Context-Aware Computing: A Test Case

Through an iterative design approach, we have proposed and evaluated ways of incorporating user-created information into context-aware systems. We implemented and tested a location-sensitive college campus tour guide called Campus Aware that allows users to annotate physical spaces with text notes. The goal was to provide visitors to the campus with a sense of the activities going on in the environment. Our evaluation of Campus Aware revealed that users provided unique content that was interesting and useful to others. They also served as moderators posting corrections to inaccurate notes and answering questions posed by other users. We discovered that our system easily became a distraction and was not able to detect location precisely enough to prevent user confusion. Our findings suggest new ways to make contextaware systems easier for users to comprehend and enjoy.