Values Across Contexts: Understanding How Older Adults Enact What Matters Through TechnologyAs populations age and technology becomes more pervasive, understanding the alignment between older adults' values and technology design is paramount. More research is needed to understand how older adults’ living contexts shape their values and the use of technology. To address this, through a multi-context study, we explored how values differ for older adults and how their context of living might influence the adoption and use of technology. We conducted 22 semi-structured interviews with older adults in various residential contexts. We show that older adults tend to prioritize the same core values across living contexts, yet how they express values in each context differs. Technology can amplify or inhibit key values. We describe implications for context-responsive technology and design for continuity, to allow older adults to continually uphold important values through technology use.2026HSHugo Simão et al.Universidade de LisboaAging-Friendly Technology DesignAging-in-Place Assistance SystemsCHI
Exploring the Role of Interaction Data to Empower End-User Decision-Making in UI PersonalizationUser interface personalization enhances digital efficiency, usability, and accessibility. However, in user-driven setups, limited support for identifying and evaluating worthwhile opportunities often leads to underuse. We explore a reflexive personalization approach where individuals engage with their digital interaction data to identify meaningful personalization opportunities and benefits. We interviewed 12 participants, using experimental vignettes as design probes to support reflection on different forms of using interaction data to empower decision-making in personalization and the preferred level of system support. We found that people can independently identify personalization opportunities but prefer system support through visual personalization suggestions. Interaction data can shape how users perceive and approach personalization by reinforcing the perceived value of change and data collection, helping them weigh benefits against effort, and increasing the transparency of system suggestions. We discuss opportunities for designing personalization software that raises end-users' agency over interfaces through reflective engagement with their interaction data.2026SASérgio Alves et al.Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de LisboaBehavior Change & Reflection TechnologyData-Driven Personal Decision-MakingPrototyping & User TestingCHI
Breaking it Down: Micro Goals in Physical Activity TrackingPhysical activity trackers rely on fixed daily step goals, treating the day as the primary unit for planning and evaluating activity. However, these goals often misalign with everyday life: schedules fluctuate, opportunities for movement vary, and long-term targets can be difficult to sustain, leading to frustration and disengagement. Despite growing evidence that short bouts of movement can meaningfully improve health, current systems provide limited support for acting on these brief, situated opportunities. This paper investigates micro-goals (i.e., brief, situated goals) as an alternative framing for supporting physical activity. We developed Mikro, a smartwatch app enabling on-the-go micro-goal setting, and deployed it in a 27-day field study with 16 participants. Our findings show that micro-goals encouraged frequent tailoring, supported immediate action, and helped participants capitalize on small opportunities for movement. We argue that micro-goals can complement daily step targets by scaffolding more flexible, adaptive, and engaging ways of staying active.2026RGRuben Gouveia et al.Universidade de LisboaHealth Self-TrackingBehavior Change & Reflection TechnologySmartwatches & Fitness BandsCHI
Characterising Gaming Group ExperiencesWhen people play digital games together, their experiences are often influenced by the group. While prior research has focused on the individual player experience, we argue that a deeper understanding of group dynamics is required for designing digital games that effectively support complex social interactions. In this paper, we characterise the lived group experiences of fifteen long-term players, using qualitative content analysis of semi-structured interviews examining group lifecycles, their impact on play, and how games and platforms support or constrain them. Our findings show that gaming groups are diverse, often shifting between people- and task-orientation based on needs and motivations. They influence how games are experienced, establishing shared practices that persist across contexts. Yet, while games and tools support group play, they often lack flexibility to accommodate such evolving and nuanced social dynamics. We provide insight into how group-based play unfolds and examples of how games can better support it.2026DRDaniel Reis et al.Universidade de LisboaGame UX & Player BehaviorMultiplayer & Social GamesCHI
