An Jacobs joint SMIT in 2005 as Senior Researcher. Integrating social research within all phases of the development process of innovative products is her core interest. Therefore she specializes in user research in the broad sense and design ethnography in particular, combining her interest in both quantitative and qualitative techniques. Within the team she is responsable for the co-ordination of the projects witin the health and care field. At the moment she is doing different research projects within the field of e-government. She holds a PhD degree in Political and Social Sciences-Sociology (University of Ghent), where she previously worked as assistant at the Department of Sociology. She teaches sociology at the Hogeschool Antwerpen in the Department of Design Sciences- integrated product development.

Related projects

• Coplintho
• MADUF
• MonIT
• Multigov
• Future Study e-Health
• Acknowledge
• TELEON
• Transecare
• IM3
• CHF
• HiMasquerade
• Teleclassing

Publications

• Bleumers, L., Van Lier, T., & Jacobs, A. (2009). Analysis of virtual worlds. IBBT Hi-Masquerade, deliverable D2.2.1.
• Konings, W., Jacobs, A., Naessens, K., Schuurman, D., Mechant, P. , Ackaert, A. (2009), Beyond us and them: a mixed method participatory UCD approach to support a virtual scientific interdisciplinary organisation. Paper for CHI 2009, Boston, 4-9 April 2009.
• Naessens, K. & Jacobs, A. (2009), Ethnography: the Holy Grail of Game Studies? Some Methodological Thoughts. Paper for Ethnography – Living Cultures Conference, University of Leeds, 30-31 March 2009, Leeds. 
• Naessens, K.; Vanattenhove, J.; Poels, Y. & Jacobs, A. (2009), TELEON WP 2.4 Usability, likeability, sociability and playability analysis. Deliverable for IBBT project Teleon.
• Bleumers, L., Van Lier, T., & Jacobs, A. (2009). Presence and mediated interaction: A means to an end? In Adjunct Proceedings of EuroITV 2009 (pp. 92- 94). Leuven, Belgium. (Available online: http://www.ta2-project.eu/euroitv-workshop2009/Papers/Bleumers.pdf)
• Naessens, K. & Jacobs, A. (2009), Researching audiences of computer and video games: methodological approaches and thoughts. Presentation at Transforming Audiences 2 (University of Westminster, London).
• Naessens, K. & Jacobs, A. (2009), Share4Health WP 7.1.1.. Health record: socio-medical domain analysis from the viewpoint of pharmacists. Deliverable for IBBT project Share4Health.
• Naessens, K. & Jacobs, A. (2009), Targeting Different Audiences in Computer and Videogames: A Qualitative Multimethod Approach. Paper for COST 298 – The User and the Future of Information and Communication Technology. University of Copenhagen, 13-15 May 2009, Copenhagen. 
• Naessens, K. & Jacobs, A. (2009), The Place of TV and Other Media in Common Gaming Practices: A Fluent Marriage?. Paper for EuroITV2009, Leuven, 3-5 June 2009.
• Jacobs, A., Van den Broeck, W. et.al. (2008). Learning about everyday and future ICT practices: with or without online diaries? Paper in preparation for the Fourth International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, Ilinois, USA, May 14-17th 2008.
• Pierson, Jo, Jacobs, An, Dreessen, Katrien & De Marez, Lieven (2008) 'Exploring and designing wireless city applications by way of archetype user research within a living lab', in Observatorio (OBS*), 2 (2), 99-118.
• Karen Torben Nielsen, An Jacobs, Bram Lievens & Jo Pierson (2008) Faking the real thing? Proxy technology assessment as a method for participative design. Paper presented at Participatory Design Conference 2008. Bloomington, 1-4 October.
• Vangenck M., Jacobs A., Lievens B., Vanhengel E. & Pierson J. (2008) Does Mobile Television Challenge the Dimension of Viewing Television? An Explorative Research on Time, Place and Social Context of the Use of Mobile Television Content. Presented at the EuroITV 2008 Conference, July 3-4, Salzburg, Austria.
• Evens, Tom, De Marez, Lieven, Schuurman, Dimitri, Jacobs, An & Pierson, Jo (2008) Mobile Television in Flanders: Multi-methodical approach for user-centric technology development. Presentation at Audience section for the IAMCR (International Association for Media and Communication Research) congress ‘Media and global divides’, organised by Stockholm University & IAMCR, 20-25 July 2008, Stockholm, Sweden.
