Conversational user interfaces (CUIs) are a promising interaction modality to engage people with ... more Conversational user interfaces (CUIs) are a promising interaction modality to engage people with self-report activities that are widely used to study people's experiences and support them with their mental health. However, this potential is limited by the prevailing CUI interaction paradigm being subservience to the user, which constrains self-reporting to being user initiated. A more effective approach would be for CUIs to proactively engage users with selfreporting, particularly at opportune moments. This paper proposes that joint action theory, specifically joint commitment, can be an effective framework to support designers in designing effective proactive CUI interactions. Using mood logging as a use case, we highlight three key areas where joint commitment can impact proactive CUI design. We also discuss wider challenges and future areas of research needed to identify the opportunities and challenges of using joint commitment within proactive CUI research and development. CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing → Natural language interfaces; HCI theory, concepts and models; Interaction design theory, concepts and paradigms.
ental health is one of the most challenging issues facing our society due to the high prevalence ... more ental health is one of the most challenging issues facing our society due to the high prevalence of mental illness and the devastating effects it has on the individual and society. For instance, in 2020, hundreds of millions of people were affected by depression and anxiety. Common risk factors for poor mental health and wellbeing are high levels of stress and anxiety, sleep deprivation, and loneliness. These factors are relevant to the prevention, early intervention, and the support of treatment. Also, chronic mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and substance abuse require long-term self-management and monitoring to avoid deterioration of an individual's mental health and wellbeing. This has led, in recent years, to an increase in the interest and exploration of the use of pervasive technologies such as mobile computing and sensors with machine learning for detecting symptoms, assisting in the diagnosis of mental health problems, and for improving access to, engagement with, and the outcomes of therapeutic treatment. They promise to offer new routes for improving the identification of risk factors, the prediction of disease progression, and the development of personalized health interventions. Despite great potential, the realization of effective pervasive technologies for mental health remains extremely challenging. How can pervasive computing help diagnosis, treatment, and management for mental health? What are the gaps between technological innovations, and what is needed in clinical settings? How should we develop and evaluate pervasive technologies to help decision-making and ensure safety, accuracy, and fairness? How can we develop privacypreserving pervasive computing systems for mental health or emotion?
CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
The COVID-19 pandemic has led governments worldwide to introduce various measures restricting hum... more The COVID-19 pandemic has led governments worldwide to introduce various measures restricting human activity and mobility. Along with the administration of COVID-19 vaccinations and rapid testing, socio-technological solutions such as digital COVID-19 certificates have been considered as a strategy to lessen these restrictions and allow the resumption of routine activities. Using a mixedmethods approach-a survey (n=1008) and 27 semi-structured interviews-this study explores the attitudes of residents in the Republic of Ireland towards the idea of introducing digital COVID-19 certificates. We examine the topics of acceptability, fairness, security and privacy of COVID-related personal data, and practical considerations for implementation. Our study reveals the conditional and contextual nature of the acceptability of digital certificates, identifying specific factors that affect it, associated data practices, and related public concerns and expectations of such technologies. CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing → Empirical studies in ubiquitous and mobile computing; User studies; • Security and privacy → Social aspects of security and privacy.
CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Touchless input could transform clinical activity by allowing health professionals direct control... more Touchless input could transform clinical activity by allowing health professionals direct control over medical imaging systems in a sterile manner. Currently, users face the issues of being unable to directly manipulate imaging in aseptic environments, as well as needing to touch shared surfaces in other hospital areas. Unintended input is a key challenge for touchless interaction and could be especially disruptive in medical contexts. We evaluated four clutching techniques with 34 health professionals, measuring interaction performance and interviewing them to obtain insight into their views on clutching, and touchless control of medical imaging. As well as exploring the performance of the different clutching techniques, our analysis revealed an appetite for reliable touchless interfaces, a strong desire to reduce shared surface contact, and suggested potential improvements such as combined authentication and touchless control. Our findings can inform the development of novel touchless medical systems and identify challenges for future research. CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing → Human computer interaction (HCI); Haptic devices; User studies.