An Exploration of Default Images in Text-to-Image GenerationIn the creative practice of text-to-image (TTI) generation, images are synthesized from textual prompts. By design, TTI models always yield an output, even if the prompt contains unknown terms. In this case, the model may generate default images: images that closely resemble each other across many unrelated prompts. Studying default images is valuable for designing better solutions for prompt engineering and TTI generation. We present the first investigation into default images on Midjourney. We describe an initial study in which we manually created input prompts triggering default images, and several ablation studies. Building on these, we conduct a computational analysis of over 750,000 images, revealing consistent default images across unrelated prompts. We also conduct an online user study investigating how default images may affect user satisfaction. Our work lays the foundation for understanding default images in TTI generation, highlighting their practical relevance as well as challenges and future research directions.2026HSHannu Simonen et al.University of OuluGenerative AI (Text, Image, Music, Video)Human-LLM CollaborationAI-Assisted Decision-Making & AutomationCHI
Social Play Between Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children and Hearing Peers: Learning from Children and School EcosystemsSocial play is an essential pathway for emotional, cognitive, and social development in children. However, Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) children often experience barriers to social play, namely in mixed-hearing ability environments (e.g., school playground). In this paper, we conducted interviews with six educators and 19 children with and without hearing loss at a Partially Bilingual School, to better understand their experiences during social play. Moreover, we observed a school playground with 46 children over seven weeks at a Full Bilingual School. Findings show that social play between DHH and hearing children is influenced by school culture, peer culture, and child agency. Importantly, some of these barriers can be (partially) overcome through a supportive bilingual and bicultural environment. We propose the concept of contextualized social play technology, which defines a design space aimed at fostering peer culture and individual agency through contextualization within schools. We also provide design insights to inform the development of future inclusive play technologies.2026JZJing Zhao et al.University of LisbonDeaf & Hard-of-Hearing Support (Captions, Sign Language, Vibration)Child-Computer Interaction DesignInclusive DesignCHI
Between Control and Uncertainty: Understanding Self-Tracking Practices in Enigmatic Disease ManagementSelf-tracking tools are often built around the assumption that tracking the “right” health variables will lead to actionable insights and greater control over one’s health. Yet, it remains unclear how these assumptions hold up in contexts marked by uncertainty, unpredictability, and frequent fluctuations in health needs. We explore this question in the management of enigmatic diseases - conditions such as fibromyalgia, Crohn’s disease, and endometriosis that are poorly understood and highly individualized. Through interviews with 23 participants living with disparate enigmatic conditions, we examine goals, motivations, and how tracking practices evolve across different disease states. Our findings show that tracking was strongly shaped by shifting needs, with goals emerging, evolving, or being abandoned in response to health fluctuations. Tracking was often double-edged: at times empowering, fostering a sense of control, but also frustrating, leading to self-blame and negative views of everyday activities being tracked.2026MJMaria Jerónimo et al.Universidade de LisboaHealth Self-TrackingBehavior Change & Reflection TechnologyPrivacy & Data Ownership in Self-TrackingCHI
Revisiting Worker-Centered Design: Tensions, Blind Spots, and Action SpacesWorker-Centered Design (WCD) has gained prominence over the past decade, offering researchers and practitioners ways to engage worker agency and support collective actions for workers. Yet few studies have systematically revisited WCD itself, examining its implementations, challenges, and practical impact. Through a four-lens analytical framework that examines multiple facets of WCD within food delivery industry, we identify critical tensions and blind spots from a Multi-Laborer System perspective. Our analysis reveals conflicts across labor chains, distorted implementations of WCD, designers’ sometimes limited political-economic understanding, and workers as active agents of change. These insights further inform a Diagnostic-Generative pathway that helps to address recurring risks, including labor conflicts and institutional reframing, while cultivating designers’ policy and economic imagination. Following the design criticism tradition, and through a four-lens reflexive analysis, this study expands the action space for WCD and strengthens its relevance to real-world practice.2026SMShuhao Ma et al.Instituto Superior Técnico, University of LisbonParticipatory DesignPrototyping & User TestingImpact of Automation on WorkCHI
