Using public displays to stimulate passive engagement, active engagement, and discovery in public spaces

  • Authors:

  • Nemanja Memarovic;Marc Langheinrich;Florian Alt;Ivan Elhart;Simo Hosio;Elisa Rubegni

  • Affiliations:

  • University of Lugano, Lugano, Switzerland;University of Lugano, Lugano, Switzerland;University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany;University of Lugano, Lugano, Switzerland;University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland;University of Lugano, Lugano, Switzerland

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the 4th Media Architecture Biennale Conference: Participation
  • Year:
  • 2012

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Abstract

In their influential book "Public space" Carr et al. describe essential human needs that public spaces fulfill: (1) passive engagement with the environment, where we observe what others are doing; (2) active engagement through intellectual challenges posed by the space, or through engagement with the people in it; and (3) excitement of novel discoveries within the space. An often underused resource in public spaces -- public displays -- can be used to stimulate these needs. In this paper we argue for a new research direction that explores how public displays can stimulate such essential needs in public spaces. We describe and conceptualize related processes that occur around public displays, based on in-depth observations of people interacting with a publicly fielded display application in a city center. Our conceptualization is meant to lay the foundations for designing engaging public display systems that stimulate PACD, and for supporting the analysis of existing deployments.