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Call for papers: special issue "Mobile users and out-of-box experience"
 Springer Journal Personal and Ubiquitous Computing
 **** Submission deadline is March 31, 2004 ****

Submission Categories:
 * Industrial experiences
 * Perspective papers
 * Research papers

Co-edited by Pekka Ketola ([log in to unmask]) and Irmeli Sinkkonen
([log in to unmask]]


http://www.personal-ubicomp.com/index.html
http://www.personal-ubicomp.com/oobe.pdf



Users face practical problems when they start using a new device, system or
service for the very first time, or they want to replace an existing device
with a new one. Often several operations are required by the user prior to
use. Although the challenge of first use is known and admitted among users,
designers, manufacturers and research communities, there is astonishingly
small number of published research about out-of-box experience of consumer
products or commodities. This problem area has been initially addressed in
operations research, and solutions are actively sought in industry.

We are interested especially about the mobile phone out-of-box experience
(OOBE) and related design and research. There are various reasons to have a
special look at the mobile users and out-of-box experience. Mobile phones
have become personal everyday appliances, such as a TV or a watch, and part
of our identity - full of personal meanings, individual experiences and
personal data. They go with us from home to work and to leisure places. The
phone stores data valuable and essential for the user's daily life.
Changing the product to a new one presents a potential disruption in the
life management.

Related work is going on in various areas. OOBE is described and guidelines
proposed (for example: IBM/Ease of use) and an industrial forum is
addressing related topics (for example: PC Quality Roundtable).
Manufacturers and service providers are developing technical and business
solutions to make the product adoption easier and to help with the system
configuration. Researchers are studying first use especially from
human-computer interaction perspective. We have identified a research gap
especially regarding product replacement.

For this special issue, we hope to attract cross-disciplinary submissions
both of a reflective nature, which look at the accumulated work in the area
with the benefit of hindsight; and submissions that document the new and
exciting developments that are currently unfolding.

Areas of interest include, but are not limited to consumer devices,
out-of-box experience and:
- Human-computer interaction (for example: user-centred design, user
experience, usability testing, accessibility)
- Information appliances, smart devices
- Information management and information systems
- Information technology development
- Standardization, common practices
- Design for first use
- Design for out-of-box readiness
- Product configuration and set-up
- Product replacement
- User support and product maintenance
- User guides
- PC connectivity and applications
- Services (Internet, phone operator, etc.)
- Product and service packaging


In particular, we seek three types of submissions:

CATEGORIES:
* Industrial experience papers should review existing implementations, case
studies or concepts for improving out-of-box experience or product
replacement in consumer products.

* Perspective papers should use the accumulated work of a specific
group,institution, or individual as the basis for a discussion that can
encompass historical accounts, lessons learned, or overall theories and
generalizations. The content can be based on previously published material,
but should expand upon it in such a way that new insights are gained.

* Research papers should present new systems, evaluations, methods or
concepts in the field of physical user interfaces. This should consist of
novel work that has not previously been published in archival format.


SCHEDULE:
March 31, 2004: Paper submission deadline
May 31, 2004: Notification for authors
August 31, 2004: Revised versions due

For further Information please contact the special issue editors, Pekka
Ketola and Irmeli Sinkkonen.

Specific information regarding formatting, content, and submission
procedures is available at: <http://www.personal-ubicomp.com/submit.html>.


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