Exploring Collaboration in Programming Activities with Children with Visual Impairments: a 10-Session Study in a School SettingIntroductory coding environments have been used in early education to promote computational thinking, supporting the development of cognitive, critical, and social skills. Many environments focus on individual use, which has limited benefits compared to collaborative learning. In this paper, we present the results of a 10-session study at a local primary school engaging eleven children with visual impairments and three inclusive education teachers in collaborative programming activities. Based on participants’ behavior, reactions, and feedback, we contribute an improved understanding of collaborative design in educational settings, focusing on the impact of Goals, Workspace, Interdependence, and Shared Awareness. Our main findings outline how collaboration dynamics can be shaped by asymmetric tasks, workspace proximity, and group awareness. We further discuss factors that led to a lack of investment in the shared goal and instances of unbalanced collaboration, reflecting on challenges and opportunities for designing collaborative inclusive coding kits.2025FRFilipa Rocha et al.Working together (with other people)CSCW
Reimagining Multidisciplinary Teams: Challenges and Opportunities for LLMs in Cancer MDTsMultidisciplinary teams are crucial in tailoring cancer care through collaborative decision-making involving several clinical specialties. The inherent complexity of clinical cases, the increasing abundance of unstructured textual data, and the time restrictions of professionals pose significant challenges to team coordination and patient care. This creates an opportunity for generative AI technologies, such as LLMs, to enhance collaborative work. Despite the growing interest in HCI research to explore LLMs in healthcare, we have yet to understand clinicians' perspectives on this emerging technology in multidisciplinary teams. Our work investigates the challenges, expectations and opportunities for LLMs in this context through a speculative approach. We leveraged the Futures Cone framework and conducted a qualitative study with 11 physicians from different cancer multidisciplinary teams. We contribute with an analysis of themes that emerged from individual interviews and a focus group, highlighting LLMs' potential to enhance and reshape multidisciplinary teams’ practices. In addition, we uncover concerns and coping strategies related to LLMs' adoption and provide a set of design opportunities to inform the development of technologies for LLM-enhanced multidisciplinary teams.2025SPSoraia F Paulo et al.Team Work Makes the Dream WorkCSCW
Speculating Migrant Possible Worlds through Magic MachinesMigration and technology studies increasingly recognize the importance of incorporating migrant perspectives in design processes. Speculative design methods have emerged as powerful tools for imagining alternative futures, particularly when working with marginalized communities. However, there remains a gap in understanding how to effectively engage long-term settled migrants in participatory design processes that honor their experiences and imaginative capacities. Here we show how integrating feminist care principles with speculative design methods can create more inclusive and empathetic approaches to technology design with migrant communities. Through workshops applying the "magic machines" methodology, we demonstrate how participatory speculation enables migrants to articulate their experiences, anxieties, and hopes for technological futures. Our findings reveal the importance of considering diasporic minds and cross-border connectivity in future technologies. This work provides immediate opportunities for researchers and designers to develop more inclusive approaches to speculative design while challenging dominant narratives about technological futures in migrant communities.2025VNValentina Nisi et al.Technology's Impact on (Im)migrationCSCW
Data Sins: Exploring Data Colonialism through Storytelling-Based Speculative Design PracticesData Sins explores the concept of data colonialism as an emerging phenomenon in the early 21st century, fostering a critical understanding of its implications for human autonomy. Through speculative design, the project investigates how utopian ideals in data-driven technologies obscure neocolonial practices of data production and appropriation. Grounded in a theoretical framework, the storytelling mimics historical colonialism by exposing how the intertwined political, economic, and religious powers shape data-driven rituals and artifacts. This inquiry gains particular relevance in the context of Brazil's political conservatism over the past decade, which has consolidated a union between religious moralism, authoritarianism, and economic liberalism. The research underscores the non-neutrality of data, highlighting its role in shaping creative socio-technological design practices that safeguard not only the integrity of the self but the future of democracy itself.2025FAFabio de Almeida et al.Gender & Race Issues in HCITechnology Ethics & Critical HCIDesign FictionC&C
