Malmö University was granted the status of full university by the Swedish government from 2018. In June 2018, the University Board gave its Vice-Chancellor the task to carry out an external assessment of the quality of research at the University. The assessment should:(a) be in alignment with the overarching goals expressed in Malmö University’s Strategy 2022, (b) be performed at three levels (research unit, faculty and university levels), (c) use assessment by international experts. In accordance with these conditions, the External Research Assessment 2019 (ERA19) was conducted through peer-review, based on documentation and a site visit at the end of November 2019 by five international panels consisting of 32 distinguished scholars from10 countries and 26 different universities. This report contains an introduction to Malmö University, a description of the methods and process for ERA19 and the evaluation results. All panels’ reports (22 in total) have been analysed and integrated into a synthesised summary that presents results of the assessment of the research, recommendations of development areas and proposals for how the quality of research at Malmö University can be further improved.

The new Directive 2006/32/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on Energy End-Use Efficiency and Energy Services demands that information relating to customers’ use of energy is provided, for example, on invoices. How, then, should this information best be presented so that it is easy for customers to understand, experience as something positive, and at the same time help them to change and adapt their behaviour and habits? In recent years several research projects have been undertaken with the aim of finding out how customers experience and perceive the visual information about energy usage that appears on their invoices. The purpose of this overview is to summarise the already existing knowledge about how to present the invoice’s visual information relating to energy use in a way that is experienced and understood by the customer as positive. Based on the results of this knowledge overview, the report concludes by providing inspiring examples, suggestions and outlines as to what form this might take. This knowledge compilation is based on twenty reports and articles, all of which depart from specific purposes, methods, materials and results. Unfortu¬nately, when it comes to the graphs used as examples and alternatives in the articles and reports, and which are also presented in this text, no motivation has been provided for their use. The graphs that have been used in this text must therefore be regarded as experiments and ad-hoc solutions. The examples used in the articles and reports, and included in the overview, do not appear to contain anything that completely corresponds to the pre¬requisites considered necessary for good and effective feedback. This means that at present there is no obvious solution as to how energy use should be graphically presented. Two different types of feedback can be applied that make full use of the information provided by electricity meters, namely, • Historical feedback, which indicates the customer’s present and past energy usage • Comparative feedback, which shows the customer’s energy use, for example, in relation to that of their neighbors. The third feedback alternative, which at present cannot be directly ascer¬tained from the information provided by the electricity meter but which can nevertheless be decisive to the discussion, is • Break down feedback, which illustrates how the customer’s energy use is distributed between various kinds of household appliances and other energy-intensive products. In addition to these three feedback alternatives there is also a fourth commu¬ni¬cation-based alternative, which as a rule is not directly associated with the information provided by the electricity meter but which can nevertheless contribute to a better understanding of both the invoice and personal energy usage – primarily in combination with one of the three above-mentioned feedback alternatives. In this report the fourth alternative is referred to as • Advice relating to energy and energy conservation. The points that follow are based on the knowledge overview and can be regarded as an aid to determining the direction of the continued work. • A combination of different feedback alternatives is suggested. Historic feedback in combination with one or two of the other feedback forms and associated advice about energy and energy conservation ought to provide reasonably good results. • The aspect of time is an important question in terms of the creation of historic feedback. Here a decision must be taken as to how far back in time the information should be both compared and apportioned. Although a monthly breakdown certainly provides the customer with a lot of facts and figures, the provision of an easily interpreted graph could help to minimise any resulting problems. Account must also be taken of the fact that customers can doubt or misinterpret information, particularly as weather conditions differ from year to year. At present there is no really good way of parrying this. • When it comes to comparative feedback, goal-related feedback is perhaps the best option, since this allows the customer to relate personal use to their own household (the household that the customer can perhaps more easily accept when it comes to correct and acceptable comparisons). Goal-related feedback is based on the energy company setting goals for the customer to follow and thereby monitor their personal energy usage. This is a way of overcoming the problems that can occur in the creation of acceptable comparative groupings. This type of feedback is also very personal, which means that there is less risk that the feedback will only emphasise a change of behaviour and habits among high energy consumers. • As break down feedback is currently not practicable through meter reading alone, this feedback alternative has not been very highly profiled. At the same time it ought to be borne in mind that this feedback alternative may give the best results – and in the long-term allow the customer to take account of break down feedback. • Advice about energy and energy conservation should also be included and relate to the other feedback alternatives. The fact that no satisfactory solutions or factual examples of this have been included in the reports and articles accounted for in this text indicates that this section requires further work. Advice about energy and energy conservation must be experienced as something personal, and in some way or other relate to the feedback received by the customer.

