Steffen Haesler, M.Sc.

Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter / Doktorand

Kontakt: haesler(at)peasec.tu-darmstadt.de

Sprechstunde Mittwochs 15:00-17:30 (hier anmelden)
Technische Universität Darmstadt, Fachbereich Informatik,
Wissenschaft und Technik für Frieden und Sicherheit (PEASEC)
Pankratiusstraße 2, 64289 Darmstadt, Raum 114

EN

Steffen Haesler, M.Sc. is a research associate and PhD student at the Chair of Science and Technology for Peace and Security (PEASEC) in the Department of Computer Science at Technical University of Darmstadt. There, he is particularly active in the LOEWE center emergenCITY.

The research interest is in the area of digital self-organization of citizens in crisis. Here, in particular, in the usability and resilience (e.g., independence from ICT infrastructure) of solutions to improve crisis resilience before a crisis, but also the management of a crisis.

He studied Human-Computer Interaction at the University of Hamburg (B.Sc.) and Human-Computer Interaction at the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg (M.Sc.). During his master studies, he completed an extended research internship at the University of Central Florida. Prior to his studies, he worked as a consultant and project manager on ERP integration projects in logistics, retail and industry. In his spare time, he was involved in youth work in the scouts organization in Hamburg for a long time and was active there in various roles, from youth group leader to chairman. He was also volunteering in refugee aid in Würzburg.

DE

Steffen Haesler, M.Sc. ist wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter und Doktorand am Lehrstuhl Wissenschaft und Technik für Frieden und Sicherheit (PEASEC) im Fachbereich Informatik der Technischen Universität Darmstadt. Dort ist er insbesondere im LOEWE-Zentrum emergenCITY tätig.

Das Forschungsinteresse liegt im Bereich der digitaler Selbstorganisation von Bürger*innen in Krisen und Katastrophen. Hier insbesondere in der Benutzbarkeit und Resilienz (z.B. unabhängigkeit von IKT Infrastruktur) von Lösungen zur Verbesserungder Krisenfestigkeit vor einer Krise, aber auch der Bewältigung einer Krise.

Er studierte Mensch-Computer Interaktion an der Universität Hamburg (B.Sc.) und Human-Computer Interaction an der Julius-Maximilian-Universität Würzburg (M.Sc.). Während des Masterstudiums absolvierte er einen längeren Forschungsaufenthalt an der University of Central Florida. Vor dem Studium arbeitete er als Consultant und Projektleiter bei ERP-Integrationsprojekten in der Logistik, dem Handel und der Industrie. In seiner Freizeit engagierte er sich lange in der Jugendarbeit bei den Pfadfindern in Hamburg und war dort in verschiedenen Aufgaben aktiv, vom Jugendgruppenleiter bis hin zum Vorsitzenden. Darüber hinaus war er in der Flüchtlingshilfe in Würzburg aktiv.

Publikationen

  • Steffen Haesler, Christian Reuter (2024)
    Moderne Technologien und Resilienz
    In: Andreas H. Karsten, Stefan Voßschmidt, Uwe Becker: Resilienz und Schockereignisse. Kohlhammer.
    [BibTeX]

    @incollection{haesler_moderne_2024,
    title = {Moderne {Technologien} und {Resilienz}},
    booktitle = {Resilienz und {Schockereignisse}},
    publisher = {Kohlhammer},
    author = {Haesler, Steffen and Reuter, Christian},
    editor = {Karsten, Andreas H. and Voßschmidt, Stefan and Becker, Uwe},
    year = {2024},
    keywords = {UsableSec, Security, Projekt-emergenCITY},
    }

  • Stefka Schmid, Laura Guntrum, Steffen Haesler, Lisa Schultheiß, Christian Reuter (2023)
    Digital Volunteers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Care Work on Social Media for Socio-technical Resilience
    Weizenbaum Journal of the Digital Society ;3(1). doi:10.34669/WI.WJDS/3.3.6
    [BibTeX] [Abstract] [Download PDF]

