Proceedings of the 1st International Workshop on Encouraging Serendipity in Interactive Systems

Abstract

We regularly make serendipitous connections in both online and offline contexts - from stumbling upon a useful website when searching for something completely different to meeting someone with mutual research or business interests in an unlikely place. These serendipitous connections are an important part of our work and personal lives. However, few existing interactive systems provide a fertile environment for serendipity to occur. This workshop explains the importance of studying serendipity in interactive systems and highlights several research challenges related to understanding serendipity and designing and evaluating interactive systems based on this understanding.