Social practices in location-based collecting

Abstract

The use of location-based technology to augment visitor experiences has received considerable attention over the years. In this paper, we take an alternative perspective on these kinds of location-based experiences by focussing on the collecting and keeping of location-based content as opposed to simply the in situ consumption of content. We describe a trial of a location-based experience at London zoo in which mobile camera phones were used to access digital content at particular animal enclosures around the zoo. Through the fieldwork we demonstrate ways in which collecting and keeping have important social values over and above simply consuming the content in situ. More specifically, the role of the collection of location-based content in identity work; in developing a sense of challenge and achievement; in defining a sense of group camaraderie; and in creating a playful sense of competition among group members. Further, we see how narratives told around the collected location-based content over time imbue it with additional value. These narratives become part of the resources through which relationships with family and friends get actively constructed. We discuss how these aspects have different design implications from the in-situ consumption model of location-based experiences and tensions this introduces.