Heather O'Brien

Demons live in the world of popular music. These evil creatures of deceit and greed hunger for power and control. And this voracious lust for dominance is not wielded by the executives alone. The music makers themselves consume equally the life-force of fans and all they touch. We are all driven by our needs and passions, and likewise constrained by our fears. The fear of exposure the exposure of our darkest secrets. It is said that the measure of a person is their ability to recognize and control the vectors of life and to control his or her own fate. These carrots and sticks of our psyches are what separate us from these demons. Life specializes in irony and the unexpected. Everything comes at a price. Regret is the anguish that lingers deep inside our souls. Seldom do the powerful and renowned dwell within the abyss of these sorrows. This fact is an empirical truth of humanity; regret is the unintentional reality. This is the world in which Chris Grant finds himself. Two years later, two years older two years too late.

Embers from Ash and Ruin

Mounia Lalmas

Elad Yom-Tov

User engagement refers to the quality of the user experience that emphasizes the positive aspects of interacting with an online application and, in particular, the desire to use that application longer and repeatedly. User engagement is a key concept in the design of online applications (whether for desktop, tablet or mobile), motivated by the observation that successful applications are not just used, but are engaged with. Users invest time, attention, and emotion in their use of technology, and seek to satisfy pragmatic and hedonic needs. Measurement is critical for evaluating whether online applications are able to successfully engage users, and may inform the design of and use of applications. User engagement is a multifaceted, complex phenomenon; this gives rise to a number of potential measurement approaches. Common ways to evaluate user engagement include using self-report measures, e.g., questionnaires; observational methods, e.g. facial expression analysis, speech analysis; neuro-physiological signal processing methods, e.g., respiratory and cardiovascular accelerations and decelerations, muscle spasms; and web analytics, e.g., number of site visits, click depth. These methods represent various trade-offs in terms of the setting (laboratory versus ``in the wild''), object of measurement (user behaviour, affect or cognition) and scale of data collected. For instance, small-scale user studies are deep and rich, but limited in terms of generalizability, whereas large-scale web analytic studies are powerful but negate users' motivation and context. The focus of this book is how user engagement is currently being measured and various considerations for its measurement. Our goal is to leave readers with an appreciation of the various ways in which to measure user engagement, and their associated strengths and weaknesses. We emphasize the multifaceted nature of user engagement and the unique contextual constraints that come to bear upon attempts to measure engagement in different settings, and across different user groups and web domains. At the same time, this book advocates for the development of ``good'' measures and good measurement practices that will advance the study of user engagement and improve our understanding of this construct, which has become so vital in our wired world. Table of Contents: Preface / Acknowledgments / Introduction and Scope / Approaches Based on Self-Report Methods / Approaches Based on Physiological Measurements / Approaches Based on Web Analytics / Beyond Desktop, Single Site, and Single Task / Enhancing the Rigor of User Engagement Methods and Measures / Conclusions and Future Research Directions / Bibliography / Authors' Biographies / Index

Measuring User Engagement

In the aftermath of the explosion, the music industry continues in its soul-crushing vortex of creating superstars and spinning lies into truth. The Grants, royals of rock-n-roll, make a decision that will strain Ben’s family and lead a killer to their front door. Chris wrestles with his obsession over the only woman he ever loved. His solo career thrives as his fragile marriage suffers under the weight of jealousy and unspeakable betrayal. Record mogul Jameson Lockhardt has used every weapon in his arsenal to avoid the exposure of his past, which includes a failed marriage, his son’s illness, and a trail of bodies. One man knows the truth about the biggest name—the biggest monster—in entertainment. And he has nothing left to lose. Frustrations intensify as reporter Miles Macy and his Metro Dade allies continue their off-the-books investigation into the Grant murders. A mysterious riddle from an anonymous source, previously concealed evidence, and a voice from the past converge to fill in missing pieces and bring closure to more than one grieving family. Loyalties shift, bonds of love are tested, and friendships are strengthened. Life and death meet head-on in a cataclysmic finale that will shake the foundations of an entire industry.

When First We Practice to Deceive

Two years have passed since a series of tragedies upended the Grant family, prominent players in the tempest that is the music industry. Estranged brothers Ben and Chris still struggle to accept the loss of the youngest, and dearest, member of their family. The official report is as convenient as it is contrived. Questions linger that police cannot—or will not—answer. Who murdered Jordan? And why? Miami news reporter Miles Macy’s determination to unearth the truth has landed him a forced transfer to Chicago, but his personal investigation continues. His gut tells him there’s more to the story, and it points him in a singular direction: Jameson Lockhardt. Meanwhile, famed record label Lockhardt Sound has seen better days. With little more than creative accounting and a grassroots strategy, Jameson Lockhardt fights to maintain his legacy, his secrets, and his freedom. When a request from a former LSI colleague leads to a true confession, a life-or-death race ensues. Only one man can expose Lockhardt’s deadly past. And time is running out.

Embers From Ash and Ruin

Paul Cairns

User Engagement (UE) is a complex concept to investigate. The purpose of this book is not to constrain UE to one perspective, but to offer a well-rounded appreciation for UE across various domains and disciplines. The text begins with two foundational chapters that describe theoretical and methodological approaches to user engagement; the remaining contributions examine UE from different disciplinary perspectives and across a range of computer-mediated environments, including social and communications media, online search, eLearning, games, and eHealth. The book concludes by bringing together the cross-disciplinary perspectives presented in each chapter and proposing an agenda for future research in this area. The book will appeal to established and emerging academic and industry researchers looking to pursue research and its challenges. This includes scholars at all levels with an interest in user engagement with digital media, from students to experienced researchers, and professionals in the fields of computer science, web technology, information science, museum studies, learning and health sciences, human-computer interaction, information architecture and design, and creative arts.

Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives of User Engagement in Digital Media

Why Engagement Matters

Two years older, two years wiser, and two years too late... Unimaginable tragedies have struck the Grant family. When an innocent request from a former LSI colleague leads to a true confession, a life and death race for answers ensues. Only one man can bring to light the darkness of Jameson Lockhardt's past-and time is running out.

Heather O'Brien

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