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Serendipity doesnt happen by chance

Tuck W Leong, Frank Vetere, Steve Howard
Department of Information Systems, The University of Melbourne
{tuck.leong; f.vetere; showard}@unimelb.edu.au


ABSTRACT
Serendipity occurs when unexpected encounters lead to
meaningful and often pleasurable experiences. We observe
serendipitous encounters in human-computer interactions
with technologies such as random image displays and with
shuffle listening of digital music. In fact, the World Wide
Web itself is a gigantic playground for serendipitous
encounters as we browse and meander from one topic to
another. Even though the value of serendipity is widely
acknowledged, there is little research that investigates how
to harness it for improving the user-experience with
interactive systems. This paper reports on a theoretical
analysis of self-reported data, demonstrating the
significance of serendipity on user-experience.
Author Keywords
Serendipity, iPod, music, random, user-experience.
ACM Classification Keywords
H.5.3. Group and Organization Interfaces.
INTRODUCTION
Serendipity is an enigmatic and evocative experience that
defies easy translation. Most of us have encountered it
(albeit not all the time) in our quotidian lives. Although the
experience is often imbued with magic and regarded as a
product of chance and luck, its effects are potentially
meaningful, engaging, memorable, inspirational and even
transformative.
Encounters of serendipity are delightful and pleasurable;
such as when a random thought of someone we know,
coincides shortly with an unexpected phone call from that
same person. Further, when serendipity is encountered
under certain contexts, unexpected connections or
enlightened discoveries may even be made. For example in
science, with Rntgens discovery of X-rays, or
documented in Art, relating to Picasso, who one day
resorted to using only blue because he had no other colors.
The specific effects intrigued him enough to continue to
with what is now referred to as his blue period [10]. There
is also evidence of serendipity arising from the use of
interactive systems for leisure, for example when playing
some fantasy and role-playing computer games. Such
games harness computational-generated randomness to
allow its narratives to unfold; in an effort to mimic real life
[7]. The internet itself is said to be one big space for
serendipitous retrievals, when we browse and meander from
topic to topic while concurrently recognizing interesting
and informative information en route. Conversely, using
push technology, amazon.com tempts us with lists of
recommended titles based on our purchase and browsing
records, hoping to stimulate purchases via serendipity.
UNDERSTANDING SERENDIPITY
While work has been carried out to trace its etymology,
there remain various acceptable definitions of serendipity
[6]. Here, we define serendipity as the meaningful
experience of chance encounters. The uniqueness of
serendipity when compared to other user- experiences such
as enchantment [5], lies in the necessary element of
unexpectedness. In his lifelong study of serendipity, Robert
Merton [6] explains that serendipity arises from observing
an unanticipated, anomalous and strategic datum. It is
unanticipated, because we are not planning for it;
anomalous, because it is unfamiliar and provokes curiosity,
and strategic, because it refers to what the sensitized
observer brings to the datum.
AIM
In this paper we investigate serendipitous experiences that
arise from the use of an interactive system to listen to
digital music. In particular we limit our discussion to
serendipitous accounts with digital music manifested during
shuffle listening. Shuffle listening is an alternative listening
mode offered by digital music players whereby listeners can
abdicate choice to the system to deliver the digital music
tracks to them in a random order.
We aim to identify the character of serendipity and the
elements involved to give birth to this experience during
digital music listening. We also hope to uncover properties
which are particular to the mechanism of shuffle listening;
shedding light on how this interactive system supports for
an experience like serendipity during use. From our
analysis, and critical insights, informed by various sources
of literature, we argue in this paper that serendipity is a


valuable phenomenon to support when designing interactive
systems used in leisure activities. We hope that this
understanding will inspire (and inform) the design of other
interactive systems that are supportive of serendipitous
experiences during use; mindful of our abilities to actively
complete experiences for ourselves, and systems that allow
us to creatively make meaning of our lives and adding to
our own sense of self.