Background The development of mobile computing technology has enabled the delivery of psychologic... more Background The development of mobile computing technology has enabled the delivery of psychological interventions while people go about their everyday lives. The original visions of the potential of these “ecological momentary interventions” were presented over a decade ago, and the widespread adoption of smartphones in the intervening years has led to a variety of research studies exploring the feasibility of these aspirations. However, there is a dearth of research describing the different dimensions, characteristics, and features of these interventions, as constructed. Objective To provide an overview of the definitions given for “ecological momentary interventions” in the treatment of common mental health disorders, and describe the set of technological and interaction possibilities which have been used in the design of these interventions. Methods A systematic search identified relevant literature published between 2009 and 2020 in the PubMed, PsycInfo, and ACM Guide to the Com...
While digital health or mHealth applications (apps) have become accessible resources for the supp... more While digital health or mHealth applications (apps) have become accessible resources for the support of personal health, the privacy and security of users' data have been the subject of concern and controversy. As large numbers of mHealth apps are created and are increasingly widely used by people with various health conditions, it is crucial to have clear and valid methods for evaluating the data practices within them. Recent regulatory initiatives such as the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) have had the effect of raising awareness and establishing a minimal set of expectations. However, they do not in themselves address the issue of the development of systems which meet privacy and security requirements. There is a growing body of research on evaluation techniques and frameworks to support the assessment of the privacy and security of health apps, and guidelines to support their design. However, it can be challenging to navigate this space and choose appropriate techniques for a given context. Addressing this issue, this paper examines the recent literature on security and privacy of m-Health applications, using a scoping review methodology. It analyses data security and privacy evaluation techniques and frameworks that have been proposed for mHealth applications, as well as relevant research-based design recommendations. This work consolidates recent research on the topic to support researchers, app designers, end users, and healthcare professionals in designing, evaluating, recommending and adopting mHealth applications. INDEX TERMS Digital health, human computer interaction, data privacy, data protection, data security, mHealth.
International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 2018
Design is driven by our understanding of users' experiences. This understanding rests primarily u... more Design is driven by our understanding of users' experiences. This understanding rests primarily upon users' reports of their experiences, in the moment, after the fact, or ahead of time. In this paper we ask how the study of and design for experience might be better informed by attending more carefully to differences between these reports. Based on a broad and interdisciplinary literature review, we develop a conceptual framework of multiple selves, each representing a stage in the consolidation of experience accessed by self-report. We explore the use of this framework to support the interpretation of user experience, provide insight into users' evaluations of their own experiences, and emphasise the importance of design for experience as lived and reflected upon. We discuss the implications of this framing of experience for design, particularly in the case of systems to support self-knowledge, wellbeing, behaviour change, reflection, and decision making.
Overweight and obesity is related to many health problems and diseases. The current obesity epide... more Overweight and obesity is related to many health problems and diseases. The current obesity epidemic, which is a major health problem, is closely related to a lack of physical activity, high levels of sedentary behavior, and increased energy intake; with evidence to show increasing incidence of these issues in the younger population. Tackling obesity and its comorbid conditions requires a holistic approach encompassing attention on physical activity, healthy diet, and behavioral activation in order to enable and maintain meaningful and long-term weight loss and weight maintenance. The objective of the Data-as-a-Service Platform for Healthy Lifestyle and Preventive Medicine (DAPHNE) project is to develop a breakthrough information communications technology (ICT) platform for tracking health, weight, physical activity, diet, lifestyle, and psychological components within health care systems, whereby the platform and clinical support is linked. The DAPHNE platform aims to deliver perso...