Designing a Digital Game for Natureculture Heritage encounters Human-computer interaction (HCI) increasingly explores the role of digital games in engaging audiences with cultural heritage. While heritage games exist, few effectively inte- grate participatory, reflective, and speculative storytelling to bridge nature and culture. Moreover, existing methods of- ten lack inclusivity and fail to capture the evolving perspec- tives on heritage. Here, we show how an iterative Research through Design (RtD) approach led to the development of the Natureculture Heritage (NCH) Game, evolving from a board game to a digital platform that fosters deep engagement with Madeira’s natureculture heritage. Playtests revealed the game’s ability to enhance participation, inclusivity, and speculative storytelling through mechanics such as char- acter embodiment, multi-perspective narration, and He- ro’s Journey structuring. The study contributes to HCI and heritage research by demonstrating how digital storytell- ing games can support sustainable heritage engagement. Future directions include refining multiplayer interaction, integrating factual content, and expanding accessibility for diverse audiences.2025VNValentina Nisi et al.Serious & Functional GamesMuseum & Cultural Heritage DigitizationInteractive Narrative & Immersive StorytellingC&C
Critter Connect, wearable design for place-based & multisensory species encounters.This study presents Critter Connect, a wearable device fostering multispecies relationships in natural ecosystems. Grounded in posthuman theory and More-than-Human geography, the work responds to human-centred design limitations, which often overlook non-visual and non-linguistic modes of interaction. It also highlights the need for practical tools fostering direct, place-specific, and non-hierarchical sensory-rich engagements with other beings. This pictorial shows the device’s potential to enable spontaneous and embodied interactions between users and three species in a biodiversity-rich ecosystem through geolocation-based tactile and auditory feedback. We present a design process building on multispecies ethics and speculative methods to address ecological care, as well as a pilot study demonstrating Critter Connect’s capacity to amplify the wearer’s awareness of unseen multispecies presences and sense of connection to nature. This research contributes to HCI by offering a framework for designing ethically considerate, sensory-rich interactions with other beings, thus challenging human-centric engagement and promoting ecological cohabitation.2025MGMathilde Gouin et al.Haptic WearablesShape-Changing Interfaces & Soft Robotic MaterialsHuman-Nature Relationships (More-than-Human Design)DIS
Making Seafoam: An Autobiographical Design Journey Engaging Local Ecologies Through MakingSustainable HCI (SHCI) Researchers are increasingly attuned to environmental issues in material creation, guided by a posthumanist framework that decentres the human-maker, accounting for nonhuman agencies. Applying ‘noticing’ as a method, we sourced sea-derived matter—often dismissed as waste—to make a tangible material we call SeaFoam; to achieve this, we gathered seaweeds and oyster shells and developed methods and tools in a kitchen-laboratory makerspace. This pictorial documents a design journey that includes a Do-it-Yourself (DIY) process of agar extraction (SeaFoam’s key ingredient) and explorations with oyster powder to enrich SeaFoam’s texture. Through the first author's autobiographical Research through Design journalling, we reflect on the evolving relationship between human-makers and the ecologies of once-living matter and discuss their potential application in interactive artefacts. This work offers the DIS community an account of first-person methods combined with material-driven methodologies to enrich the possibilities of biomaterial creations for interactive applications.2025FCFernanda Soares da Costa et al.Sustainable HCIEcological Design & Green ComputingHuman-Nature Relationships (More-than-Human Design)DIS
Changing Health Goals with Personal InformaticsPeople’s health goals change as their contexts, needs, and values evolve. Personal informatics (PI) literature recognizes the importance of supporting goal change; however, little is known about how these tools can best support the changes people go through with their goals. To understand how PI are currently involved in goal change, we conducted a survey (N=80) and interview (N=10) study with people who had recently changed their health goals. Overall, we found that PI gave limited support to people during goal changes. Changes were driven by four actors (i.e., who and what influences the goal change): internal motivations, contexts, PI, and social surroundings. We further highlight five factors related to goal change (i.e., the ways in which the actors affect goal change): challenge, self-efficacy, changing priorities, learning, and enjoyment. We discuss how PI could better support people in goal change by considering different implementations and interactions of actors and factors.2025TETina Ekhtiar et al.Fitness Tracking & Physical Activity MonitoringDiet Tracking & Nutrition ManagementDIS