Ett tvärvetenskapligt projekt med 39 forskare och 3 bildredaktörer för att beskriva och problematisera Malmös utveckling åren 1990-2020.

People depend on news to make sense of happenings in the world, but current digital news products do not live up to their potential in this regard. Interactivity in relation to news is often seen as a way to give the consumer control over when to consume something and on which platform. Less attention has been placed on what should be consumed and how. Within the project MyNews- MyWay, a news service has been constructed that makes possible a more in-depth and varied media consumption than what traditional news services offer today. In addition to time-shifting, the service makes it possible to shift also the shape of the material consumed. 

People depend on news to make sense of happenings in the world, but current digital news products do not live up to their potential in this regard. Interactivity in relation to news is often seen as a way to give the consumer control over when to consume something and on which platform. Less attention has been placed on what should be consumed and how. Within the project MyNewsMyWay, a news service was constructed that makes possible a more in-depth and varied media consumption than what traditional news services offer today. In the follow-up design study OurNewsOurWays, additional attention was put on the possibility of combining professional news material with user-generated content.

The concepts of information, communication and relations belong to fields of knowledge which are both vast and multifaceted. Therefore, our survey concentrates on three areas: 1. The communicative relation between customer and company, focusing on the use of expressions (like effect/energy) and an understanding of the transmitted information, correlated with - communication about household products - the role of the seller and the use of language related to choice of household products. 2. The choice of channels of communication for different types of receivers and communication situations. 3. The representation of energy and energy use in the mass media. What representations are mediated in issues like consumption, production and customer relations? 1. The communicative relation between customer and company In general, the issues of understanding and visibility concerning public issues, technology and, in particular, energy have been research subjects for a long period. When it comes to energy and energy use in everyday life, however, very little research has been conducted. In Sweden, deregulation and increasing energy prices have put the issues forward during the last years. In consequence, more light needs to be shed upon the public’s daily encounters with energy and electricity, not least with regards to information and communication, as there is a lack of knowledge in this area. The actual encounter between user and company should primarily be focused on the concrete realisation of the meeting in the form of invoices and individual meters. These are the most concrete opportunities for contact between different kinds of users and companies, and concern energy consumption – electricity. Issues regarding information quality, information relevance, and the users’ willingness to study the information should, therefore, be concentrated on, as well as the users’ demands and need for information. When it comes to the meeting between the customer and the retailer, there remains a great deal to be done. There are interesting issues about the presentation of the household product, the use of terminology, words and concepts that cause problems, and how the retailer presents the information. Researchers should also further investigate what kind of content is relevant for different kinds of users, which we raised in earlier studies. Is the user more interested in technology performance or how an energy-consuming product can be synchronized into the kitchen or the laundry room? Furthermore, what amount of knowledge exists in sales outlets with regards to the energy consumption of white goods? 2 The choice of channels for communication for different types of receivers and communication situations When designing the message, the perspectives of the sender are often apparent – what the organisation wants to communicate to users and customers – rather than the perspective of the receiver – what the user/consumers want to know and in what way he or she wants to have the information. Consequently, it is important to study the design of the information. How do different visual designs, for example invoice and meter reader, affect the users’ interest for the information, and how can they increase the users’ knowledge and willingness to change his or her behaviour not only in short term, but also in the long run? Political consumption, that is to say to deliberately discontinue buying products or services, for example from certain countries, has drawn more and more attention. Thus, in what way can it influence the communication concerning electricity and energy issues? Research about different kinds of information channels has been widely performed in the past, but has obviously not been the focus for recent research. However, society had undergone many changes, for example new technology and media have materialised. Therefore, the media situation and the choice of communication channel for different target groups cannot rely on previous research results. Thus, more research is necessary as there are great gaps of knowledge. New media and new channels raise other questions, and also give different prerequisites for communication than earlier. 3 The image of energy use and energy in the mass media There is rather extensive research about major events, for example the referendum about nuclear power in Sweden in 1980, which, for obvious reasons, interested researchers, as referendums on particular issues are rather rare in Sweden. Even other significant events connected to the energy area and how the media have treated the issue have been investigated. Furthermore, research about environment and mass media has also been performed, focusing on how the mass media have dealt with certain issues. It is very obvious, from our survey, that the energy area has not been the main interest of research during the last years. Most of the research was conducted several years ago, and many changes have occurred in society since then. In short, there is a great gap of knowledge within this field. There is very little current research about the discussion, the debate and the issue of our energy and electricity supply, about deregulation, and about the image of energy and electricity the media put forward, not least when it comes to everyday life. Consequently, research about how the message from different parts of the energy area is visualized and presented to the public in the media is absent.

