St Andrews HCI Research Group

Our PhD student, Yaxiong Lei, along with collaborators (Shijing He, Dr. Xiao Zhan, Dr. Ruba Abu-Salma, and Prof Jose Such) from King’s College London and (Dr. Chi Zhang and Dr. Juan Ye) from the University of St. Andrews, presented a research poster titled Privacy Perspectives and Practices of Chinese Smart Home Device Developers at the Privacy Enhancing Technologies Symposium (PETS) 2024. This research focuses on the privacy challenges faced by developers in China, highlighting key differences in privacy approaches between Western and non-WEIRD countries.

As part of this effort, Yaxiong and his colleagues explored the balance between legal compliance, user experience, and privacy concerns in the rapidly evolving Chinese smart home industry.

Poster Presentation:

Poster_PETS2024

In addition to presenting their research, Yaxiong Lei co-organized HotPETs  Session A with Shijing He at HotPETS 2024, titled Raising Awareness of the Privacy and Safety Challenges Faced by Smart Home Product Teams in Non-WEIRD Countries. This session, held in the Main Room, brought together hundreds of experts to discuss the privacy implications in non-Western contexts, providing valuable insights for future developments in privacy technology.

Session A Details:

• Date: July 19
• Time: 10:40–12:00
• Room: Main Room

HotPETS2024 Presentation:

HotPETS_PETS2024

PPT_HotPETS_PETS2024

More info:

1. PETS2024 program, https://petsymposium.org/2024/program.php

Alongside Dr Angela Miguel, I had the privilege of presenting at the Enhancing Student Learning Through Innovative Scholarship (ESLTIS) Conference, a pioneering platform for educators in UK higher education. We discussed advancing education through technology and enhancing evening degree learning experiences, focusing on the critical issue of digital poverty in the UK.

Here are key insights and tips we shared that apply to educational settings, especially in IT modules and hybrid environments:

💻 Leverage Hybrid Learning: Use the Dimensions of Learning Designs (modified ACAD model by Bülow, M.W., 2022) to balance physical and digital learning spaces, enhancing the learning experience through diverse resources and social interactions. This model includes 🏗 Set Design, which focuses on the learning environment’s technological and spatial arrangements; 📑 Epistemic Design, which involves the activities and tasks presented to students; and 👫 Social Design, which encompasses the social structures and relationships shaping the learning experience.

🤝 Promote Collaborative and Reflective Assignments: Foster collaboration and deeper understanding with group work and reflective elements to assignments to enhance both student and lecturer awareness of the learning journey.

🌍 Integrate Real-Life Contexts: Enhance motivation by allowing students to incorporate their experiences and invite external expertise or guest speakers into learning spaces.

🧠 Engage with Social Issues: Design assignments addressing societal challenges like digital poverty to promote critical thinking and awareness.

I was also thrilled to share with the audience the work I do with Dr Kirsty Ross on the IDEA network, which encourages educators to focus on societal challenges, such as digital poverty, through research and MSc and SH student projects. The enthusiasm for joining the network was truly inspiring! 🌍💡

Please explore more about the IDEA network on our Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IDEA_network

ESLTIS continues to elevate teaching in the research-intensive climate of higher education, and being part of this vibrant forum was truly inspiring. Highly recommended!

Let’s keep pushing the boundaries of education innovation and supporting our students in addressing critical social issues together! 💪

For more details on the talk, please check out our abstract: https://easychair.org/smart-program/ESLTIS24/2024-07-08.html#talk:256724

📜 Recommended reading: Bülow, M.W. (2022). Designing Synchronous Hybrid Learning Spaces: Challenges and Opportunities. In: Gil, E., Mor, Y., Dimitriadis, Y., Köppe, C. (eds) Hybrid Learning Spaces. Understanding Teaching-Learning Practice. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-88520-5_9

Abd recently shared his expertise at the Eighth Annual UK System Research Challenges Workshop with a talk titled “Introducing Socio-technical Change in Large-Scale Systems: A Distributed Participatory Design Approach,” sparking curiosity among attendees.  

Abd, a member of the SACHI community and an HCI and Software Engineering Lecturer [1], emphasises the importance of understanding the experiences of those affected before rushing into solutions. Engaging them from the outset helps avoid costly blunders. As Abd puts it: 

“Co-designing with end-users isn’t just savvy—it’s the name of the game!” 

In his talk at the SRCW24, he emphasised the pivotal role of the discovery stage, stressing the need to actively involve end users in shaping system design. Abd cautioned against the pitfalls of jumping right into implementation and creating redundant systems or solving the wrong problems with the best solutions, advocating for a community-centric approach to innovation that resonates deeply with the ethos of SACHI. 

Drawing from his research and practical experiences, Abd urged the UK Systems Research community to explore innovative approaches that prioritise community needs. By aligning system development with real-world challenges, we can take significant steps forward in addressing critical societal issues like digital poverty [2]. 

Abd is giving a talk about socio-technical change at the UK System Research Challenges Workshop.

Abd’s presentation served as a powerful reminder of the human aspect of system design, a core value shared by the SACHI community. It sparked vibrant discussions on how we can integrate community-led solutions into our research and design processes, ultimately leading to more meaningful and impactful outcomes.

Furthermore, Abd highlighted the benefits of participatory design, emphasising how investing time and resources upfront can lead to better outcomes, fewer redesigns, and cost savings in the long run. This underscores the value of prioritising user needs throughout the design process, aligning with the overarching theme of Abd’s presentation.  

As we reflect on Abd’s insights and experiences, let us continue to embrace a collaborative and user-centred approach to HCI research. By prioritising community needs and engaging in responsible innovation, we can create impactful solutions that address the diverse needs of our communities. 

Abd’s PhD thesis that provides more details on the framework:  https://doi.org/10.17630/sta/623 

[1] Eighth Annual UK System Research Challenges Workshop 2024: https://uksystems.org/workshop/2024/ 

[2] UK Parliament’s Communications and Digital Committee Report on Digital Poverty: https://api.parliament.uk/s/8e2afba6