Abstract — Vulnerable populations are at higher risk for educational, physical, and social challenges. At the same time, they often have limited access to and experience with information and communication technologies. However, the low cost of smartphones and data service through these phones is beginning to change this trend, opening new opportunities for using mobile and ubiquitous computing to support them. In this talk, I will describe a series of projects focused on empowering people who are not typically represented in the design process to use collected data to address real human needs in sensitive and ethically responsible ways. Understanding, designing, and creating technologies of inclusion require inclusive and democratic approaches to design. Additionally, in this work, design can be complicated by the need to consider the networks of people responsible for the care of others and their information. Thus, I will also describe holistic systems design methods that include participatory, democratic, and collaborative approaches for the creation of interfaces and interventions for a variety of people involved in any particular setting.

Bio — Dr. Gillian Hayes is an Associate Professor and the Robert A. and Barbara L. Kleist Chair in Informatics in the School of Information and Computer Sciences and in the School of Education and School of Medicine at UC Irvine. Her research interests are in human-computer interaction, ubiquitous computing, assistive and educational technologies, and health informatics. She designs, develops, deploys, and evaluates technologies to empower people to use collected data to address real human needs in sensitive and ethically responsible ways. Dr. Hayes directs the social and technological action research (STAR) group and co-directs the Intel Science and Technology Center for Social Computing at UCI. She is the Director of Technology Research at the Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders and the Faculty Director for Civic and Community Engagement at UCI. She also works on translating her research into the commercial space through a startup she helped found, Tiwahe Technology.