Computer systems can only deliver benefits if functionality, users and usability are central to their design and deployment. This book encapsulates work done in the DIRC project (Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration in Dependability), bringing together a range of disciplinary approaches - computer science, sociology and software engineering - to produce a socio-technical systems perspective on the issues surrounding trust in technology in complex settings.  Meer

Everyday Innovators explores the active role of people, collectively and individually, in shaping the use of information and communication technologies.  Meer

Avatars at Work and Play brings together contributions from leading social scientists and computer scientists who have conducted research on virtual environments used for collaboration and online gaming.  Meer

So much technology works, not by good design or by being a good fit to purpose, but because people make it work because they have to for some reason. We humans are incredibly creative and resourceful when it comes to getting something done.  Meer

In the present digital revolution we often seem trapped in a Kafkaesque world of technological advances, some desired, some disliked or even feared, which we cannot influence but must accept.  Meer

SMS or Text is one of the most popular forms of messaging. Yet, despite its immense popularity, SMS has remained unexamined by science. Not only that, but the commercial organisations, who have been forced to offer SMS by a demanding public, have had very little idea why it has been successful.  Meer

separated by the exigencies of the design life cycle into another compartment, that makes invisible the (prior) technical work of engineers that is not directly pertinent to the application work of practitioners.  Meer

eLearning and Digital Publishing will occupy a unique niche in the literature accessed by library and publishing specialists, and by university teachers and planners.  Meer

Listening to, buying and sharing music is an immensely important part of everyday life. Yet recent technological developments are increasingly changing how we use and consume music.  Meer

Public and situated display technologies can have an important impact on individual and social behaviour and present us with particular interesting new design considerations and challenges.  Meer