Wizard of OZ (WOZ) is a prototyping method that uses a human `wizard' to mimic the functions ... more Wizard of OZ (WOZ) is a prototyping method that uses a human `wizard' to mimic the functions of a prospective system. Although the WOZ technique is widely used in HCI design, surprisingly little research has been done on how wizard performance and consistency may effect the findings of a WOZ trial. In this paper we present a meta-analysis of three WOZ studies that shows how wizard behavior can vary significantly, potentially influencing the user experience of test-participants. In text-based interactions, for example, wizards may be required to send several consecutive utterances before receiving any feedback. In order to deliver a consistent experience they then need to give test participants enough time for reading and processing an utterance before sending the next utterance. In this study we examined this aspect in some more detail and found that these time-windows can vary significantly within as well as between studies. By contrast, a similar experimental setup simulating speech-based system output did not suffer from this type of inconsistency. Our analysis highlights one of the challenges involved in using the WOZ method for designing novel interactive systems (both stationary and mobile), and suggests that additional support for wizards is needed in order to improve consistency.
Abstract Mental illness has been identified as one of the greatest challenges facing society in t... more Abstract Mental illness has been identified as one of the greatest challenges facing society in the coming decades. However, there are significant barriers to access for many people suffering from mental illness, including overburdened public health care systems, geographic distance from point of care, difficulties encountered by individuals in engaging with services, and the stigma associated with mental illness. Technology has the potential to significantly improve access, engagement, effectiveness and affordability of treatment, yet ...
"Bridging the Gaps II: Bridging the Gaps Between Software Engineering and Human-Computer Interaction" W1L Workshop - 26th International Conference of Software Engineering, 2004
The advent of ubiquitous, context aware computing has made the problem of choosing how to present... more The advent of ubiquitous, context aware computing has made the problem of choosing how to present information to the user significantly more complex. The designer must consider the level of detail and abstraction determined by the physical form factor, the integration of information from other external and communicated information sources (and representations), and the use of represented information in collaborative acts and communications. Furthermore, it is a design decision which must be made in the context of the wider development process. In this paper, we re-evaluate the processes and models with which we can choose information representations, and put forward a framework based on the Resources Model. We consider how this can be done while obtaining leverage from modeling and requirements analysis effort carried out for other parts of the system development.
Depression is a high prevalence disorder, displaying high rates of lifetime incidence, early age ... more Depression is a high prevalence disorder, displaying high rates of lifetime incidence, early age onset, high chronicity, and role impairment. In Ireland 12-month prevalence of depression has been reported to be 10.3%. A large percentage of affected individuals have no medical diagnosis nor seek treatment. Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) has established itself as an option for the treatment of depression. Many Irish adults with depression find it difficult to access evidence-based CBT, this is due to several factors, like stigma and costs. However, systematic factors including the shortage of trained professionals and the relative underdevelopment of services also make access difficult.Stepped-care can increase access to evidence-based CBT. One option is tailored internet-delivered treatment programs. Preliminary research from Ireland needs now to include large-scale studies on effectiveness. Thus the current study seeks to examine the potential of an internet-delivered low-intensit...
1.0 Abstract Although mental health problems increase markedly during adolescent years, therapist... more 1.0 Abstract Although mental health problems increase markedly during adolescent years, therapists often find it difficult to engage with adolescents. Personal Investigator (PI) is a 3D computer game specifically designed to help adolescents, suffering from mental health problems such as ...
Early prototyping is important for developing high-quality software. Wizard of Oz (WOZ) technique... more Early prototyping is important for developing high-quality software. Wizard of Oz (WOZ) techniques are particularly useful for early stage evaluations of applications using Language Technology Components (LTC). However, an effective interface to support the task of the wizard is crucial. While several wizard interfaces have been built to date, most of them were designed for specific experiments. The more general issue of supporting the sometimes highly demanding cognitive task of the wizard has remained largely ...