    Like past crises, the COVID-19 pandemic has also activated individual volunteers to help to respond to the crisis. This includes digital volunteers, who have organized physical aid and conducted activities on social media. Analyzing German volunteering support groups on Facebook and related Reddit threads in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, we {\textbackslash}updatedshow what type of help is offered and how social media users interact with each other, trying to cope with the situation. We reveal that most users offering help online conduct mostly typical care work, such as buying groceries or giving advice. Crucially, volunteering is characterized by relationships of care and thus builds on affirmative interactions. Albeit some misdirected offers and regressive interruptions, people use the possibility to make their voices heard and, showing empathy, help each other to cope with crisis. Social media like Facebook mediate societal structures, including relationships of care, offering a space for continuous, cumulatively resilient conduct of care work. Reflecting on the traditional division of labor in crisis volunteering and counter-productive dynamics of care and empathy, we aim for feminist ethics of care which allows for interactions on social media that foster generative computer-supported collaboration.

    @article{schmid_digital_2023,
    title = {Digital {Volunteers} {During} the {COVID}-19 {Pandemic}: {Care} {Work} on {Social} {Media} for {Socio}-technical {Resilience}},
    volume = {3},
    issn = {2748-5625},
    url = {https://ojs.weizenbaum-institut.de/index.php/wjds/article/view/78},
    doi = {10.34669/WI.WJDS/3.3.6},
    abstract = {Like past crises, the COVID-19 pandemic has also activated individual volunteers to help to respond to the crisis. This includes digital volunteers, who have organized physical aid and conducted activities on social media. Analyzing German volunteering support groups on Facebook and related Reddit threads in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, we {\textbackslash}updatedshow what type of help is offered and how social media users interact with each other, trying to cope with the situation. We reveal that most users offering help online conduct mostly typical care work, such as buying groceries or giving advice. Crucially, volunteering is characterized by relationships of care and thus builds on affirmative interactions. Albeit some misdirected offers and regressive interruptions, people use the possibility to make their voices heard and, showing empathy, help each other to cope with crisis. Social media like Facebook mediate societal structures, including relationships of care, offering a space for continuous, cumulatively resilient conduct of care work. Reflecting on the traditional division of labor in crisis volunteering and counter-productive dynamics of care and empathy, we aim for feminist ethics of care which allows for interactions on social media that foster generative computer-supported collaboration.},
    number = {1},
    journal = {Weizenbaum Journal of the Digital Society},
    author = {Schmid, Stefka and Guntrum, Laura and Haesler, Steffen and Schultheiß, Lisa and Reuter, Christian},
    month = may,
    year = {2023},
    keywords = {Crisis, HCI, SocialMedia, Student, Peace, Projekt-ATHENE-SecUrban, Projekt-emergenCITY, Projekt-TraCe},
    }

  • Leon Würsching, Florentin Putz, Steffen Haesler, Matthias Hollick (2023)
    FIDO2 the Rescue? Platform vs. Roaming Authentication on Smartphones
    Proceedings of the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI) (Best Paper Award) New York, NY, USA. doi:10.1145/3544548.3580993
    [BibTeX] [Abstract] [Download PDF]

    Modern smartphones support FIDO2 passwordless authentication using either external security keys or internal biometric authentication, but it is unclear whether users appreciate and accept these new forms of web authentication for their own accounts. We present the first lab study (N=87) comparing platform and roaming authentication on smartphones, determining the practical strengths and weaknesses of FIDO2 as perceived by users in a mobile scenario. Most participants were willing to adopt passwordless authentication during our in-person user study, but closer analysis shows that participants prioritize usability, security, and availability differently depending on the account type. We identify remaining adoption barriers that prevent FIDO2 from succeeding password authentication, such as missing support for contemporary usage patterns, including account delegation and usage on multiple clients.

