RadioActive : enabling large-scale asynchronous audio discussions on mobile devices

Abstract

Current mobile technology works well to connect individuals together at any time or place. However, general focus on one-to-one conversations has overlooked the potential of always-on group and community links. I hypothesize that asynchronous persistent audio is a superior medium to support scalable always-on group communication for mobile devices. To evaluate this claim, one must first have an adequate interaction design before its possible to investigate the qualities and usage patterns over the long-term. This design does not exist for mobile devices. This thesis takes the first step in this direction by creating and evaluating an initial design called RadioActive. RadioActive is a technological and interaction design for persistent mobile audio chat spaces, focusing on the key issue of navigating asynchronous audio. If RadioActive is shown to be a good design in the long-term, I hope to prove with additional studies the value of asynchronous persistent audio. In this thesis I examine related work, describe RadioActive from a methodologically constrained bottom-up approach, discuss the theoretical rationale behind the design, what seems to work, what doesn't, and suggestions for the future.