Liam J. Bannon

Taking CSCW seriously

The topic of Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) has attracted much attention in the last few years. While the field is obviously still in the process of development, there is a marked ambiguity about the exact focus of the field. This lack of focus may hinder its further development and lead to its dissipation. In this paper we set out an approach to CSCW as a field of research which we believe provides a coherent conceptual framework for this area, suggesting that it should be concerned with thesupport requirements of cooperative work arrangements. This provides a more principled, comprehensive, and, in our opinion, more useful conception of the field than that provided by the conception of CSCW as being focused on computer support for groups. We then investigate the consequences of taking this alternative conception seriously, in terms of research directions for the field. As an indication of the fruits of this approach, we discuss the concept of ‘articulation work’ and its relevance to CSCW. This raises a host of interesting problems that are marginalized in the work on small group support but critical to the success of CSCW systems ‘in the large’, i. e., that are designed to meet current work requirements in the everyday world.

Constructing common information spaces

This paper investigates an important, yet under-researched topic in CSCW, namely shared, or common, information spaces. Precisely what is meant by this term, however, is not always obvious. We provide some background to work in the area, and then proceed to examine features of such spaces through examples. The work involved in both putting information in common, and in interpreting it, has often not been sufficiently recognized. We show how, in various ways, it often requires added work to place items in common, and open up the question of how this might affect use of the WWW, often seen as the ultimate common information space. While there is still a need for further elaboration of many dimensions of the concept, and linkage to related ideas, we believe that the issues raised by this exploration are of importance to the CSCW field.

From human factors to human actors: the role of psychology and human-computer interaction studies in system design

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the role of psychology and human–computer interaction (HIC) studies in system design. Human factors (HF), or ergonomics considerations, are often incorporated into the design process simply as a set of specifications to which the delivered system must adhere. The actual work of the human factors personnel is seen as operator task analyses to be fed into these specifications, and perhaps some interface retouching near the end of the development cycle, when the system design has already been fixed. In general, the role of these people has been seen as ancillary to the main task of building the system. The role of HF or HCI in system design today should be more fluid and pragmatic. Input is vital in discussing the initial capabilities of the system and its required functionality, persisting in the development and evaluation of prototypes, and in final screen layout considerations. This chapter presents an approach which, although acknowledging the contribution that different disciplines can make to the design process, ultimately depends upon the users themselves to articulate their requirements, along with the system design team composed of a variety of specialists acting in the capacity of consultants to the project.

Designing ubiquitous computing to enhance children's learning in museums

Abstract In recent years, novel paradigms of computing have emerged, which enable computational power to be embedded in artefacts and in environments in novel ways. These developments may create new possibilities for using computing to enhance learning. This paper presents the results of a design process that set out to explore interactive techniques, which utilized ubiquitous computer technology, to stimulate active participation, involvement and learning by children visiting a museum. Key stakeholders, such as museum curators and docents, were involved throughout the process of creating the exhibition, Re-Tracing the Past, in the Hunt Museum, Limerick, Ireland. The paper describes aspects of the evaluation of the exhibition, which involved 326 schoolchildren (ages 9–12-year-old), and which exemplifies important features of the design and use of the novel technology in the museum. The paper concludes by articulating a series of design guidelines for developing ubiquitous computing to enhance childrens learning in museums. These guidelines relate 12 experiential criteria to five supporting design informants and resources. The guidelines encompass important dimensions of childrens educational experience in museums, including collaboration, engagement, active interpretation, and materiality. While developed in a museum context, these guidelines could be applied to the development of novel computing to enhance childrens learning in other educational environments, both formal and informal.

Activity Theory: Basic Concepts and Applications

The objective of the tutorial is to introduce attendees to Activity Theory, a general theoretical framework for the analysis of human and communal action in the world. After an overview of the theory, focus shifts to how this framework can be utilized in practice. Some examples are shown of how this framework can provide a fresh perspective on certain extant problems in the fields of HCI and CSCW. Hopefully, participants become more aware of the nature and complexity of current controversies concerning the role of theory in the design of computer artifacts. By the end of the tutorial, participants should be able to understand the basic principles of the approach, and to describe their work activities in ways illuminated by this framework

Forgetting as a feature, not a bug: the dualityof memory and implications for ubiquitous computing

From earliest times, humans have developed strategies for increasing their ability to remember and commemorate significant events in the history of their communities. Epics have been created, memorized, and passed on through generations even before the development of written records. Monuments have also been built to commemorate important events. Stratagems for helping people to retain information, mnemonics, have allowed us to develop what has been termed memoria technica—‘artificial’ memories. In this essay, while recognizing that new technologies support people and organizations in their remembering processes, I wish to stress that other complementary human activity that constitutes the duality of memory, namely forgetting. This is a topic that has been relatively neglected or treated in a cursory fashion in much academic discourse to date. I note some examples of the scattered but intriguing work on the subject, from very different disciplinary perspectives, before turning attention to the potential relevance of judicious forgetting in the context of new technologies and visions of the future. Examining the role of forgetting opens up some interesting possibilities. We should re-frame our discourse and expand the design space concerning ubiquitous computational technologies in our everyday life to incorporate aspects of this forgetting dimension.

Issues in Computer Supported Collaborative Learning

This paper provides an overview of the concept of computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL). While there is no clear shared conceptualisation of the field at the moment, some interesting issues concerning the nature of collaboration and the role of computers in supporting it are identified. The perspective of the paper is heavily influenced by the socio-cultural school of psychology. Several examples of CSCL are discussed briefly and problems and opportunities for CSCL identified. The need for the further study of learning in settings outside the classroom is stressed.

Constructing CSCW: The First Quarter Century

As an established field of research, Computer Supported Cooperative Work or CSCW is now well beyond its first quarter century of existence. It is an appropriate time to take stock: What has been achieved, and what issues remain as challenges for the field?—This introductory article will assess what has become of the field, its position as a research field in the wider context of technology development, and its complex physiognomy.

Hybrid design creates innovative museum experiences

Assembling mixed media artifacts in order to create engaging museum environments.

Knowledge Management in Distributed Software Development Teams - Does Culture Matter?

Software development requires complex context specific knowledge regarding the particularities of different technologies, the potential of existing software and the needs and expectations of the users. Hence, efficient knowledge management counts amongst the most important challenges for software teams. In international teams, one of the most important issues regarding knowledge sharing is the impact of culture under different aspects: national, organizational and professional. There seem to be very few studies dealing with the issue of culture in regard to knowledge management practices in GSE. We want to contribute to the discussion by presenting case studies of small size software teams dealing with international software development in the context of offshoring. In doing so, we illustrate how cultural and social issues influence the way knowledge exchange is performed by analyzing several knowledge management practices, considering the role of meetings, artifacts and tools, knowledge brokers and mutual visits between sites.