    @inproceedings{wursching_fido2_2023,
    address = {New York, NY, USA},
    series = {{CHI} '23},
    title = {{FIDO2} the {Rescue}? {Platform} vs. {Roaming} {Authentication} on {Smartphones}},
    url = {https://peasec.de/paper/2023/2023_WuerschingPutzHaeslerHollick_PlatformvsRoamingAuthenticationonSmartphones_CHI.pdf},
    doi = {10.1145/3544548.3580993},
    abstract = {Modern smartphones support FIDO2 passwordless authentication using either external security keys or internal biometric authentication, but it is unclear whether users appreciate and accept these new forms of web authentication for their own accounts. We present the first lab study (N=87) comparing platform and roaming authentication on smartphones, determining the practical strengths and weaknesses of FIDO2 as perceived by users in a mobile scenario. Most participants were willing to adopt passwordless authentication during our in-person user study, but closer analysis shows that participants prioritize usability, security, and availability differently depending on the account type. We identify remaining adoption barriers that prevent FIDO2 from succeeding password authentication, such as missing support for contemporary usage patterns, including account delegation and usage on multiple clients.},
    booktitle = {Proceedings of the {Conference} on {Human} {Factors} in {Computing} {Systems} ({CHI}) ({Best} {Paper} {Award})},
    publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery},
    author = {Würsching, Leon and Putz, Florentin and Haesler, Steffen and Hollick, Matthias},
    year = {2023},
    note = {event-place: Hamburg, HH, Germany},
    keywords = {HCI, UsableSec, Security, A-Paper, Ranking-CORE-A*, AuswahlUsableSec, Projekt-emergenCITY},
    }

  • Steffen Haesler, Marc Wendelborn, Christian Reuter (2023)
    Getting the Residents‘ Attention: The Perception of Warning Channels in Smart Home Warning Systems
    Proceedings of the ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference (DIS) New York, NY, USA. doi:10.1145/3563657.3596076
    [BibTeX] [Abstract] [Download PDF]

    About half a billion households are expected to use smart home systems by 2025. Although many IoT sensors, such as smoke detectors or security cameras, are available and governmental crisis warning systems are in place, little is known about how to warn appropriately in smart home environments. We created a Raspberry Pi based prototype with a speaker, a display, and a connected smart light bulb. Together with a focus group, we developed a taxonomy for warning messages in smart home environments, dividing them into five classes with different stimuli. We evaluated the taxonomy using the Experience Sampling Method (ESM) in a field study at participants‘ (N = 13) homes testing 331 warnings. The results show that taxonomy-based warning stimuli are perceived to be appropriate and participants could imagine using such a warning system. We propose a deeper integration of warning capabilities into smart home environments to enhance the safety of citizens.

    @inproceedings{haesler_getting_2023,
    address = {New York, NY, USA},
    series = {{DIS} '23},
    title = {Getting the {Residents}' {Attention}: {The} {Perception} of {Warning} {Channels} in {Smart} {Home} {Warning} {Systems}},
    isbn = {978-1-4503-9893-0},
    url = {https://peasec.de/paper/2023/2023_HaeslerWendelbornReuter_SmartHomeWarningSystems_DIS},
    doi = {10.1145/3563657.3596076},
    abstract = {About half a billion households are expected to use smart home systems by 2025. Although many IoT sensors, such as smoke detectors or security cameras, are available and governmental crisis warning systems are in place, little is known about how to warn appropriately in smart home environments. We created a Raspberry Pi based prototype with a speaker, a display, and a connected smart light bulb. Together with a focus group, we developed a taxonomy for warning messages in smart home environments, dividing them into five classes with different stimuli. We evaluated the taxonomy using the Experience Sampling Method (ESM) in a field study at participants' (N = 13) homes testing 331 warnings. The results show that taxonomy-based warning stimuli are perceived to be appropriate and participants could imagine using such a warning system. We propose a deeper integration of warning capabilities into smart home environments to enhance the safety of citizens.},
    booktitle = {Proceedings of the {ACM} {Designing} {Interactive} {Systems} {Conference} ({DIS})},
    publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery},
    author = {Haesler, Steffen and Wendelborn, Marc and Reuter, Christian},
    year = {2023},
    note = {event-place: Pittsburgh, PA, USA},
    keywords = {Crisis, HCI, Student, A-Paper, Ranking-CORE-A, Projekt-ATHENE-SecUrban, Projekt-emergenCITY},
    pages = {1114--1127},
    }

