Understanding geocaching practices and motivations

ABSTRACT

Geocaching is a location-based activity that has been practiced for a number of years. As a sustained and established activity it represents an important opportunity for understanding everyday practices and motivations that can build up around a location-based activity. We present findings from a field study of everyday geocaching behaviour. In contrast to previous work, we take a broad perspective on the activity focussing beyond the in situ consumption of these experiences. We look too at the practices and motivations surrounding participants' creation of these experiences. Further we examine these behaviours within the social context of the on-line community that provides a significant basis for many of these behaviours. We use the findings to discuss broader implications for the design of future location-based experiences

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Index Terms

• Information systems