engagement

=Engagement=

toc

What is it?
Engagement is part of the principles of interactive systems design. It involves all the qualities of an experience that attract people into it after they have used the commodity or service. The afterthoughts of reading a really great book, or first time using a bank teller machine, or the fascination after watching prison break are all good example of engagement. Therefore interactive engagement is achieved by questioning students or challenging them to think or to do something that requires thought. Engagement is making sure that the user go though the whole interaction process, after accessible, usable and acceptable process.

5 Elements to Engagement
In his book entitled, //Experience Design//, Nathan Shedroff has identified five elements that comprise engagement. (Benyon et al, 2005).


 * Identity** is an element that engages the user or reader in such a way that they can relate themselves to the item at hand. That is, they get caught in the experience of it and they identify themselves with it. He describes this component as the “sense of authenticity is needed for the identity and expressions of the self.” (Benyon et al, 2005).


 * Adaptivity** is described as being able to get more out of what you are utilizing. Making something that is easy and repetitive tends to lose the engaging aspect versus a product that is multifaceted, which enables a user to perform multiple functions. “Adaptivity is to do with changing levels of difficulty, pace and movement.” (Benyon et al, 2005).


 * Narrative** is the element that creates a story for users to follow and understand. It encompasses a plot, characters and suspense, which are all used to engage the user. (Benyon et al, 2005).


 * Immersion** is the fourth component to engagement, which helps the user feel like they are fully involved. If a design is in engaging it will be something that the user does not put down, like reading a book, it becomes enticing where the user is wrapped around it. (Benyon et al, 2005).


 * Flow** represents the “sense of movement, the gradual change, from one state to another.” (Benyon et al, 2005).

Sources:
= = Benyon, David, Phil Turner, and Susan Turner. __Designing Interactive Systems: People__ __Activities, Contexts, Technologies__. Essex: Pearson Education Limited, 2005.