  • Denis Orlov, Simon Möller, Sven Düfler, Steffen Haesler, Christian Reuter (2022)
    Detecting a Crisis: Comparison of Self-Reported vs. Automated Internet Outage Measuring Methods
    Mensch und Computer – Workshopband Darmstadt. doi:10.18420/muc2022-mci-ws10-321
    [BibTeX] [Abstract] [Download PDF]

    Every day, there are internet disruptions or outages around the world that affect our daily lives. In this paper, we analyzed these events in Germany in recent years and found out how they can be detected, and what impact they have on citizens, especially in crisis situations. For this purpose, we take a look at two different approaches to recording internet outages, namely the self-reporting of citizens and automatic reporting by algorithmic examination of the availability of IP networks. We evaluate the data of six major events with regard to their meaningfulness in quality and quantity. We found that due to the amount of data and the inherent imprecision of the methods used, it is difficult to detect outages through algorithmic examination. But once an event is publicly known by self-reporting, they have advantages to capture the temporal and spatial dimensions of the outage due to its nature of objective measurements. As a result, we propose that users’ crowdsourcing can enhance the detection of outages and should be seen as an important starting point to even begin an analysis with algorithm-based techniques, but it is to ISPs and regulatory authorities to support that.

    @inproceedings{orlov_detecting_2022,
    address = {Darmstadt},
    series = {Mensch und {Computer} 2022 - {Workshopband}},
    title = {Detecting a {Crisis}: {Comparison} of {Self}-{Reported} vs. {Automated} {Internet} {Outage} {Measuring} {Methods}},
    url = {https://dl.gi.de/handle/20.500.12116/39089},
    doi = {10.18420/muc2022-mci-ws10-321},
    abstract = {Every day, there are internet disruptions or outages around the world that affect our daily lives. In this paper, we analyzed these events in Germany in recent years and found out how they can be detected, and what impact they have on citizens, especially in crisis situations. For this purpose, we take a look at two different approaches to recording internet outages, namely the self-reporting of citizens and automatic reporting by algorithmic examination of the availability of IP networks. We evaluate the data of six major events with regard to their meaningfulness in quality and quantity. We found that due to the amount of data and the inherent imprecision of the methods used, it is difficult to detect outages through algorithmic examination. But once an event is publicly known by self-reporting, they have advantages to capture the temporal and spatial dimensions of the outage due to its nature of objective measurements. As a result, we propose that users’ crowdsourcing can enhance the detection of outages and should be seen as an important starting point to even begin an analysis with algorithm-based techniques, but it is to ISPs and regulatory authorities to support that.},
    language = {en},
    booktitle = {Mensch und {Computer} - {Workshopband}},
    publisher = {Gesellschaft für Informatik},
    author = {Orlov, Denis and Möller, Simon and Düfler, Sven and Haesler, Steffen and Reuter, Christian},
    year = {2022},
    keywords = {HCI, Student, UsableSec, Security, Projekt-ATHENE-SecUrban, Projekt-emergenCITY},
    }

  • Steffen Haesler, Stefka Schmid, Annemike Sophia Vierneisel, Christian Reuter (2021)
    Stronger Together: How Neighborhood Groups Build up a Virtual Network during the COVID-19 Pandemic
    Proceedings of the ACM: Human Computer Interaction (PACM): Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing ;5(CSCW2).
    [BibTeX] [Abstract] [Download PDF]

    During crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, people spontaneously initiate support groups, while establishedorganizations like soccer clubs set non-regular goals, both offering help. Interested in the coordination of suchhelp and potential challenges of collaboration, we conducted a virtual ethnography of a multi-level networklocated in Germany. We focused on aims, activities, and technological mediation, with Activity Theory astheoretical framework. Our findings show that the organizational aim of coordinating help was successfullyachieved by connecting heterogeneous actors through digitization and institutionalization. Enabled by thecontext of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, the network acted virtually, but was also able to integrate analogspaces of help. We identified six crucial implications regarding the use of technology and collaboration forbuilding a successful volunteering network.

