Alain Derycke

Beyond the Interface: Co-evolution Inside Interactive Systems — A Proposal Founded on Activity Theory

Task oriented and object oriented traditional interactive system design methods show more and more shortcomings in the light of recent evolutions. These evolutions are both external (organisational) and internal (technological) to the developed systems. The two main problems of traditional methods are their linearity and rigidity. Once a system has been introduced, it can only evolve through maintenance. These methods follow several steps segmenting time, actors, and work to be realised. Taking results from the human sciences, and particularly from Activity Theory, we show how we have defined the co-evolution concept as a solution for the above-mentioned problems. We also present the DARE system that we have developed for supporting this concept.

A Reflective CSCL Environment with Foundations Based on the Activity Theory

Users need more evolving CSCL systems allowing them to coconstruct their groupware environment. As a response to this problem, this paper presents how we are trying to define more foundational relationships between human and computer sciences. Starting from studies of the contribution of human science to CSCW, we present some approaches similar to ours. We finally present DARE, our new meta-groupware. DARE takes elements coming from both human and computer sciences defining a boundary abstraction with its conceptual model. Its design is mainly rooted in Activity Theory and advanced software design strategies like open implementation. DARE particularly emphasises on co-construction and expansiveness properties of human activity and may be defined as more than a meta-groupware, but as a reflective groupware.

Some issues for the modelling of interactive e-services from the customer multi-channel interaction perspectives

We are involved in research on new interactive systems for e-commerce, especially in the B-to-C perspective. These works are in the crossroads of HCI and e-services area. We have studied existing researches about Web services, which appear insufficient for our needs. We explain the complexity of the interactive systems for direct marketing. Then we discuss about the design of generic architecture for rich interactions in B-to-C and we give a definition of our interpretation of e-service. Finally, we propose an analysis of the models and protocols for the e-services.

Project Ubi-Learn: an Intermediation Infrastructure for Multi-channel Accesses to Future LMS

Using previous experiences of designing elearning systems, we have started a new project, Ubi- Learn, which aims to support the remote learners in various situations, mobile or fixed. This means a great variety of communication channels such as Web, email, SMS, phone call This leads us to consider a large range of scenarios of use, where channels are combined in a same unit of interaction depending of the context. In the context we capture not only information about the technological and physical contexts of interaction, but also the user profile, and the nature of the activity and its history. Ubi-Learn intermediation is based on the assumption that the learning system is factorised into a collection of dedicated e-Services, and that the user interactions with the channels can be abstracted with a channel independent modelling language. The management of these intermediations is achieved through a multiagents infrastructure combining several sources of contextual knowledge, especially for the dynamic orchestration of the e-Services.

La personnalisation de I'interaction dans des contextes multimodaux et multicanaux: une première approche pour le commerce electronique

This article presents a reflexion on new forms of interaction not yet approached by the HCI community. Its the study of the convergences and divergences between the personalization seen under two complementary angles: direct marketing on the one hand, and person/system interfaces on the other hand. The multimodality has been studied since many years, and personalization has been used in marketing for a long time, but seldom, both were studied jointly. A prototype of multimodal user adapted E-commerce site is presented. That opens, according to us, many tracks of research on the personnalization/multimodality intersection.

Interface Issues in Advanced Educational Technology Based on Computers

Rapid progress of technology and design methodology for Human-Computer Interface will have an important impact on the future of Advanced Learning Environments. In order to set up a first research agenda and to derive the interface issues two viewpoints will be developed: one relative to a refraining of learning with its potential paradigm shift, and one relative to advances in HCL The research issues for interface of advanced learning environment based on computer will be at the cross-road of these two viewpoints. In order to avoid a unique technology-driven approach it will be take into account contribution of various fields of research about human and technology. A summary is given of the state of art of current HCl research in the perspective of the learning process and of the education context. Special emphasis is put on the design process with its new foundation, its metaphorical issues and its design language.

Workshop on Designing Computational Models of Collaborative Learning Interaction

During collaborative learning activities, factors such as students’ prior knowledge, motivation,roles, language, behavior and interaction dynamics interact with each other in unpredictable ways, making it very difficult to predict and measure learning effects. This may be one reason why the focus of collaborative learning research shifted in the nineties from studying group characteristics and products to studying group process. With an interest in having an impact on the group process in modern distance learning environments, the focus has recently shifted again – this time from studying group processes to identifying computational strategies that positively influence group learning. This shift toward mediating and supporting collaborative learners is fundamentally grounded in our understanding of the interaction described by our models of collaborative learning interaction. In this workshop, we will explore the advantages, implications, and support possibilities afforded by the various types of computational models of collaborative learning processes.

A theoretical framework to characterize multichannel interaction in electronic commerce

This paper presents an initial study of multichannel interactions within the framework of the E-Marketing. A analysis and prediction theoretical framework, based on the one hand on concepts resulting from psycholinguistics, and the other hand on information theories, more managerial, is proposed. An initial synthesis in terms of index properties of the channels is given. Lastly, some multichannel scenarios and devices are described in detail.

Shared Scientific Argumentation for Lab Work in Physics: An Application of Ethnomethodology in the Conception Process

In order to perform science apprenticeship in University, we would like to produce a tool supporting scientific argumentation for experiments in Physics labwork. We present here the conception approach, using ethnomethodology paradigm. Our objective is to define guidelines for the conception of software supporting scientific argumentation. Our approach is context centred and user centred. It means that our goal is to define an analyze of labwork like it is in real situation, the failings, the requirement, in order to design a tool which could support student’s thought. This analyze is based on ethnomethodology paradigm. So, our work can be devised in two parts: firstly teacher’s point of view, secondly student’s point of view.

Étude du rayonnement d’un guide radial: applications aux modules préaccordés et aux antennes disques circulaires

AnalyseDes oscillateurs ou des circuits utilisant des composants actifs à l’état solide, peuvent être réalisés en ondes millimétriques par l’utilisation de modules préaccordés. Les modèles développés dans les précédentes études ne sont plus valables lorsque les épaisseurs de ces modules deviennent importantes, ce qui sera le cas pour des modules monolithiques au silicium. Il est donc proposé une nouvelle méthode de résolution rigoureuse du rayonnement d’un guide radial arrêté brutalement. Les premiers résultats obtenus sont présentés et l’extension au problème des antennes disques circulaires ou plaquées est envisagée.AbstractThe design of solid state millimetre wave oscillators or functions can be achieved with the use of pretunedmodules. The theoretical models previously developed are no longer valid if the thickness of such a module becomes important, as it will for silicon monolithic modules. A new resolution method for the radiation of a abruptlyended radial waveguide is proposed. The first results are presented and the extension of the method to the problems of circular disk antennas or microstrip patch antennas is discussed.