Establishing Usability for Interactive Music Applications that Use Embodied Mediation Technology

Abstract

This paper proposes a research method to address usability issues in the early stage of development of interactive or collaborative embodied music applications. The central topic is how concepts of usability testing, goal composition, game enjoyment and technology assessment can be actively incorporated in the development and improvement of music applications that use embodied mediation technology. The method presented involves discourse analysis of interviews to develop an approach to constructively use the feedback of test persons to enhance interactive music applications. This analysis is used to determine whether users can properly interact with the system, whether they understand it and how they evaluate the application. The research presented investigates how this feedback can be integrated in a user-oriented development strategy, intended to facilitate the process of developing user-friendlier embodied music mediation technologies. Moreover, the method may be useful in the process of taking interactive music applications out of the research environment and making the transition into existing cultural/musical contexts.