Abstract

Over recent years the term ‘in the wild’ has increasingly appeared in publications within the field of Human Computer Interaction. The phrase has become synonymous with a range of approaches that focus upon carrying out research-based studies reporting on user behaviour in ‘natural’, ‘situated’ contexts, in distinction to lab-based studies. The objective of this book is to bring together a range of perspectives from a variety of researchers who have carried out studies in the wild. By bringing these together we aim to explore and demonstrate how such studies can support research in different fields and domains. In doing this we wish to help the broader research community understand some of the issues, reasoning, methods and practical matters that are involved in doing research in the wild. This edited collection is part of an ongoing and developing debate, and as such provides both a backdrop and platform that will promote further discussions in this emerging area.