The Swedish Parliament (Riksdagen) has announced that from 1 July 2009 all electricity meters will be read at least once a month. This has resulted in the electricity grid companies having to install new electricity meters that can be read by remote control. The long-term objectives of such a change are that bills will be clearer and easier to interpret, customers will be more aware of their energy consumption and that consumption will gradually be reduced. The replacement of electricity meters has been an important issue for the energy industry – particularly network operators. It not only involves investing in new technology and new routines, but also new opportunities for providing customers with more and better information about their electricity and energy consumption. Important customer-related questions need to be addressed in connection with this technological change-over, such as whether people are interested in this new technology, whether they are interested in energy issues, and whether they are willing to take an active interest in their electricity consumption. In an attempt to answer these questions, we conducted interviews with customers in Alvesta and Gothenburg. In both places we interviewed 7 people, all of whom were selected on the basis of criteria relating to low/high consumption, house/flat dweller, man/woman and age. Each interview lasted approximately 45 minutes. Although the replacement of electricity meters has been a big step for the electricity suppliers, as far as their customers are concerned it seems relatively insignificant. While those interviewed had a vague notion that the meters would be changed, very few knew why. The respondents didn’t have any particular expectations in terms of results either, and there was no difference in expectations between those respondents with new meters or those without. It is worth pointing out that expectations of and advantages with the new meters all relate to the production of more uniform bills. The respondents said that the new system should help to eliminate peaks at certain times of the year, which is often the case with adjustment invoices. It was clear from the interviews that nobody really understood the concept 1kWh and what this meant in terms of electricity consumption. The respondents also said that as they were unable to calculate how much energy an apparatus used, they had difficulties in determining whether it was worth changing to an energy-saving alternative or not. It was also evident that the respondents both admitted their ignorance and distanced themselves from the matter. No social stigma is attached to a lack of knowledge about electricity, energy and other related issues. The respon¬dents also maintained that everyone knows that electricity bills are incomprehensible and that complaining about them is natural. An important factor for successful communication is whether those you want to communicate with, in this case the customers, are motivated and interested in the issue or not. In communication research we talk about a person’s different types of involvement: decision-involvement, for example, is about deciding whether to buy a product or service, while subject-involvement relates to one’s interest and involvement in a particular topic, like the environment or energy. The degree of involvement can therefore determine how successful the communication is and whether it is a question of communication at all. The interviews clearly showed that when it comes to energy, all the respondents have a low degree of subject-involvement. They know very little about the physical measure 1kWh, energy consumption, and experience that they “fall short” when it comes to energy matters. They will also find it difficult to link their total energy consumption with different types of apparatus in the future, because they are unable to apportion their consumption. Even with the new monthly readings, the consumer will still have a lot to work out, interpret and understand. It was also clear from the interviews that the respondents had a relatively low degree of decision-involvement. For example, decisions about the purchase of new household appliances and TV’s are often based on parameters other than energy consumption, such as appearance and performance. If consumers have a greater degree of subject-involvement, there is a greater chance that their decision-involvement will also increase. Making up your mind about products and their energy consumption also means understanding the unit of measure and what it is that consumes energy. Failure to understand this also leads to difficulties in changing one’s consumption patterns, in that no connection is made between the unit of measurement, behaviour patterns and the apparatus used. This naturally leads to complications in the communication context. In communicating with the consumer, this needs to be both understood and taken account of. The energy companies face considerable challenges when it comes to addressing the different levels of consumer understanding. Even though the introduction of the new electricity meters is an important step for the network operators, it is of little significance to their customers. How the energy companies actually use the measurement results will determine whether custommers understand and become involved in their own consumption. In order to improve and increase customer interest and their desire to get involved in energy issues, the energy companies really need to focus on the customer and look at the issues from their perspective.

