Adaptation Model for Interactive Television Applications

by Konstantinos Chorianopoulos

As with any new technology that has to be incorporated into peoples working and living environment, adaptation to interactive television applications will depend on how they cater for existing needs and on how they fit into existing patterns of use. The most successful domestic technologies interleave seamlessly with the social organization of home life, allow users to establish their own sets of usage practices and support a wide range of uses in a range of household situations (O'Brien, 1999). Nevertheless, in the long-term (Venkatesh, 1996), the relationship between the users, the activities and the configuration of the technologies, is dynamic and may lead to a transformation of needs and patterns of usage. Next, we present a model of three levels of adaptation for interactive television applications.

Traditional television is utilized in a more passive and also entertainment oriented –emotional- manner (Lee 1995). As applications depart from established behavior models, it will more difficult to adapt to the television context of use. The closer to the current use patterns or needs an application is, the more appropriate it will be in the future television environment. Accordingly, we have identified three levels of suitability for the television context of use:

Enhance: Applications that adhere to traditional needs and patterns
Augment: Applications that move away either from current patterns or from current needs
Depart: Applications that are completely detached from existing user behavior

To enhance the current television experience means to improve it without affecting its original nature. Therefore applications that fall into this category cater for current needs and retain more or less existing use patterns. They are based on existing services, but new features are added or existing features are enhanced. Interactivity-wise this could mean that the interactive features are hidden, and therefore the use patterns remain relatively passive. It also means that these applications cover needs inherent in television, such as entertainment. A good example of such an application is the interactive show application, where the users participate in quiz shows -existing need of entertainment- simply by pressing a few buttons on their remote control -relatively passive use pattern.

To augment the current television experience means to modify it either by catering for a need not native in television or by employing a pattern of use that is not inherent in television. There are two types of applications that fall into this category. Firstly, applications that cover current needs but do so in an active pattern of use. An example is messaging where viewers can send messages to other viewers -existing emotional need for social integration- by typing in text on a keyboard -not existing active pattern of use. Secondly, applications that retain existing patterns of use but cover rational needs not associated with television. An example is the EPG where users view information about programs -not existing rational need- by pressing buttons on the remote -existing passive pattern of use.

To depart from the current television experience means to introduce a new service that is completely different to the current mode of using television. This type of service may resemble internet-like applications; continuous feedback from the consumer will be essential and interactive elements will be quite strong. This type of service doesn't cover existing needs or existing patterns of use. For instance, in a shopping application users are expected to make transactions -not an emotional need- and will have to navigate through a number of pages, selecting products and typing in their data if they want to make a payment -active use pattern.

Placing the applications on a continuum of appropriateness in relation to whether they enhance, augment or depart from the current television experience, we can see that the applications most likely to be integrated into the television context of use are the interactive shows, the NVOD and the interactive sports. The placement of each application can be seen in the figure below.

Levels of Suitability for interactive television applications

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