Group-activity organizing through an awareness-of-others interface

Abstract

Desires to engage in social group-activities (e.g., pickup volleyball) are common, yet current technologies can leave users hesitant to assume the role of activity organizer because the return they will receive for their efforts is largely unknown. This paper presents a user interface that attempts to reduce barriers to social group-activity organization by informing users of nearby others who share an activity interest and providing tools to facilitate collective action. Preliminary research of the interface indicates a positive association between the visible number of individuals that share an activity interest and one’s willingness to initiate organization of the activity. Ongoing research efforts informed by these results are discussed.