Contextual Interviews

Users
Our 10 contextual interview subjects varied in age from several 17 and 18 year olds in their first year of study to a tutor of 25 who had completed his undergraduate degree. All had experience of using wi-fi on campus whether through their own connection or through using a peer's laptop to access it. All except three of the students attended course lectures and tutorials at UQ's St Lucia campus.


All of the subjects interviewed expect wi-fi to be available in all buildings on campus. Growing up around this technology has made it ubiquitous and they are very comfortable with its usage. Several expressed surprise when shown the map of the Ipswich campus coverage and one even noted that "the room where we have DVP isn't covered!"

Spaces
The spaces used by the subjects were mainly internal. All students had used theirs or a friend's laptop in a lecture to check the subject's lecture notes online, as well as checking newsgroups and course websites for their other subjects. The majority of this activity was study related though each user did admit to having used the wireless network for personal web surfing during a lecture if their interest had waned.

The users that had attended the St Lucia campus all commented on how the wireless network coverage isn't as necessary in Ipswich. All mentioned the difficulties that they had experienced at St Lucia of being able to check emails and newsgroups (let alone research) on a computer due to the larger student body at that campus. The Ipswich campus size and the smaller number of the student body meant that none of the subjects had experienced any difficulties with this in Ipswich.

Besides the obvious use in lecture rooms, the next most popular space for study usage was the library. The most popular location for personal usage was the refectory where the majority of users surfed the web or connected to the wireless network to show a site of interest to their friends. A commonly expressed opinion was that of a strict delineation between these two spaces.

All of the subjects expressed an interest in more spaces being available throughout the campus for both study and social interactions. Suggestions included covered tables (for sun and rain protection as well as enabling them to read the screens) in green spaces (specifically the areas in front and between building 8 and 2). All agreed that these areas would require electricity and have comfortable seating.

Technology
All of the respondents had used laptops when accessing the wireless network at the Ipswich Campus. When questioned about accessing the network with pdas all were interested in using this technology but considered it a luxury item when compared to a laptop.

Several of the interviewees responded that they had also used Nintendo DS in their personal life to play games via a wireless connection. One student also showed how they had used their PSP (Playstation Portable) to connect to the wireless network to surf the internet.


I procrastinated a bit before writing it. Think its kind of keeping in line with what you want Mish, but let me know if not and I can re-write at uni tomorrow. See you all about 10:30.