Computers are ubiquitous sources of entertainment, information, and education, as well as tools for communication and collaboration in our homes, schools, and workplaces. As such, there are a variety of products (e.g., iPad, Blackberry, Google search, Facebook, etc.) available to help us organize our lives, learn, or keep us connected with friends or hobbies. 

The number of devices and applications is daunting, so how do we decide what products we will purchase, invest our time and attention in, or make part of our lives?

Such decision-making is no longer driven by the usability or functionality of the technology, but how it enhances the quality of users’ experience. What technologies engage users enough to make them meaningful, sustained parts of people’s lives?

The purpose of my research is to explores user engagement with technology, how to determine whether or not a user has been engaged, and what attributes of individuals, systems, and contexts facilitate or detract from engagement. I approach user engagement from different disciplinary perspectives, e.g. information science, human-computer interaction, psychology, and information systems.

This multidisciplinary lens has allowed be to appreciate the complexity of human information interactions (HII) where factors such as attention, affect, context, information content and presentation, and the interactivity and format of technological devices coalesce to form rich, multi-layered experiences. Overall, my research seeks to build a sound theoretical foundation for understanding user engagement with information technologies and to contribute to the measurement of user experiences by developing and evaluating methodological tools and techniques.

For further information, please visit:
School of Library, Archival and Information Studies
Suite 470, Irving Barber Learning Centre, 1961 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1