Familial Collaborations in a Museum

CHI 2009, Twenty-seventh Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, April 4-9, Boston, USA

 ***Updated: Paper can be downloaded here ***

Tom Hope, Yoshiyuki Nakamura, Toru Takahashi, Atsushi Nobayashi, Shota Fukuoka, Masahiro Hamasaki, Takuichi Nishimura

Studies of interactive systems in museums have raised important design considerations, but so far have failed to address sufficiently the particularities of family interaction and co-operation. This paper introduces qualitative video-based observations of Japanese families using an interactive portable guide system in a museum. Results suggest that interaction with the system is socially structured through family relationships, leading to unexpected usage. The paper highlights the necessity to more fully consider familial relationships in HCI.