting of singer Kurt Cobain with his future wife Courtney Love, the news of Cobain's suicide), the linear thread of the narrative spills over into a multi-faceted approach, with several different (and sometimes opposing) voices given equal prominence. Despite my firsthand experience of the band, however, Nirvana: The True Story is not considered authoritative, even within its own field. This article considers the reasons why this may be the case.In my book Nirvana: The True Story (2006), I undertake an autoethnographical approach to biography, attempting to impart an understanding of my chosen subject - the rock band Nirvana - via discussion of my own experiences. On numerous occasions, I veer off into tangential asides, frequently using extensive footnotes to explain obscure musical references. Personal anecdotes are juxtaposed with "insider" information; at crucial points in the story (notable concerts, the first meeting of singer Kurt Cobain with his future wife Courtney Love, the news of Cobain's suicide), the linear thread of the narrative spills over into a multi-faceted approach, with several different (and sometimes opposing) voices given equal prominence. Despite my firsthand experience of the band, however, Nirvana: The True Story is not considered authoritative, even within its own field. This article considers the reasons why this may be the case.

Designing a digital experience for young children with developmental disabilities

This paper reports on the development of a playful digital experience, Anim-action, designed for young children with developmental disabilities. This experience was built using the Stomp platform, a technology designed specifically to meet the needs of people with intellectual disability through facilitating whole body interaction. We provide detail on how knowledge gained from key stakeholders informed the design of the application and describe the design guidelines used in the development process. A study involving 13 young children with developmental disabilities was conducted to evaluate the extent to which Anim-action facilitates cognitive, social and physical activity. Results demonstrated that Anim-action effectively supports cognitive and physical activity. In particular, it promoted autonomy and encouraged problem solving and motor planning. Conversely, there were limitations in the system’s ability to support social interaction, in particular, cooperation. Results have been analyzed to determine how design guidelines might be refined to address these limitations.

Citizens and social media in times of natural disaster: Exploring information experience

Introduction. Social media is becoming a vital source of information in disaster or emergency situations. While a growing number of studies have explored the use of social media in natural disasters by emergency staff, military personnel, medial and other professionals, very few studies have investigated the use of social media by members of the public. The purpose of this paper is to explore citizens’ information experiences in social media during times of natural disaster. Method. A qualitative research approach was applied. Data was collected via in-depth interviews. Twenty-five people who used social media during a natural disaster in Australia participated in the study. Analysis. Audio recordings of interviews and interview transcripts provided the empirical material for data analysis. Data was analysed using structural and focussed coding methods. Results. Eight key themes depicting various aspects of participants’ information experience during a natural disaster were uncovered by the study: connected; wellbeing; coping; help; brokerage; journalism; supplementary and characteristics. Conclusion. This study contributes insights into social media’s potential for developing community disaster resilience and promotes discussion about the value of civic participation in social media when such circumstances occur. These findings also contribute to our understanding of information experiences as a new informational research object.

The edge of glory: the relationship between metacritic scores and player experience

This study sought to examine how measures of player experience used in videogame research relate to Metacritic Professional and User scores. In total, 573 participants completed an online survey, where they responded the Player Experience of Need Satisfaction (PENS) and the Game Experience Questionnaire (GEQ) in relation to their current favourite videogame. Correlations among the data indicate an overlap between the player experience constructs and the factors informing Metacritic scores. Additionally, differences emerged in the ways professionals and users appear to allocate game ratings. However, the data also provide clear evidence that Metacritic scores do not reflect the full complexity of player experience and may be misleading in some cases.

Engaging sex: Promoting the statutory interpretation experience in legal education

Given the ever increasing importance of legislation to the resolution of legal disputes, there is a concomitant need for law students to be well trained in the anatomy, identification, interpretation and application of laws made by or under parliament. This article discusses a blended learning project called Indigo’s Folly, implemented at the Queensland University of Technology Law School in 2014. Indigo’s Folly was created to increase law student competency with respect to statutory interpretation. Just as importantly, it was designed to make the teaching of statutory interpretation more interesting – to “bring the sexy” to the student statutory interpretation experience. Quantitative and qualitative empirical data will be presented as evidence to show that statutory interpretation can be taught in a way that law students find engaging.

"Rebirth: Combined art performance"--Shirin Madg & Sweet Sound Ensemble

Vanessa Mafe-Keane was invited to participate as choreographer in Iranian singer Shirin Madg 's project, Rebirth: Combined art performance. This project integrated singing, music, visual-art, film, dance and is based on the dissident poetry of female Iranian poet, Forough Farrokhzad. The choreographic dance movement focused on simple, lyrical, flowing classical dance forms that also incorporated everyday gestures and actions performed by two Queensland dancers, Caitlin MacKenzie and Abby Johnson. The choreographic intention was not to attempt to re-create Iranian dance practices instead, to draw inspiration and reference specific movement qualities. This was achieved through the subtle inclusion of spinning movements and focusing attention on the dancers’ arms and upper torso. This fusion became an underlying theme reflected throughout the choreographic component. Additionally, this project presented an opportunity to draw on past experiences and problem-solve ways to construct choreographic work where the dancers and the musical assemble group could be staged side by side. This experience highlighted differing approaches to rehearsal protocols within disciplines, the practicalities of staging different artists, understanding musical cues and the diversity of audience engagement. Performances: BEMAC Multicultural Centre, Brisbane 06 February 2015 and Helensvale Cultural Centre, Gold Coast 07 February 2015