[dcchairs2016] UbiComp/ISWC 2016 Doctoral School notification - #110

[dcchairs2016 at ubicomp.org]

Dear Michaela Honauer,

Please find enclosed the reviews for your submission for the Ubicomp/ISWC 2016 Doctoral School.

110: "Designing Interactive Costumes for Stages - Challenges and Chances to Integrate Computational Clothing in Professional Cultural Sectors (Working Title)"

Despite not being able to accept your submission at this year's Ubicomp/ISWC Doctoral School, committee members provided guidance and feedback on your submitted paper. We highly encourage you to follow the valuable advices that the committee member entered in their reviews towards improving on your doctoral work.

Thank you for submitting to the UbiComp 2014 Doctoral School.


Max Mühlhäuser
Nadir Weibel
Rene Mayrhofer

UbiComp 2016 Doctoral School Chairs


------------------------ Submission 110, Review 1 ------------------------

Title: Designing Interactive Costumes for Stages - Challenges and Chances to Integrate Computational Clothing in Professional Cultural Sectors (Working Title)


Confidence

   1  (Not very confident - I have no knowledge in the area)

Contribution to UbiComp

   This paper proposes research work on interactive costumes.

Overall Rating

   2  (Probably reject: I would argue for rejecting this paper.)

The Review

   What I miss in terms of research questions mostly concerns the impact of
   these approaches:
   - On page 2, the audience's perception is explicitly considered to be out
   of scope of this thesis. In turn, this begs the question of what
   interactive costumes are meant to achieve, if not to change the
   perception?
   - A second possible impact could be giving the performers additional
   capabilities for the show (which comes back to the audience's perception
   again).

   The questions listed on page 2 and 3 seem to be sub-question of the
   impact achieved by costumes, e.g. why they are rarely used (maybe because
   the additional impact generated does not yet outweigh the effort and
   cost?). The third question comes close to the core (how can interactive
   costumes enhance professional performances), but I doubt that there will
   be an answer without considering the impact on the audience. In the
   current version, it reads a bit like an approach studied for its own sake
   instead of the effect it might create. 

   Summarizing, it might be slightly too early for the author to benefit
   significantly from participation in the Ubicomp DC. At this stage, the
   research still seems to be very exploratory in nature, and the specific
   research questions may not yet be fully clear. Specifically, I do not yet
   see a research hypothesis that would be answered at the end of the
   research program (e.g. if a specific effect on the audience can be
   enhanced/generated by specific interactive elements in costumes). Without
   clear hypothesis, I doubt that the DC panel would be able to provide
   helpful, concrete feedback and direction for the next steps in this
   thesis work. I am also not clear if Ubicomp is the best outlet of this
   work, as it does not tend to attract too many artists (there is
   traditionally a stronger focus on technology). CHI may potentially be
   better aligned with the research approach taken in this thesis than
   Ubicomp.


------------------------ Submission 110, Review 2 ------------------------

Title: Designing Interactive Costumes for Stages - Challenges and Chances to Integrate Computational Clothing in Professional Cultural Sectors (Working Title)


Confidence

   3  (Very confident - I am knowledgeable in the area)

Contribution to UbiComp

   This proposed research contributes a model and overall understanding of
   costume design that would shed lights towards the integration of
   interactive costumes in professional sectors like theatre and ballet.

Overall Rating

   2  (Probably reject: I would argue for rejecting this paper.)

The Review

   This is a compelling research avenue and it is very timely, given the
   rise of more interaction possibilities for clothing. The investigation of
   performance clothing is interesting and seems innovative.

   Although the research questions are clear, it is less obvious what is the
   contribution to Ubicomp and if a Ubicomp DC would really benefit the
   advancement of this doctoral thesis. Despite the integration of
   technology in clothing, It looks like the technological part is not the
   core focus of this research. The research is clearly towards creating a
   model of design and it is unclear how the development of technology or
   the evaluation of it will be a part of it.

   Moreover, the plan is vague in terms of design/development activities and
   it does not seem that there is enough specificity to yield good advice
   and discussion with the panel, which by the way would probably have less
   (or no) experience in the specific field that is investigated here, as
   well as in design.

   Overall, although the research is interesting, it seems that the research
   should be more focused around technology to be a good fit for a Ubicomp
   DC.