The effects of centralised and specialised combined pharmacological and psychological interventio... more The effects of centralised and specialised combined pharmacological and psychological intervention compared with decentralised and non-specialised treatment in the early course of severe unipolar and bipolar affective disorders-design of two randomised clinical trials
Conversational user interfaces (CUIs) are a promising interaction modality to engage people with ... more Conversational user interfaces (CUIs) are a promising interaction modality to engage people with self-report activities that are widely used to study people's experiences and support them with their mental health. However, this potential is limited by the prevailing CUI interaction paradigm being subservience to the user, which constrains self-reporting to being user initiated. A more effective approach would be for CUIs to proactively engage users with selfreporting, particularly at opportune moments. This paper proposes that joint action theory, specifically joint commitment, can be an effective framework to support designers in designing effective proactive CUI interactions. Using mood logging as a use case, we highlight three key areas where joint commitment can impact proactive CUI design. We also discuss wider challenges and future areas of research needed to identify the opportunities and challenges of using joint commitment within proactive CUI research and development. CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing → Natural language interfaces; HCI theory, concepts and models; Interaction design theory, concepts and paradigms.
ental health is one of the most challenging issues facing our society due to the high prevalence ... more ental health is one of the most challenging issues facing our society due to the high prevalence of mental illness and the devastating effects it has on the individual and society. For instance, in 2020, hundreds of millions of people were affected by depression and anxiety. Common risk factors for poor mental health and wellbeing are high levels of stress and anxiety, sleep deprivation, and loneliness. These factors are relevant to the prevention, early intervention, and the support of treatment. Also, chronic mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and substance abuse require long-term self-management and monitoring to avoid deterioration of an individual's mental health and wellbeing. This has led, in recent years, to an increase in the interest and exploration of the use of pervasive technologies such as mobile computing and sensors with machine learning for detecting symptoms, assisting in the diagnosis of mental health problems, and for improving access to, engagement with, and the outcomes of therapeutic treatment. They promise to offer new routes for improving the identification of risk factors, the prediction of disease progression, and the development of personalized health interventions. Despite great potential, the realization of effective pervasive technologies for mental health remains extremely challenging. How can pervasive computing help diagnosis, treatment, and management for mental health? What are the gaps between technological innovations, and what is needed in clinical settings? How should we develop and evaluate pervasive technologies to help decision-making and ensure safety, accuracy, and fairness? How can we develop privacypreserving pervasive computing systems for mental health or emotion?
CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
The COVID-19 pandemic has led governments worldwide to introduce various measures restricting hum... more The COVID-19 pandemic has led governments worldwide to introduce various measures restricting human activity and mobility. Along with the administration of COVID-19 vaccinations and rapid testing, socio-technological solutions such as digital COVID-19 certificates have been considered as a strategy to lessen these restrictions and allow the resumption of routine activities. Using a mixedmethods approach-a survey (n=1008) and 27 semi-structured interviews-this study explores the attitudes of residents in the Republic of Ireland towards the idea of introducing digital COVID-19 certificates. We examine the topics of acceptability, fairness, security and privacy of COVID-related personal data, and practical considerations for implementation. Our study reveals the conditional and contextual nature of the acceptability of digital certificates, identifying specific factors that affect it, associated data practices, and related public concerns and expectations of such technologies. CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing → Empirical studies in ubiquitous and mobile computing; User studies; • Security and privacy → Social aspects of security and privacy.
CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Touchless input could transform clinical activity by allowing health professionals direct control... more Touchless input could transform clinical activity by allowing health professionals direct control over medical imaging systems in a sterile manner. Currently, users face the issues of being unable to directly manipulate imaging in aseptic environments, as well as needing to touch shared surfaces in other hospital areas. Unintended input is a key challenge for touchless interaction and could be especially disruptive in medical contexts. We evaluated four clutching techniques with 34 health professionals, measuring interaction performance and interviewing them to obtain insight into their views on clutching, and touchless control of medical imaging. As well as exploring the performance of the different clutching techniques, our analysis revealed an appetite for reliable touchless interfaces, a strong desire to reduce shared surface contact, and suggested potential improvements such as combined authentication and touchless control. Our findings can inform the development of novel touchless medical systems and identify challenges for future research. CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing → Human computer interaction (HCI); Haptic devices; User studies.
