User Experience and Mental Model in DTN-based Peer-to-Peer Communication: Designing UI Elements for Uncertainty

Masterarbeit im Studiengang Informatik von Markus Henkel:

Abstract:
The Internet not only plays an important role in many aspects of everyday life, but it is also vital for crisis communication. Over the past two decades, citizens have increasingly used social media to self-organize during crises. However, social media applications typically rely on the Internet, which may not always be available. While disruption-tolerant networking has been recognized as a way of enabling communication in these situations, it is unclear whether the general public would understand such technology and therefore, whether they would adopt social media applications that utilize disruption-tolerant networking. This work extends an existing app that is intended to keep neighbourhoods connected during crises. By adding UI elements to the app’s direct messaging feature, it attempts to provide information to users that helps them build a good mental model of DTN. Additionally, it explores which of the UI elements reduce uncertainty, increase spatial understanding and help assess the status of the communication. The results of the conducted user study show that participants were able to get a good understanding of the properties of DTN and its implications on their communication. By displaying additional information in the chat window, users can be supported during crises that are accompanied by Internet outages and their uncertainty can be reduced.

Betreuer: Steffen Haesler, M.Sc.
Prüfer: Prof. Dr. Dr. Christian Reuter
(nur virtuell über Zoom)