• Jacobs A., Lievens B., Vangenck M., Vanhengel E. & Pierson, J. (2008) Mobile television or television on a mobile? Presented at the Cost 2008 Conference, 15 May, Budapest, Hungary.
• Naessens, K. & Jacobs, A. (2008), TELEON WP 2.5 - Design Ethnography of Virtual Worlds. Deliverable for IBBT project TELEON.
• Bram Lievens, Karen Torben Nielsen, Jo Pierson & An Jacobs (2008) Proxy technology assessment as a multi-method approach for identifying social requirements of co-creative media. Paper presented at NordiCHI 2008 Workshop: New approaches to requirements elicitation. Lund, 20-22 October.
• Van Lier, Tim, Dreessen, Katrien, Pierson, Jo & Jacobs, An (2007) ‘Kapellekes hebben’, ‘window shoppen’ en ‘boodschappen doen’ als insteek voor de ontwikkeling van nieuwe mobiele ICT applicaties. Presentation at ‘Dag van Sociologie’ Conference, 31 May 2007, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
• Jacobs, A., Dreessen, K. & Pierson J. (2007) ‘Thick’ personas – Using ethnographic methods for persona development as a tool for conveying the social science view in technological design.’ Paper for COST 298 Conference, Moscow, 23-25 May 2007.
• Pierson J., Jacobs, A., Dreessen, K., Demarez, L (2007) Exploring and designing wireless city applications by way of archetype user research within a living lab, Paper for the Cost 298 Conference, Moscow, 23-25 May 2007.
• Jacobs, A; Van Lier, T.; Naessens, K.; Pelssers, J. & Jans, G. (2007), TELEON User analysis. T 2.1. Deliverable for IBBT project TELEON.
• Jacobs, A; Van Lier, T.; Naessens, K.; Pelssers, J. & Jans, G. (2007), TELEON. The game of the game: 3D online virtual worlds, use and context. T1.1. State of the art online 3D virtual worlds. Deliverable for IBBT project TELEON.
• Jacobs, An, Pierson, Jo & Dreessen, Katrien (2007) Sense and sensibility: personas as boundary objects in technology design. Presentation at ESA 8th Annual Conference of the European Sociological Association (Theoretical and Methodological Innovations), 3-6 September 2007, Glasgow, UK.
• Jacobs, An & Pierson, Jo (2007) 'Walking the interface: domestication reconsidered?' in J. Cornelis & M. Wynants (Eds.) Brave New Interfaces - Individual, social and economic impact of the next generation interfaces. Brussels: VUBPress Crosstalks, 204-216.
• Pierson, J., Jacobs, A., Dreessen, K., Lievens, B., Van den Broeck, I., Van den Broeck, W. Walking the interface: uncovering practices through proxy technology assessment. Paper for EPIC 2006, Portland (USA), 24-26 September 2006
• Jacobs, A. (2005) Sociologische Praktijk, Sociologie en Sociologen. Verkenning van productontwikkeling als grensgebied voor beroepspraktijk, doctoraatsverhandeling , Vakgroep Sociologie:Gent
• Van Houtte, M. & Jacobs, A (2004) Consequences of sex of the custodial parent on the well-being of adolescents. Evidence from Belgian data. Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, 41, ¾
• Jacobs, A. (2004) Sociological practitioners contributing to new product development: Mapping the challenges Sociological Research Online 9 (4): NOV 30
• Jacobs, A. & De Wit, K. (2004) Verzilvering van een collectieve inspanning. Context, ontstaan en evolutie van het Tijdschrift voor Sociologie (1980-2004) Tijdschrift voor sociologie, 25, 1, p.37-70
• Jacobs, A. & Van Houtte, M. (2002) Geslachtsidentiteit: een argument bij hoedebeslissingen ? in: Identiteiten. Functies en dysfuncties, A. Van den Brande (ed.), p. 33- 54, Academia Press:Gent
• Jacobs, A. & Van Houtte, M. (2000) In en om het justitiepaleis: de invloed van sector van tewerkstelling op sociale oriëntatie bij juristen. Tijdschrift voor Sociologie, 21, 1, p.33-56

Recent weblog posts

• A Multi-Disciplinary Toolkit for Global Ageing Research (28 April 2008)
• Sense and sensibilities: personas as boundary objects in technology design (13 September 2007)
• Elderly who care? TTEC Tromso 2007 (13 June 2007)