I am Devina and I am a researcher in the Computing Department at Lancaster University. I started my research in the area of Human Computer Interaction and Computer Supported Collaborative Work. I was awarded my PhD in May 2003 for my work on developing architectural frameworks for enhancing temporal interface behaviour for distributed collaborative users. My thesis was supervised by Prof. Alan Dix and examined by Prof. Steve Benford. You can find more details on my PhD work page.

Research Interests

I am interested in various areas surrounding human-computer interaction - from analytical methods for work analysis and interaction properties, modelling techniques and interface design, to computing infrastructure and empirical field studies involving ethnographic and other qualitative techniques.

You will find a list of the research projects I have been involved in on my past projects page  and their outcomes on my publications page.

Current Research

With growing interest in ubiquitous computing and the ability to produce physical devices embedded with digital aspects, the importance of understanding physicality is becoming more evident, as the distinctions between the physical and the digital get blurred for the user. More details at Physicality.org

DEPtH: Designing for Physicality (AH/E507646), is an AHRC/EPSRC funded Designing for the 21st century Initiative supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. The team members include myself as the project manager and Prof. Alan Dix, and our collaborators Steve Gill and Joanna Hare from the National Centre for Product Design & Development Research at the University of Wales in Cardiff. The project seeks to understand key properties of physicality to inform innovative hybrid physical/digital design.

Physicality Related Events

Physical Fidelity in Design is collaborative learning event which looks specifically at the levels of fidelity required across different kinds of design domains and the role that physicality plays.

Physicality and Interaction, a Special Issue for the interdisciplinary journal Interacting with Computers.

Physicality 2007 and Physicality 2006 International Workshops have been extremely successful in building a multi-disciplinary community from diverse backgrounds including product design, interaction design, ubiquitous computing, tangible interface, art, architecture, geography, cognitive, social and philosophical fields. These workshops had a broad agenda and were aimed at building fundamental knowledge as well as discussing concrete experiences.