Den 1 juli 2009 ska alla elkunder få månadsavläsning av elmätarna, och med anledning av det installeras individuella elmätare för alla brukare – både privatkunder och företag. Denna händelse skapar ett behov av information till brukarna, kring vad som ska hända, varför det ska hända och vilka förväntningar som finns på brukarna. Syftet med föreliggande studie har varit att beskriva och analysera de informations- och kommunikationsstrategier som el- och energibolagen använt. Det är relationen med privatkunder som står i fokus i denna studie. Metoden har i huvudsak utgjorts av text- och materialanalys, i kombination med en fördjupningsintervju för att studera ett företags hela kommunikationskedja. Materialet har utgjorts av ELAN-företagens informationsmaterial och kampanjer. Det långsiktiga målet med studien är att bidra till en utvecklad förståelse mellan brukare och företag och därigenom bidra till en kunskapsutveckling inom området. Vilka informations- och kommunikationsstrategier har vi då funnit i analysen? Det är främst tre områden som varit i fokus här: valet av genre, valet av retorisk ansats och samspelet mellan text och bild. När det gäller valet av genre är det tydligt att man totalt sett arbetat med en stor bredd: brev, broschyrer, annonser, vykort, ”road shows” med kändisar som dragplåster med mera. Informationsbehovet är stort, och därmed också kreativiteten i valet av genrer och utformningen av olika slags material och kampanjer. Det är emellertid mycket olika hur företagen valt att förhålla sig till detta, och skiljelinjen verkar gå mellan stora och små företag, eller med andra ord företag med eller utan stark lokal förankring. De företag som är väl förankrade på en ort – och då i allmänhet inte så stora – arbetar med brev och direktkontakt. De stora, internationella, bolagen arbetar med många fler kontaktkanaler för att fånga kundernas intresse och skapa kontakt. Den retoriska ansatsen handlar om fokus i materialet. Handlar det om att förmedla fakta (logos), att skapa känslor (pathos) eller om att visa sin trovärdighet som företag (ethos)? I korthet kan man säga att företagen arbetar inom samtliga dessa tre fält, och de samverkar. Målen med materialet är både att förmedla fakta om det kommande bytet och att skapa känslor av trygghet inför bytet – och inför det företag som står som sändare till de olika materialen. Trovärdigheten och tryggheten samspelar med varandra. Även här är företagens lokala förankring viktig; arbetet med att skapa trygghet och trovärdighet är mer omfattande för de företag som inte har en självklar förankring på en viss ort. De mindre och lokalt starkare förankrade företagen kan skapa kontakt och trovärdighet på annat sätt, så det utskickade materialet blir mer kortfattat och mer inriktat på fakta. Text och bild samverkar – det är ett tydligt resultat. Retoriska medel finns både i texten och i bilden, och det gäller för flertalet företag. Bilder av trygga familjer, av aktiva och positiva företrädare för företagen, samverkar med retoriska frågor, metaforer och definitioner. Läsarna får till exempel veta att ”husen blir mer intelligenta”, att man får ”bättre koll på elförbrukningen” och att ”den bästa energin är den som aldrig förbrukas”. Sammanfattningsvis kan man notera att företagen arbetar brett för att både presentera fakta och försöka skapa en positiv kontakt. Båda dessa faktorer är viktiga i arbetet med att infoga ny teknik i våra hem. Det är en ansats som säkert skulle vara till nytta även i andra sammanhang när ny teknik ska presenteras; det räcker inte med fakta utan sådant som kontakt, trovärdighet och trygghet spelar också stor roll. Ett naturligt nästa steg vore att studera vilka begrepp och grafiska medel som är speciellt uppskattade av olika slags brukare.

This paper is motivated by the question whether television should do more than simply offer interactive services alongside (and separately from) traditional linear programmes, in the context of its dominance being seriously challenged and threatened by interactive forms of screen media entertainment. It suggests: yes. Interactive narrativity, i.e. the ability to interact with (and influence) stories whilst they are being told, represents one clear development-path for interactive television. The capabilities of computing technology are ripe for exploring this new form of storytelling, from creation to commercial distribution. The paper starts with looking at the relationship between narrativity and interactivity in the current context of screen media, and identifies clear signs of interest from certain European public broadcasters in interactive TV narratives. It then presents in detail four recent experimental interactive TV productions in the genres of drama, news, and documentary, developed in collaboration with public broadcasters, which illustrate the potential and richness of this new form of storytelling, but also highlight new technological capabilities necessary for such productions. A number of essential technological requirements are then discussed in more detail in the final part. The paper suggests that the ShapeShifting Media Technology, employed in the implementation of the four productions, has made significant advances both at the technological and the creative ends in supporting the development of interactive TV narrativity, but, however, that further developments are required before being able to answer questions such as “would end users want such a form of screen media entertainment?” and “would it be effective for both end-users and producers?”