Given the importance of credibility in computing products, the research on computer credibility is relatively small. To enhance knowledge about computers and credibility, we define key terms relating to computer credibility, synthesize the literature in this domain, and propose three new conceptual frameworks for better understanding the elements of computer credibility. To promote further research, we then offer two perspectives on what computer users evaluate when assessing credibility. We conclude by presenting a stt of credibility-related terms that can serve in future research and evaluation endeavors.

G. H. Hardy (1941) argues that the sole criterion for excellent research is that the researcher produces “beauty. ” While seemingly ineffable and frustratingly imprecise, Hardy instead suggests that creating beauty is straightforward. First, the work must be accurate: erroneous results are useless. Second, one’s peers must recognize the work to be interesting, exciting, elegant, and “cool. ” While this second criterion might seem arbitrary, there is generally good agreement between scholars in a given community about “interesting ” work (see Cole and Cole 1973 for a discussion), so one need not survey numerous researchers to ensure research is beautiful; asking a couple is equivalent to asking them all. With certain caveats, the work in embodied conversational agents (ECA) can make claims to beauty. ECAs are phenomenologically “accurate ” to the extent that the agent’s outward appearance objectively matches the appearance, language, attitudes and behavior of humans. Thus, questions that address manifestation accuracy include “Does the agent walk like a person walk? ” and “Does the agent use language and make grammatical errors the same way a person does?”

collaborates with a workgroup to increase information nugget sharing among the group. Information nuggets are small amounts of self-contained information, such as the URL of an interesting news article, a book title, or the time and location of a local art event. NuggetMine and the workgroup work together to build, maintain, and utilize a repository---or "mine"---of information nuggets. Group members submit nuggets to NuggetMine, which organizes and augments the submitted nuggets and provides a desktop interface to each group member. This interface makes it easy for group members to submit nuggets, view nuggets, and explore the mine. NuggetMine distributes the tasks necessary to share nuggets between it and the workgroup so as to best utilize the skills of each collaborator. In this paper, we describe the NuggetMine application and interface and present a pilot study of the application.

In this paper, we apply principles of trust derived mostly from interpersonal communication and human-computer interaction research to computer-mediated exchange (CME). We define key terms and synthesize relevant literature identifying four sources and seven dimensions of trust. Combining these sources and dimensions, we offer a trust taxonomy enabling trust analysis of exchange partners in CME. To demonstrate the usefulness of the taxonomy, we report on a case study in which we examined trust production methods in three exchange sites and compared the results.

Web interfaces challenge traditional definitions of usability. A three-phase model for website evaluation is proposed, based on initial attractiveness, exploration/navigation and transaction. Usability is redefined as trade-off between increasing the user’s motivation to encourage exploration and purchasing in e-commerce, and the costs of usability errors. Heuristics for assessing the attractiveness of web user interfaces are proposed based on aesthetic design, general arousal created by content, corporate identity and brand, and the perceived utility matched to users’ requirements. The heuristics are tested by evaluating three airline websites to demonstrate how different attractiveness and traditional usability trade-offs contribute to overall effectiveness.

Highly believable anthropomorphic agents endanger electronic consumers. Because of concerning tendencies in human-agent interaction arising from agents ’ anthropomorphic qualities, consumers may unwittingly treat agents as competent, trustworthy, living counterparts. This paper concludes that developers must focus agent design on consumer welfare, not technical virtuosity, if legal and ethical perils are to be avoided. 1.

Information appliances, user interfaces, and context-aware devices are necessarily based on approximations of potential users and usage situations. However, it is not an unusual experience for developers that in some areas, appropriate approximations are extremely difficult to realize. Often, these difficulties are not apparent from the beginning. Nevertheless, difficulties are rarely addressed in the pervasive computing literature as they appear to be peripheral compared to the technical challenges. In this paper, we argue that the field would largely benefit from addressing these issues explicitly. First, focussed discussions would help identify areas that have already shown to be difficult or even intractable in related disciplines, such as AI or CSCW. Second, it would help developers become aware of the difficulties and would allow them to deliberately circumvent such areas. We use example scenarios from the pervasive computing literature to illustrate these points. Difficulties to describe and to analyze impacts of pervasive computing applications indicate a need for an analysis framework providing a specific terminology.

We are exploring the use of persuasive computational technology as an instrument for the communication of human emotions. Our current focus is on encouraging such communication between strangers. We present the concept of the LoveBomb- a mobile and persuasive device that allows people to anonymously communicate feelings of love (happiness) and sadness. The device contains a radio transceiver that the user can employ to send out shock waves of love, affecting people in the proximity carrying a LoveBomb device. The device also lets its users cry for compassion, quietly signaling to others that they are sad. The LoveBomb is intended to encourage people to express themselves emotionally when situated amongst strangers in public spaces. Focus group studies have provided us with an initial understanding regarding the LoveBomb’s potential social impact.

Although the motivational benefits of Embodied Conversational Agents in other areas have been demonstrated their potential for relationship building within e-tailing has been little utilized. In this exploratory paper we consider customer perceptions of what types of ECA are appropriate to retailing websites using data from semi-structured interviews with 30 Internet shoppers. Extrapolating the findings from the advertising literature concerning match-up between endorser and brand, product or retailer we find this will be an important element in the acceptability and viability of ECAs on retail websites. It is apparent that great care has to be taken in matching not only the physical characteristics of the ECA to perceptions of the brand, product or retailer but also to the goals and motivations of potential customers of a website. We also find that introducing customer interaction into the ‘match-up ’ mix introduces a new level of complexity, that of matching customer expectations. It is this level of service that may be most difficult for technology and organizations to meet.

Can implicit interaction with a computer easily drive useful interface improvements in physical world settings? This paper presents a case study presenting multiple such context-aware interaction improvements in a sink. We have identified opportunities where automated interfaces at the sink have positive consequences for safety, hygiene and ecology. The danger of scalding oneself with hot water is confronted by transforming the water into a graphical user interface and using image understanding to dispense the proper temperature of water. Audio-visual feedback at the sink can motivate users to conserve water. Used in combination with an RFID reader, the sink can serve as an effective means of verifying hand-washing compliance for clean environments. Finally, automatic actuation of the sink’s height based on the user and task can prevent burns and ergonomic injuries. This project demonstrates that the integration of digital interaction in a hostile environment can facilitate and improve our daily rituals.