APPROACH
To ground our investigation, we need to turn to data which
contains listeners accounts of their experience when
listening to music in shuffle. Data from 113 distinct pieces
of such self reporting were gathered from various online
sources. The major data source was a very active discussion
board, ilounge.com where 88 distinct short posts and some
replies were gathered, ranging from a few sentences to a
few short paragraphs. Other sources include eight article
length personal reviews from online web magazines (such
as wired, eyeonmac, macnewsworld), seven online news
sources (such as guardian, subtraction) and finally, 10 full
blog entries which are longer personal reminiscences as
well as short replies to some of these blog entries (such as
cityofsound, womanathome, mushrush, gunson).
From this data, we are able to get a glimpse into the various
shades of the felt and lived experience of serendipity.
Further, these accounts are sufficiently rich to be used to
compare with Mertons definitional list of elements for
serendipity.
EXAMINING THE ELEMENTS OF SERENDIPITY
For analytical clarity, we will discuss the elements of
unanticipated, anomalous, and strategic separately
although in reality, it is their tight interdependency and
recursive interplay that gives birth to serendipity. After all,
meaningful experience only arises from the coming
together of the sensory, emotional and intellectual [4]. For
us to encounter an aesthetic experience such as serendipity,
each component needs to be zestfully integrated and
consummate.
Unanticipated
In shuffle listening, the unanticipated element is provided
by the interactive device delivering music in random order
to this listener. This is not a whim from unknown forces.
Anomalous and Strategic
When considering the elements of anomalous and
strategic, Merton reminds us that this requires a
sensitized listener, someone who is not only actively
engaged, but who is capable of seeing connections of the
anomalous data with self and the world in a meaningful
way. In short, the unanticipated, anomalous, and strategic
datum is not simply out there, but is in part (but only in
part) a cognitive construction that is a function of its
observers theoretical orientation and knowledge, both
explicit and tacit.[6] We will use one listeners account to
ground this comparison:
My shuffle delivered Amazing Grace followed George
Carlins Religion (the invisible man who lives in the
sky) and topped that a little later with the combo of
Bachs Toccata and Fugue in D minor and Tom Lehrers
Vatican Rag. Out of all the songs on the device, those
were the only four religion-related pieces. Amazing! The
shuffle has the same irreverent attitude towards religion
that I have. (#109)
To connect the anomalous and strategic, the listener
determines the consonance of not just the individual tracks -
the meanings/values associated with each track, past
experiences associated with the tracks but also perform this
in relation to her own autobiography. In recounting that
they were the only four religion-related pieces, and in
noting the order, she seizes the strategic element of the data.
This in turn allows her to reflect on her values, sense of self
and attitude towards religion. In short, to make sense of the
anomalous and strategic, this listener has to engage in an
active act of meaning making. From this meaningfully
constructed and integrated experience, and in concert with
the element of the unanticipated, she experiences
serendipity. In light of this, we can restate serendipity as an
aesthetic experience through chance encounters.
Elements particular to shuffle listening
Our investigation highlights some interesting facts. While,
the general mechanism of shuffle listening does allow for
serendipitous experiences, and concurs with Mertons
definitional list of elements, there are particularities in
relation to shuffle listening which we wish to point out.
The unanticipated element as conceptualized by Merton
refers mainly to unforeseen forces acting in the world. An
extensive list [10] of such forces includes that of chance,
luck, accident, side effect, a by product etc. However, in
shuffle listening, this element is delivered by a designed
feature of the interactive system the shuffle mechanism.
We also bring to attention that the anomalous or unfamiliar
datum might not be in fact so unfamiliar. Given that this
anomalous track is drawn from the listeners music
library, is likely to be familiar to her. If this is the case, then
this track is potentially inscribed. Inscribed content acts like
mediated memories [11] - representing the various forms of
renderings of our experience - acting as an instrument for
meaning making. Inscribed content is also a part of our
personal narratives because it has been imbued with
memories, personal meanings or associated with extra
symbolic meanings, certain emotions, etc, created through
past encounter(s). Further, digital music can be inscribed
with behavioural meta-data by the listener [3]. However, to
partly defend its anomalous character, a closer analysis
actually reveals that the track has in fact been
defamiliarized [1] - performed unwittingly by the shuffle
mechanism. In presenting this familiar track that has been
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inscribed with its own memories in a random order, it
smudges the listeners original conception of the content;
marking it with ambiguity and to an extent defamiliarizes
the familiar. This is reflected by a listeners accounts that,
shuffling lets you listen to tracks you have not heard in a
long time, plus they can come across sounding different in
different order.(#32) Though defamiliarized the track is
still partially loaded with personal memories and
meanings, etc awaiting potential evocation and
reconstitution during listening. While inscriptions are
associated with the content, it is the listener who
reconstitutes and reinterprets the evocation, nodding to
Mertons description of a sensitized observer.
