Jennie Carroll

Designing TramMateña context-aware mobile system supporting use of public transportation

We describe the design of a mobile information service that provides users with a route-planning tool for the tram-based public transport system of Melbourne, Australia. The design sketches for TramMate represent early iterations of an ongoing design process based on data from field studies on the use of transportation by business employees who, during a typical workday, have to attend appointments at different physical locations. TramMate supports this activity by keeping track of contextual factors such as the userís physical location, upcoming appointments, and real-time travel information. The design is integrated with an electronic calendar and alerts the user when it is necessary to commence the journey.

Provoking Innovation: Acting-out in Contextual Scenarios

Scenario-based design typically involves stakeholders in ‘walking through’ textual vignettes of usage situations. We propose an alternative that increases stakeholder immersion in, and enriches the contextual aspects of, the scenarios. Our approach develops ‘contextual scenarios’ (bare, skeletal scenarios that describe context rather than information about actors and their goals) on the basis of rich descriptions of current practice. Contextual scenarios are then ‘acted-out’ during participatory design sessions. The approach facilitates the co-evolution of the artefact and situation of use. Such co-evolution we argue is critical to use-centred innovation.

Excluded again: implications of integrated e‐government systems for those at the margins

Purpose – This paper seeks to highlight a poorly‐understood dimension of digital exclusion that is not related to access to information and communication technologies (ICTs), but rather to the reduction in flexibility for providing and administering public services following the implementation of an integrated e‐government system.Design/methodology/approach – A case study of a project focused on reducing barriers to the delivery of driver licensing services to a remote indigenous community in Australia was undertaken and the data were analysed using Kling et al.s socio‐technical interaction network (STIN) modelling approach.Findings – The paper makes four recommendations to improve the licensing situation for the community that are induced from the findings. In particular the paper draws attention to the need to carefully analyse possible negative impacts of any e‐government initiative for those at the margins of society.Research limitations/implications – The paper aims to analyse the current situation ...

Multiple perspectives criteria of Open Source Software appropriation: A case study of a city council

Adoption of new technology such as Open Source Software (OSS) is an important issue in organizations. Despite many claimed benefits, implementing OSS can be challenging. This paper describes a case study of a City Council in Malaysia that was migrating to Open Source based applications. It presents an integrated framework that allows the researcher to understand the multiple perspectives that influence appropriation of OSS in each level of the process. This understanding will assist in effective implementation decisions and lead to a more effective use of OSS.

Information technology architects: approaching the longer view

All Information Technology (IT) systems have architecture and these architectures are developed by people, frequently called IT architects. These people vary in their capabilities and this directly affects the systems they work with. This research investigates whether some previously identified capabilities, (intuitive cognitive style, problem solving, visualisation, and future vision) differ between IT architects of different skill levels. We found that while all IT architects reported as very skilled problem solvers, the more highly skilled IT architects approached problems in a different manner than the others. We also found that the higher skilled IT architects had a significantly longer view of their actions. These results are important for the education of aspiring IT architects and also the selection and development of existing ones.

Technology Portfolios: How Individuals Manage Multiple Digital Technologies

Although people today regularly use a wide range of digital technologies for communication, information management and entertainment purposes, academic research has no conceptual way to describe this collection. This research seeks to answer 2 questions: 1) How well does the ?portfolio? concept describe the collection of technologies that individuals routinely use?, and 2) How do individuals manage technology portfolios over time? To answer these questions, data was gathered data using a multi-method qualitative design from technically-adept participants. Each participant had assembled a collection of technologies. We compared their technology selection and usage against five characteristics of a financial portfolio (purposeful, diverse, dynamic, balanced and holistic) and found many similarities and some differences. Using inductive analysis, a technology portfolio lifecycle containing five processes (Scan, Research, Trial, Use, and Retire) was developed. The paper concludes with a call to researchers to further develop the technology portfolio concept and to vendors and organizations to consider the ways that technologies are researched, trialed and integrated into a portfolio to increase chances for successful change.