SenseMS: a user-centered approach to enrich the messaging experience for teens by non-verbal means

This paper reports the user study and design of a concept to improve mobile messaging for teens. A study of current mobile phone use by teens (16-18) showed that, while they prefer communicating by Short Message Service (SMS), they miss expressiveness in this application. An enhanced SMS application, SenseMS, is designed to support affective communication. An evaluation of a SenseMS prototype has shown that enhancing text messages with contextual information and human embodiment can result in a more pleasant experience for both the sender and receiver. Especially for negative emotions, contextual and emotional information are essential for interpreting the message. The study also showed different usage scenarios, in that SenseMS is preferred for emotion-rich messages, whereas SMS is more appropriate for fast and emotion-poor messages. Categories and Subject Descriptors: H.5.2 [Information Interfaces and Presentation]: User Interfaces – user-centered design. General Terms: Design.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2005
• Where: MHCI
• Authors: Alia K. Amin, B. T. A. Kersten, Olga A. Kulyk, P. H. Pelgrim, C. M. Wang, Panos Markopoulos
• Keywords: Current Mobile Phone, Enhanced Sms Application, Human Computer Interaction, MHCI 2005, Short Message Service