Abstract
This chapter describes Wizard of Oz studies and gives a historical view that includes a summary of the literature in which several studies that used the method with mobile technology are discussed. The use of Wizard of Oz for mobile applications is explored by referencing the literature and by examination of a case study. A taxonomy for Wizard of Oz studies is presented that has been derived from a study of the literature in this area. A set of guidelines is presented that outlines the essential considerations in planning a Wizard of Oz study for mobile applications. The chapter concludes with some thoughts for future Wizard of Oz studies.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Wozzing: The process of planning, carrying out, and evaluating a Wizard of Oz study.
Recognition-Based Systems: Systems which rely on speech, gesture, or handwriting where the input has to be interpreted by the computer before it can be used by the system.
Wizarding: The process by which a wizard acts to present a simulated response to a user. Sometimes wizarding is supported by a wizard interface.
Wizard of Oz: A range of methods in which some or all of the interactivity that would normally be controlled by computer technology is simulated by a human user (known as the wizard).
Robot-of-Oz: A Wizard of Oz system which is fully automated.
Deception: The process by which a user of a system is deliberately made unaware of, or misinformed of, that which is going on.
Simulation: The use of a mocked-up interface to evaluate user behaviours.
Wizard: The person in a Wizard of Oz study that is doing the simulation. Generally hidden from the subject in the study, the wizard has to ‘pretend’ to be the computer.