    @article{haesler_stronger_2021,
    title = {Stronger {Together}: {How} {Neighborhood} {Groups} {Build} up a {Virtual} {Network} during the {COVID}-19 {Pandemic}},
    volume = {5},
    url = {https://peasec.de/paper/2021/2021_HaeslerSchmidVierneiselReuter_StrongerTogetherVirtualNetworkCOVID19_CSCW.pdf},
    abstract = {During crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, people spontaneously initiate support groups, while establishedorganizations like soccer clubs set non-regular goals, both offering help. Interested in the coordination of suchhelp and potential challenges of collaboration, we conducted a virtual ethnography of a multi-level networklocated in Germany. We focused on aims, activities, and technological mediation, with Activity Theory astheoretical framework. Our findings show that the organizational aim of coordinating help was successfullyachieved by connecting heterogeneous actors through digitization and institutionalization. Enabled by thecontext of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, the network acted virtually, but was also able to integrate analogspaces of help. We identified six crucial implications regarding the use of technology and collaboration forbuilding a successful volunteering network.},
    number = {CSCW2},
    journal = {Proceedings of the ACM: Human Computer Interaction (PACM): Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing},
    author = {Haesler, Steffen and Schmid, Stefka and Vierneisel, Annemike Sophia and Reuter, Christian},
    year = {2021},
    keywords = {AuswahlCrisis, Crisis, HCI, Selected, A-Paper, Ranking-CORE-A, Projekt-ATHENE-SecUrban, Projekt-emergenCITY},
    }

  • Steffen Haesler, Ragnark Mogk, Florentin Putz, Kevin T. Logan, Nadja Thiessen, Katharina Kleinschnitger, Lars Baumgärtner, Jan-Philipp Stroscher, Christian Reuter, Michele Knodt, Matthias Hollick (2021)
    Connected Self-Organized Citizens in Crises: An Interdisciplinary Resilience Concept for Neighborhoods
    CSCW ’21 Companion: Conference Companion Publication of the 2021 on Computer Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing Virtual Event, USA. doi:10.1145/3462204.3481749
    [BibTeX] [Abstract] [Download PDF]

    When facing major crisis events, such as earthquakes, flooding,or attacks on infrastructure, people start to organize within theirneighborhoods. While this has historically been an analog process,people now use collaboration or messenger apps to support theirself-organization. Unfortunately, these apps are not designed to beresilient and fail with communication infrastructure outages whenservers are no longer available. We provide a resilience conceptwith requirements derived from an interdisciplinary view enablingcitizens to communicate and collaborate in everyday life and duringcrisis events. Our human-centered prototype integrates conceptsof nudging for crisis preparedness, decentralized and secure com-munication, participation, smart resource management, historicalknowledge, and legal issues to help guide further research.

    @inproceedings{haesler_connected_2021,
    address = {Virtual Event, USA},
    title = {Connected {Self}-{Organized} {Citizens} in {Crises}: {An} {Interdisciplinary} {Resilience} {Concept} for {Neighborhoods}},
    url = {https://peasec.de/paper/2021/2021_Haesleretal_ConnectedSelfOrganizedCitizensinCrises_CSCWComp.pdf},
    doi = {10.1145/3462204.3481749},
    abstract = {When facing major crisis events, such as earthquakes, flooding,or attacks on infrastructure, people start to organize within theirneighborhoods. While this has historically been an analog process,people now use collaboration or messenger apps to support theirself-organization. Unfortunately, these apps are not designed to beresilient and fail with communication infrastructure outages whenservers are no longer available. We provide a resilience conceptwith requirements derived from an interdisciplinary view enablingcitizens to communicate and collaborate in everyday life and duringcrisis events. Our human-centered prototype integrates conceptsof nudging for crisis preparedness, decentralized and secure com-munication, participation, smart resource management, historicalknowledge, and legal issues to help guide further research.},
    booktitle = {{CSCW} '21 {Companion}: {Conference} {Companion} {Publication} of the 2021 on {Computer} {Supported} {Cooperative} {Work} and {Social} {Computing}},
    publisher = {ACM},
    author = {Haesler, Steffen and Mogk, Ragnark and Putz, Florentin and Logan, Kevin T. and Thiessen, Nadja and Kleinschnitger, Katharina and Baumgärtner, Lars and Stroscher, Jan-Philipp and Reuter, Christian and Knodt, Michele and Hollick, Matthias},
    year = {2021},
    keywords = {Crisis, Projekt-ATHENE-SecUrban, Projekt-emergenCITY},
    }

