Democratizing User Interfaces

This project investigated how to empower users to meaningfully reimagine and redesign the graphical user interfaces (UIs) they use in daily life. We placed users at the center of our research. Across four studies, participants were invited to share their perspectives, supported in identifying and enacting interface changes, and encouraged to reflect on how personalization tools and UIs should be designed. Specifically, we examined how community-based mechanisms can support the implementation of personalization and how access to interaction data can facilitate ideation. More details about the methods and findings of this work are available in the PhD thesis Democratizing User Interfaces. Additionally, the specific methodologies and study results are detailed across several peer-reviewed publications produced during this period.