SERENDIPITY AS USER-EXPERIENCE
Although we may now understand how the mechanics of
shuffle listening can potentially encourage serendipity, we
need to also understand its effects when encountered during
use of an interactive system. It is through only through this
understanding that we can begin to envision how this
particular rich user-experience can be supported in the
design of interactive systems. Previous characterizations of
serendipity [2] reveals that it is emblematic of aesthetic
experience a particular type of experience that is
formative and transformative, distinguishable, isolable
sequences of external events and internal responses to
them [9] which Dewey conceives as being tightly
integrated, meaningful, whole, fulfilling and
transformational [4]. However, these generic descriptions
miss out on the nuances that set serendipity apart from other
meaningful experiences. In fact, the stamp of serendipity
only truly comes to life when we examine listeners
accounts of their serendipitous experiences during shuffle
listening. Put to flesh, their accounts give us a unique sense
of the felt life and lived [4] when experiencing serendipity.
One listener describes this most vividly: Its kind of like
an unexpected conversation with somebody at school, or
work. You see them everyday, might not have had a real
conversation in YEARS! But, suddenly, by chance, NOW
youre engaged, and its so HEADY! I mean you know them
but not like THIS! Suddenly you see them through NEW
EYES! (#107) Another listener describes the experience to
be almost epiphanic, recounting how preconceptions were
demolished; transformed by new insights, What I now
realise I like about music is its breadth and richness, not
the narrowness of focus on a particular artist/genre. Each
random track is like an aural postcard from another time,
another place; each hits home, conjuring vivid memories,
some real some false. After years of listening to music
constantly, I've suddenly got a whole new way of
experiencing it (#95).
Serendipity is meaningful and illuminating as it allows us to
reconnect with the past and engage with it with new eyes.
One user equates this as, cool and refreshing to trip
across a great song you havent heard in a long time.
(#20), while another reports that, hear(ing) songs that I
havent heard for years and fall(ing) in love with them
again (#81). This is also confirmed by one listener who
reports, Id be coming across stuff Id forgotten about for
years and it was always like hearing an entirely new angle
on what you owned. (#52)
Serendipity arising from shuffle listening may also help
forge new connections: Sometimes some interesting
synergies between apparently disparate genres or specific
pieces of music can reveal themselves (#7), or another
describes the discovery as forge(ing) new connections
between my heart and my ears (#91). These connections
may even spark creativity in some, which may be what
Bjork (an Icelandic songwriter/performer) meant when
asked what type of music was inspiring her at that moment,
when she enigmatically reply that, Im quite inspired by
my iPod shuffle, Ive got Missy Elliot, Peaches, and John
Cage. Its not exactly the song; its whats between them
[8].
But to be fair, not all serendipitous experiences are
epiphanic or earth-shattering. The experience of serendipity
can be delightful; akin to the joy and surprise of bumping
into friends I have not seen for a long time (#69) or
disbelief from the coincidence of a series of events where
during one session in the car with my shuffle, I
experienced shuffle nirvana, as the device was exhibiting
pure genius with its selection (#90). And it can even make
us wonder about the universe, sometimes shuffle delivers a
sequence of music so perfectly thematically in tune that
the sense that iTunes just knows is quite unsettling. (#93)
As an early caveat, we hasten to add that we have only
presented positive listener accounts. Experiences during
shuffle listening are not always positive and serendipitous.
We will pursue this point further in the next section.