  • Steffen Haesler, Stefka Schmid, Christian Reuter (2020)
    Crisis Volunteering Nerds: Three Months After COVID-19 Hackathon \#WirVsVirus
    MobileHCI ’20: 22nd International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction with Mobile Devices and Services . doi:10.1145/3406324.3424584
    [BibTeX] [Abstract] [Download PDF]

    The hackathon \#WirVsVirus in March 2020 was one of the biggest hackathons in history. Under the patronage of the federal government of Germany, 28,361 participants worked together in 1,498 projects, finding innovative apps and solutions against the COVID-19 pandemic. Three months after the event, we present an exemplifying analysis of the topics, used technologies and remaining activity of these projects. Shedding light on this instance of citizen science allows to highlight the potential of hackathons and startup culture regarding socio-technological resilience. At the same time, it may be understood as an impulse for crisis informatics to consider new forms of volunteering in the course of crisis management.

    @inproceedings{haesler_crisis_2020,
    title = {Crisis {Volunteering} {Nerds}: {Three} {Months} {After} {COVID}-19 {Hackathon} \#{WirVsVirus}},
    url = {https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/3406324.3424584},
    doi = {10.1145/3406324.3424584},
    abstract = {The hackathon \#WirVsVirus in March 2020 was one of the biggest hackathons in history. Under the patronage of the federal government of Germany, 28,361 participants worked together in 1,498 projects, finding innovative apps and solutions against the COVID-19 pandemic. Three months after the event, we present an exemplifying analysis of the topics, used technologies and remaining activity of these projects. Shedding light on this instance of citizen science allows to highlight the potential of hackathons and startup culture regarding socio-technological resilience. At the same time, it may be understood as an impulse for crisis informatics to consider new forms of volunteering in the course of crisis management.},
    booktitle = {{MobileHCI} '20: 22nd {International} {Conference} on {Human}-{Computer} {Interaction} with {Mobile} {Devices} and {Services}},
    publisher = {ACM},
    author = {Haesler, Steffen and Schmid, Stefka and Reuter, Christian},
    year = {2020},
    keywords = {Crisis, HCI, Projekt-ATHENE-SecUrban, Projekt-emergenCITY},
    pages = {1--56},
    }

    Vorherige Publikationen / Former Publications

    1. Daniel Reinhardt, Steffen Haesler, Jörn Hurtienne, Carolin Wienrich (2019): Enthropy of Controller Movements Reflects Mental Workload in Virtual Reality2019 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces (VR), S. 802-808.
    2. Steffen Haesler, Jörn Hurtienne, Franz Ertle, Patricia Theile (2018): A Classification Schema for Data Physicalizations and a Carbon Footprint Physicalization, Workshop on Datapyhsicalization at IEEE Vis ’18.
    3. Kangsoo Kim, Luke Boelling, Steffen Haesler, Jeremy N. Bailenson, Gerd Bruder, Greg Welch (2018):  Does a Digital Assistant Need a Body? The Influence of Visual Embodiment and Social Behavior on the Perception of Intelligent Virtual Agents in AR, IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality.
    4. Steffen Haesler, Kangsoo Kim, Gerd Bruder, Greg Welch (2018): Seeing is Believing: Improving the Perceived Trust in Visually Embodied Alexa in Augmented Reality, IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality.
    5. Steffen Haesler, Karen Obernesser, Tino Raupp, Christoph Jahnke, Jonathan Stapf, Julia Bräker, Paul Lubos, Gerd Bruder, Frank Steinicke (2016): Edutainment & Engagement at Exhibitions: A Case Study of Gamification in the Historic Hammaburg Model, Mensch und Computer 2016-Tagungsband, Aachen, Germany: Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V.