Context-Aware Services for Mobile Users: Technology and User Experiences

Mobile services and applications are used in varying contexts and surroundings. When the services are made context-aware, they can offer contextually relevant information to the user. This facilitates the finding of data and creates new purposes of use. The Kontti (Context-aware services for mobile users) project (January 2002 - December 2003) designed and implemented a context-aware service platform and services. The platform enables management and sharing of contexts, presence information and contextual content, and it provides context adaptation and context-aware messaging. Also, personalisation and context tools were implemented. A human-centred design approach was adopted throughout the project: the acceptance of users and service providers guided the design process from the very beginning. The developed applications were evaluated in field trials. The results provided outlines for meeting the usability challenges in context-aware services and for adapting content from one context of use to another. The results of the Kontti project indicate that the most promising applications for context-aware services are event guides and professional use. Also, conveying context information proved to be very interesting for the users. Further, contexts can be used for opening new communication channels for messaging. Context can be used as a mediator where any recipient can pick up a public message. The commercial viability of the Kontti concept was also evaluated with a round of interviews with service providers.