Abstract
Emergent usage is the concept in human-artifact interaction, which assumes that users are developing their own method of use through their interaction with the artifact, and it is especially important when people try to use new equipment based on Informational-and-Communicational Technology (ICT). Previous studies indicated that older adults showed less emergent usage, which caused their difficulties to learn to use ICT equipment. In this study, an experiment was executed to see whether intergenerational communication facilitate emergent usage behavior. Homogeneration (8 each pairs of older-older and young-young) or Heterogeneration pairs (7 older-young adults pairs) were told to play in free fashion with Kapla, simple rectangle building blocks. As results, multiple measurements indicated that not only older adults but also young adults showed more emergent usage behaviors in Heterogeneration than Homogeneration pairs. Further analysis will be useful, about what kind of interaction is important to elicit emergent usage.