Background The development of mobile computing technology has enabled the delivery of psychologic... more Background The development of mobile computing technology has enabled the delivery of psychological interventions while people go about their everyday lives. The original visions of the potential of these “ecological momentary interventions” were presented over a decade ago, and the widespread adoption of smartphones in the intervening years has led to a variety of research studies exploring the feasibility of these aspirations. However, there is a dearth of research describing the different dimensions, characteristics, and features of these interventions, as constructed. Objective To provide an overview of the definitions given for “ecological momentary interventions” in the treatment of common mental health disorders, and describe the set of technological and interaction possibilities which have been used in the design of these interventions. Methods A systematic search identified relevant literature published between 2009 and 2020 in the PubMed, PsycInfo, and ACM Guide to the Com...
While digital health or mHealth applications (apps) have become accessible resources for the supp... more While digital health or mHealth applications (apps) have become accessible resources for the support of personal health, the privacy and security of users' data have been the subject of concern and controversy. As large numbers of mHealth apps are created and are increasingly widely used by people with various health conditions, it is crucial to have clear and valid methods for evaluating the data practices within them. Recent regulatory initiatives such as the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) have had the effect of raising awareness and establishing a minimal set of expectations. However, they do not in themselves address the issue of the development of systems which meet privacy and security requirements. There is a growing body of research on evaluation techniques and frameworks to support the assessment of the privacy and security of health apps, and guidelines to support their design. However, it can be challenging to navigate this space and choose appropriate techniques for a given context. Addressing this issue, this paper examines the recent literature on security and privacy of m-Health applications, using a scoping review methodology. It analyses data security and privacy evaluation techniques and frameworks that have been proposed for mHealth applications, as well as relevant research-based design recommendations. This work consolidates recent research on the topic to support researchers, app designers, end users, and healthcare professionals in designing, evaluating, recommending and adopting mHealth applications. INDEX TERMS Digital health, human computer interaction, data privacy, data protection, data security, mHealth.
International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 2018
Design is driven by our understanding of users' experiences. This understanding rests primarily u... more Design is driven by our understanding of users' experiences. This understanding rests primarily upon users' reports of their experiences, in the moment, after the fact, or ahead of time. In this paper we ask how the study of and design for experience might be better informed by attending more carefully to differences between these reports. Based on a broad and interdisciplinary literature review, we develop a conceptual framework of multiple selves, each representing a stage in the consolidation of experience accessed by self-report. We explore the use of this framework to support the interpretation of user experience, provide insight into users' evaluations of their own experiences, and emphasise the importance of design for experience as lived and reflected upon. We discuss the implications of this framing of experience for design, particularly in the case of systems to support self-knowledge, wellbeing, behaviour change, reflection, and decision making.
Overweight and obesity is related to many health problems and diseases. The current obesity epide... more Overweight and obesity is related to many health problems and diseases. The current obesity epidemic, which is a major health problem, is closely related to a lack of physical activity, high levels of sedentary behavior, and increased energy intake; with evidence to show increasing incidence of these issues in the younger population. Tackling obesity and its comorbid conditions requires a holistic approach encompassing attention on physical activity, healthy diet, and behavioral activation in order to enable and maintain meaningful and long-term weight loss and weight maintenance. The objective of the Data-as-a-Service Platform for Healthy Lifestyle and Preventive Medicine (DAPHNE) project is to develop a breakthrough information communications technology (ICT) platform for tracking health, weight, physical activity, diet, lifestyle, and psychological components within health care systems, whereby the platform and clinical support is linked. The DAPHNE platform aims to deliver perso...
