James Begole

ConNexus to awarenex: extending awareness to mobile users

We explored the use of awareness information to facilitate communication by developing a series of prototypes. The ConNexus prototype integrates awareness information, instant messaging, and other communication channels in an interface that runs on a desktop computer. The Awarenex prototype extends that functionality to wireless handheld devices, such as a Palm. A speech interface also enables callers to make use of the awareness information over the telephone. While the prototypes offer similar functionality, the interfaces reflect the different design affordances and use context of each platform. We discuss the design implications of providing awareness information on devices with varying interface and network characteristics.

Resource sharing for replicated synchronous groupware

We describe problems associated with accessing data resources external to the application, which we term externalities, in replicated synchronous collaborative applications. Accessing externalities such as files, databases, network connections, environment variables, and the system clock is not as straightforward in replicated collaborative software as in single-user applications or centralized collaborative systems. We describe ad hoc solutions that add to development cost and complexity because the developer must program different behavior for different replicas.We introduce a novel general approach to accessing externalities uniformly in a replicated collaborative system. The approach uses a semireplicated architecture where the actual externality resides at a single location and is accessed via replicated proxies. This approach allows developers of replicated synchronous groupware to 1) use similar externality access mechanisms as in traditional single-user applications, and 2) program all replicas to execute the same behavior. We describe a general design for proxied access to read-only, write-only, and read-write externalities and discuss the tradeoffs of this semireplicated approach over full, literal replication and the class of applications to which this approach can be successfully applied. We also describe details of a prototype implementation of this approach within a replicated collaboration-transparency system, called Flexible JAMM (Java Applets Made Multiuser).

Beyond Instant Messaging

The recent rise in popularity of IM (instant messaging) has driven the development of platforms and the emergence of standards to support IM. Especially as the use of IM has migrated from online socializing at home to business settings, there is a need to provide robust platforms with the interfaces that business customers use to integrate with other work applications. Yet, in the rush to develop a mature IM infrastructure, it is also important to recognize that IM features and uses are still evolving. For example, popular press stories1 have raised the concern that IM interactions may be too distracting in the workplace. This concern suggests that we still need to fine-tune the interface design for IM so the benefits of quick, lightweight communication can be gained without creating a distracting burden for users. How can the industry meet the demand for robust platforms and standards for IM without locking out innovation and development?

Predicting shoppers' interest from social interactions using sociometric sensors

Marketing research has longed for better ways to measure consumer behavior. In this paper, we explore using sociometric data to study social behaviors of group shoppers. We hypothesize that the interaction patterns among shoppers will convey their interest level, predicting probability of purchase. To verify our hypotheses, we observed co-habiting couples shopping for furniture. We have verified that there are sensible differences in customer behavior depending on their interest level. When couples are interested in an item they observe the item for a longer duration of time and have a more balanced speaking style. A real-time prediction model was constructed using a decision tree with a prediction accuracy reaching 79.8% and a sensitivity of 63%.

The orbital browser: composing ubicomp services using only rotation and selection

Most ubiquitous computing environments are designed as collections of highly distributed and heterogeneous services. In this paper we describe a user interface, the Orbital Browser, which reduces the complexity of ubicomp service composition to two simple end-user operations: rotation and selection. We discuss the design requirements imposed by service composition and how we addressed them with our system.

Exploring web browser history comparisons

This work explores how comparing web navigation histories between two people and presenting the results to them might allow them to gain insight about each other. We developed a prototype that presents web matches sorted according to frequency, recency, and web site. Interviews with users of the prototype suggest that common interests and preferences can be inferred from these comparisons.

Forecasting presence and availability

Work in the CSCW domain has established that informal, opportunistic communication is a critical aspect of work, and that groupware tools are often used as a basis for establishing and conducting this communication. However, cases exist where such tools are inadequate or nonexistent for conducting informal collaboration, making it difficult for users to effectively determine the current or future location and availability of a colleague. As an example, the shared electronic calendar, while a successful groupware application, often lacks the accuracy necessary to allow users to establish the current and future location of colleagues. Lapses in calendar maintenance can result in the presence of conflicting events and repeatedsensing and machine learning, events that are no longer attended in the shared calendar. Additionally, as workgroups become increasingly distributed, users can no longer rely on firsthandwhere observations, environmental cues, and shared intuitions of colleague schedules to determine availability. The number of possible locations for a colleague may increase, andinterruption given the user’s current context.colleagues may frequently be mobile or in transit. Across In response to these observations, several teams of researchers have undertaken projects that attempt to provide users with information about the current and future presence and availability of colleagues. A number of challenges exist, both from a technological perspective and from a usability perspective.