Exploring Mobile Device Non-Use in the Home by Making the Internet a Shared Resource
Authors
Skovby, Jesper ; Tietze, Patrick Bering ; Bach, Marcus
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2021
Submitted on
2021-06-17
Abstract
This thesis explores how to foster mindful non-use of mobile devices in the home by making the internet a shared resource. Using research through design and provocative design, we developed Tempus, a platform-agnostic provotype that leverages devices’ reliance on connectivity. When a family member uses their phone while together with others, Tempus lowers network quality for all participating devices; families can restore quality by doing a shared activity and uploading a photo as evidence. Tempus was deployed in a three-phase, four-week field study with three families: week 1 logged use, weeks 2–3 logged use and controlled the network, and week 4 logged use again. We conducted qualitative interviews supported by quantitative log data. Findings indicate that framing the internet as a shared resource effectively provoked reflection: participants reconsidered whether phone use was important, especially when the network worsened or they were together. Families enjoyed spending time together to regain network quality; while activities were mostly familiar, they were pursued with more deliberation and broader participation. Quantitative data showed a significant decrease in overall mobile use, a change participants had not anticipated, suggesting subconscious shifts in practice. The study suggests that motivating shared time, rather than simply restricting access, can enhance time together without phones, and that quantitative measures can enrich interviews and qualitative analysis.
Denne afhandling undersøger, hvordan man kan fremme bevidst mobil-non-brug i hjemmet ved at gøre internetforbindelsen til en fælles ressource. Med afsæt i forskning gennem design og provokerende design udviklede vi Tempus, en provotype, der ikke er bundet til en bestemt platform og udnytter, at mobile enheder afhænger af internettet. Når et familiemedlem bruger sin mobil, mens de er sammen med andre, sænker Tempus netværkskvaliteten for alle deltagende enheder; familien kan genoprette kvaliteten ved at lave en fælles aktivitet og uploade et billede som bevis. Tempus blev afprøvet i et tre-faset feltstudie over fire uger i tre familier: uge 1 loggede brugen, ugerne 2–3 loggede brugen og kontrollerede netværket, og uge 4 loggede igen. Vi gennemførte kvalitative interviews understøttet af kvantitative logdata. Resultaterne viser, at internet som fælles ressource fungerede som en effektiv provokation: Deltagerne reflekterede over, hvornår mobilbrug var vigtigt, især når netværket blev dårligere eller de var sammen med familien. Familien nød at bruge tid sammen for at genvinde netværkskvalitet; aktiviteterne lignede deres vanlige, men blev udført med større omtanke og bredere deltagelse. Logdata viste, at den samlede mobilbrug faldt markant, en ændring deltagerne ikke fuldt ud havde forventet, hvilket peger på ubevidste praksisændringer. Studiet peger på, at det at motivere til fælles tid, frem for alene at begrænse adgang, kan styrke samvær uden mobilen, og at kvantitative data kan berige kvalitative indsigter og interviews.
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