Wizard of OZ (WOZ) is a prototyping method that uses a human `wizard' to mimic the functions ... more Wizard of OZ (WOZ) is a prototyping method that uses a human `wizard' to mimic the functions of a prospective system. Although the WOZ technique is widely used in HCI design, surprisingly little research has been done on how wizard performance and consistency may effect the findings of a WOZ trial. In this paper we present a meta-analysis of three WOZ studies that shows how wizard behavior can vary significantly, potentially influencing the user experience of test-participants. In text-based interactions, for example, wizards may be required to send several consecutive utterances before receiving any feedback. In order to deliver a consistent experience they then need to give test participants enough time for reading and processing an utterance before sending the next utterance. In this study we examined this aspect in some more detail and found that these time-windows can vary significantly within as well as between studies. By contrast, a similar experimental setup simulating speech-based system output did not suffer from this type of inconsistency. Our analysis highlights one of the challenges involved in using the WOZ method for designing novel interactive systems (both stationary and mobile), and suggests that additional support for wizards is needed in order to improve consistency.
Abstract Mental illness has been identified as one of the greatest challenges facing society in t... more Abstract Mental illness has been identified as one of the greatest challenges facing society in the coming decades. However, there are significant barriers to access for many people suffering from mental illness, including overburdened public health care systems, geographic distance from point of care, difficulties encountered by individuals in engaging with services, and the stigma associated with mental illness. Technology has the potential to significantly improve access, engagement, effectiveness and affordability of treatment, yet ...
"Bridging the Gaps II: Bridging the Gaps Between Software Engineering and Human-Computer Interaction" W1L Workshop - 26th International Conference of Software Engineering, 2004
The advent of ubiquitous, context aware computing has made the problem of choosing how to present... more The advent of ubiquitous, context aware computing has made the problem of choosing how to present information to the user significantly more complex. The designer must consider the level of detail and abstraction determined by the physical form factor, the integration of information from other external and communicated information sources (and representations), and the use of represented information in collaborative acts and communications. Furthermore, it is a design decision which must be made in the context of the wider development process. In this paper, we re-evaluate the processes and models with which we can choose information representations, and put forward a framework based on the Resources Model. We consider how this can be done while obtaining leverage from modeling and requirements analysis effort carried out for other parts of the system development.
Depression is a high prevalence disorder, displaying high rates of lifetime incidence, early age ... more Depression is a high prevalence disorder, displaying high rates of lifetime incidence, early age onset, high chronicity, and role impairment. In Ireland 12-month prevalence of depression has been reported to be 10.3%. A large percentage of affected individuals have no medical diagnosis nor seek treatment. Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) has established itself as an option for the treatment of depression. Many Irish adults with depression find it difficult to access evidence-based CBT, this is due to several factors, like stigma and costs. However, systematic factors including the shortage of trained professionals and the relative underdevelopment of services also make access difficult.Stepped-care can increase access to evidence-based CBT. One option is tailored internet-delivered treatment programs. Preliminary research from Ireland needs now to include large-scale studies on effectiveness. Thus the current study seeks to examine the potential of an internet-delivered low-intensit...
1.0 Abstract Although mental health problems increase markedly during adolescent years, therapist... more 1.0 Abstract Although mental health problems increase markedly during adolescent years, therapists often find it difficult to engage with adolescents. Personal Investigator (PI) is a 3D computer game specifically designed to help adolescents, suffering from mental health problems such as ...
Early prototyping is important for developing high-quality software. Wizard of Oz (WOZ) technique... more Early prototyping is important for developing high-quality software. Wizard of Oz (WOZ) techniques are particularly useful for early stage evaluations of applications using Language Technology Components (LTC). However, an effective interface to support the task of the wizard is crucial. While several wizard interfaces have been built to date, most of them were designed for specific experiments. The more general issue of supporting the sometimes highly demanding cognitive task of the wizard has remained largely ...
The effects of centralised and specialised combined pharmacological and psychological interventio... more The effects of centralised and specialised combined pharmacological and psychological intervention compared with decentralised and non-specialised treatment in the early course of severe unipolar and bipolar affective disorders-design of two randomised clinical trials
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Papers by Gavin Doherty