DISCUSSIONS AND LIMITATIONS
When reflecting upon our investigation, we can see that
whilst the elements involved in shuffle listening are in the
main similar to Mertons list, it is also not difficult to
observe that the elements in shuffle listening appear to
actually work surreptitiously (or even serendipitously?) to
tip it in favor of serendipitous discoveries. Further, in as
much as we may attribute luck, chance or even magic to
our encounters with serendipity, by having access to a
mechanism that randomly delivers music tracks that are
already made meaningful to a sensitized listener as well as
being potentially evocable during listening does bolster the
possibility for listeners to experience serendipity.
Although our comparisons and analysis using Mertons
description of serendipity has demonstrated how this
experience of serendipity might be afforded through the
mechanisms of shuffle listening, this in itself is only
scratching the surface of a rich experience that has yet to
receive HCI researchers attention and effort. Whilst useful
and illuminating, Mertons description can only assist us
part of the way. Some work has begun to uncover other
factors at play within the practice of shuffle listening that

have a critical influence over the emergence of this
experience [3].
Further, there are limitations within this investigation; with
the main being that the data which informs our analysis are
limited to reports obtained from online sources. Thus the
data may reflect a skewed segment of the general
population (e.g. gender, age, technical proficiency,
personality etc.). The use of some online fora such as
discussion boards may also mean that users descriptions
can be fragmented, tend to be short, clipped and may lack
richer and more detailed descriptions. On public discussion
boards, peer consensus and influence may also color and
sway the respondents views. Nevertheless, we established
valuable insights into how listeners experience serendipity
through the use of shuffle when listening to digital music.
Like all data, self reports are flawed; however they may still
offer significant insights into the lived and felt aspects of
experiential accounts distilled through careful analysis.
To make substantial progress, we need to conduct intensive
ethnographically-based field work, to study the
phenomenon as experienced in action, during use in the
wild. It is only through the gathering of rich and
comprehensive accounts of listeners experiences with
serendipity; and its careful analysis that we can begin to
understand how we might be able to support for the
experience in our design of interactive systems. This also
raises methodological implications of how to access such
rich, personal and often idiosyncratic experiential data.
A final caveat is also in order. Throughout this analysis, we
highlighted data that are limited to only positive self reports
of serendipitous experiences because we want to focus on
users serendipity and how this experience is manifested
during shuffle listening. Whilst the loaded elements of
shuffle listening might encourage its appearance, we are
certainly not implying that shuffle listening will always lead
to serendipity. After all, in making it so easily availability
will certainly destroy the magic and the wonder that is
central to its charm.
CONCLUSION
Serendipity is a coined word, created almost ex nihilo (out
of nothing) [6]. However, to experience it, a complex array
of elements needs to be present. It also requires us to be
sensitive to the elements at play and to be willingly engaged
in bringing it to life. While all of us have experienced the
memorable effects of serendipity, it appears that there has
been very little research in understanding the mechanics of
how it may occur and mining the depths of its experiential
effects. This investigation is a small step towards that goal.
As we have demonstrated with some data, the unexpected
twists that accompany our experiences of serendipity have
effects that range from delightful surprise to heightened
engagement. In experiencing it, our preconceptions are
challenged, we forge new insights and in the right context,
we are even inspired to local acts of creativity. Seen in this
light, there appears to be great potential for this rich
experience in the design of interactive systems in some non
mission/safety critical domains. Beyond the domain of
entertainment, this includes areas such as education and
various branches of creative activities.
Perhaps the lack of effort in understanding how serendipity
can be supported when designing interactive systems may
stem from our agreeance (and correctly so) with van Andel
who concludes that serendipity is not something that can be
planned for or programmed by computer[10]. Extending his
conclusion, we may also concur that any attempt to design
serendipity is to extinguish the phenomenon itself.
However, our investigation of serendipity through shuffle
listening suggests that while we cannot design serendipity,
there may be potential for designers to provide a congenial
scaffold whereby this engaging and enigmatic experience
may be discovered opportunistically.
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3. Leong, T.W., Vetere, F. & Howard, S., Randomness as
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