Artefact 5 - Report

Artefact 5 aimed to provide a template for a viewer to create their own edit of relaxing material. The assumption was that a viewer who creates their own edit will reach a higher level of relaxation due to their personal connection with the piece. In order to gain the understanding of the potential for Audiovisual Therapy, is it crucial to explore the technology that would benefit the effectiveness of the practice.

Artefact 5 involved instructing a participant to use the application Smilebox to create an interactive slideshow containing pictures, videos, and music. They were asked to record the amount of time it took to perform the task and given a questionnaire to complete once finished. Afterwards, they watched the “general” relaxing clip from previous artefacts and completed a similar questionnaire. The experiment was controlled by instructing the participant to watch the clip at home, with headphones, and in a room without distractions.

The initial assumption was confirmed, with the participant rating the level of relaxation for the interactive slideshow an 8 out of 10 compared to 6 out of 10 for the “general” clip. Additionally, the participant stated that using Smilebox was “very engaging” and felt “happiness” when watching the slideshow due to being able “reflect on the memories”. However, with 43 minutes to create, the participant stated, “The functionality is not great and it took too long to make.” This factor proved to be the most significant fallback of the template.

In summary, technology exists that enables a user to produce self-generated therapeutic material. But, although the selecting of content and creating the piece is part of the therapeutic process, it can also be a hindrance to its effectiveness.