Designing Aging Reflection Probes to Elicit Self-Perception of Aging (SPA) Beliefs of Older Adults in IndiaAge-related transitions can influence older adults’ internalized aging beliefs, or Self-Perception of Aging (SPA). Previous studies have shown correlations between SPA and the well-being of older adults. However, there is a lack of specific tools to gain an in-depth understanding of SPA beliefs. This pictorial provides a detailed description of a probe designed to collect SPA-related insights directly from older adults. We describe the iterative co-design process of the 7-day Aging Reflection probe kit, incorporating feedback from pilot and focus group sessions with participants to refine the final design. We also highlight the design decisions made for the cultural adaptation of the probes to ensure they resonate with Indian participants. Our probe kit was instrumental in creating dialogue with participants about various aspects of SPA. Participants used the probes to refresh their memory during follow-up interviews. Insights from the probes played a critical role in conducting semi-structured interviews, advancing our understanding of how to operationalize SPA in HCI research and design.2025NKNeeta M Khanuja et al.Aging-Friendly Technology DesignParticipatory DesignDIS
Designing Biotopia: A Transmedia Experience for Natureculture Heritage and More-than-Human EntanglementsIn recent years, HCI research around post-anthropocene design has been gaining traction. Caring and inclusive stances towards more-than-humans, multispecies dialogues, and decentering the human in design are imbuing HCI and other disciplines. Similarly, critical heritage scholars have pointed to the need to re-frame heritage in light of the challenges of the Anthropocene. As part of a heritage-focused EU-funded project, we extend these efforts, thinking through collaborative research-through-design to design "Biotopia" – a transmedia experience that aims to connect museum and nature walk visitors with entangled natureculture and more-than-human heritage. We propose three Design Constructs from our exploratory phase and detail how they have informed the design of the critical heritage experience, contributing with the transmedia experience design and proposing ways of applying emerging posthuman concepts in practice. By reflecting on our process, we discuss the opportunities and challenges of designing for more-than-human heritage in a posthuman world, working towards decentered practices in HCI.2025MFMarta Ferreira et al.Sustainable HCIHuman-Nature Relationships (More-than-Human Design)Museum & Cultural Heritage DigitizationDIS
Towards Neuroqueer Spatial Justice: A Critical Literature Review of Public Space Technologies for Neurodivergent PopulationsAccess to public spaces is of the utmost importance for social cohesion, inclusion, and civic engagement. Nevertheless, a large majority of public spaces remain incredibly uncomfortable environments for neurodivergent individuals due to, for instance, the unpredictability of such spaces and the sensory stimuli within them. Smart City technologies present an exciting opportunity to improve the accessibility and enjoyment of the spaces where they are deployed by, for instance, offering users the ability to customise a space to their specific sensory needs. However, the research topic of public space technologies for neurodivergent individuals remains scattered and sparsely documented. This critical review analyses the existing domains of inquiry, contributing a theoretical framework based on Spatial Justice and Neuroqueer Technoscience and suggests future research avenues informed by this framework. We advocate for the participatory co-creation of a neurodivergent-affirming landscape of public space technologies that both support neurodivergent needs and promote neurodivergent joy.2025PPPatricia Piedade et al.University of Lisbon, Interactive Technologies Institute, LARSySCognitive Impairment & Neurodiversity (Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia)Community Engagement & Civic TechnologyTechnology Ethics & Critical HCICHI
Digital Technologies for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children: a Systematic Review, Critical Reflections, and Future Research DirectionsDigital technologies in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) have the potential to support the development and well-being of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) children. Yet, there has yet to be a systematic review of the field. A shared understanding of current research is needed to develop a future vision. In this review, we analyzed 42 papers from the ACM Digital Library and the top 20 HCI Conferences and Journals, spanning the past 24 years, to investigate the trends, methods, and the level of inclusion of DHH children. Our review reveals that sign language learning platforms dominate the current technological effort. Moreover, children are not yet fully involved in the design process of these technologies and are mostly considered users and testers. We also capture a gap in integrating Deaf culture and child development in prior research. We conclude by critically examining literature gaps and offering guidance for future research.2025JZJing Zhao et al.Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, ITI / LARSySDeaf & Hard-of-Hearing Support (Captions, Sign Language, Vibration)Special Education TechnologyInclusive DesignCHI