Michael Twidale | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (original) (raw)

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Papers by Michael Twidale

The availability of advanced computing technologies is leading to radical changes in business, ed... more The availability of advanced computing technologies is leading to radical changes in business, education, and society in general. The aim of this project is to explore the potential of new technologies to enhance the experience of visiting a museum. The focus of this proposal is not remote access to the virtual museum; rather, I wish to examine a relatively under-explored area: how to enhance the experience of an actual museum visit in real life, through the deployment of different information technologies.

Abstract Groupware is defined as software, systems, and services that help groups of workers do t... more Abstract Groupware is defined as software, systems, and services that help groups of workers do their jobs better [2]. Computer Supported Cooperative Work is defined by Greif and Cashman as the support of multiple individuals working together with computer systems [1]. Groupware is currently a widespread tool in the professional community[3]. To educate and prepare students in these areas, many universities are teaching their students groupware and CSCW.

We describe the development of the Designers' NotePad; a tool to support the rapid creation and r... more We describe the development of the Designers' NotePad; a tool to support the rapid creation and refinement of ideas. The tool supports collaborative dialogues with features that enable idea fragments to be rapidly entered and revised. The core features are entities and links. Users are able to gradually add more structure while still keeping the freedom to rapidly refine and without being required to make premature commitments about classification. An iterative design approach was used involving frequent studies of the tool in use.

This white paper and attached pre-prints are part of the three-year interim project report for th... more This white paper and attached pre-prints are part of the three-year interim project report for the IMLS Digital Collections & Content Project, summarizing major findings October 2002 through September 2005. Project is hosted at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Project Director is Timothy W. Cole (t-cole@uiuc.edu). Full report is available at http://imlsdcc.grainger .uiuc.edu. The material in this report is based upon work supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under IMLS National Leadership Grant Award No.

Abstract: iSchools have a well-established reputation for rigorous analysis, applying a range of ... more Abstract: iSchools have a well-established reputation for rigorous analysis, applying a range of multidisciplinary methods. However, increasingly many of us are teaching design elements as well as doing design in our research.

ABSTRACT This chapter explores the concept of patchwork prototyping: the combining of open source... more ABSTRACT This chapter explores the concept of patchwork prototyping: the combining of open source software applications to rapidly create a rudimentary but fully functional prototype that can be used and hence evaluated in real-life situations.

ABSTRACT This paper presents an analysis of written and electronic records that document the coll... more ABSTRACT This paper presents an analysis of written and electronic records that document the collaborative process of packing museum artifacts in preparation for a move. The majority of data recorded detailed the process of packing, while only a small amount of the data concerned which artifacts were packed in which boxes. Museum staff members were able to use these process data to solve the numerous errors that occurred during packing.

ABSTRACT In this workshop, we explore emerging research themes in web mash-ups which are relevant... more ABSTRACT In this workshop, we explore emerging research themes in web mash-ups which are relevant to CSCW research. Web mash-ups are web sites which combine data or services from more than one source into an integrated whole. The mash-up community resembles open-source communities and likewise could benefit from further study. We explore several themes in and related to mash-ups which connect to core research areas in CSCW.

Abstract The movement from the physical to the digital library offers both dangers and opportunit... more Abstract The movement from the physical to the digital library offers both dangers and opportunities. Alongside the greater quantity of online material goes the problem of quality assurance: how can be the information searcher be sure of the status of a document. We suggest that this be addressed by supporting recommendations and that the key feature that links these recommendations together is that of usage.

Abstract We explore the application of a wiki-based technology and style of interaction to enabli... more Abstract We explore the application of a wiki-based technology and style of interaction to enabling the incremental translation of a collaborative application into a number of different languages, including variant English language interfaces better suited to the needs of particular user communities.

This paper presents a qualitative and formative study of the uses of a starfield-based visualizat... more This paper presents a qualitative and formative study of the uses of a starfield-based visualization interface for analysis of library collections. The evaluation process has produced feedback that suggests ways to significantly improve starfield interfaces and the interaction process to improve their learnability and usability. The study also gave us clear indication of additional potential uses of starfield visualizations that can be exploited by further functionality and interface development.

Abstract The paper discusses issues to be considered when evaluating an Intelligent Learning Envi... more Abstract The paper discusses issues to be considered when evaluating an Intelligent Learning Environment. In particular it considers problems that may arise when using rigorous experimental methods and the usefulness of informal techniques. It advocates the frequent use of informal in-depth studies on prototypes during the development of a system to reveal problems with the ILE in use and to raise general issues applicable across ILEs.

ABSTRACT This paper considers how studies of collaborative activities in the real world can be us... more ABSTRACT This paper considers how studies of collaborative activities in the real world can be used to aid in the design of digital libraries. We describe two studies of collaboration in physical environments. The first study examines behaviour at the enquiry desk in an academic library. The second study examines collaboration in an office environment-concentrating on'over the shoulder learning'.

Abstract Although searching for documents is the dominant paradigm in information retrieval it is... more Abstract Although searching for documents is the dominant paradigm in information retrieval it is often more effective to ask another person. A library can serve as a matchmaker that introduces users with common interests to each other. Several methods of matchmaking are described and their implications for privacy are discussed. An approach to prototyping matchmaking functionality is outlined.

Abstract This article reports on a study which used results from 119 scenario–based evaluations o... more Abstract This article reports on a study which used results from 119 scenario–based evaluations of 36 museum Web sites to develop a conceptual framework for analyzing the usability flaws of museum Web sites. It identifies 15 unique dimensions, grouped into five categories, that exemplify usability problems common to many museum Web sites. Each dimension is discussed in detail, and typical examples are provided, based on actual usability flaws observed during the evaluations.

Can open source software save the world? Recently Brian Behlendorf, who helped found and develop ... more Can open source software save the world? Recently Brian Behlendorf, who helped found and develop the Apache Web server open source project and now sits on the Mozilla Foundation board, asked this question. He discussed how open source systems are being built to address some of the world's major problems: economic distress, natural-disaster responses, broken healthcare systems, education crises, and more.

ABSTRACT The paper examines the concept of over-the-shoulder learning: the informal collaborative... more ABSTRACT The paper examines the concept of over-the-shoulder learning: the informal collaborative learning of a computer application that occurs in brief episodes as part of regular work. Certain design implications are explored, including the representation of the process of system use, and the consequences of regarding interfaces as media for human-human interaction.

ABSTRACT This chapter presents results from our empirical studies of metadata quality in large co... more ABSTRACT This chapter presents results from our empirical studies of metadata quality in large corpuses of metadata harvested under open archives initiative (OAI) protocols. Along with a discussion of why and how metadata quality is important, an approach to conceptualizing, and assessing metadata quality is presented. The approach is based on a more general model of information quality for many kinds of information beyond just metadata.

Abstract Over The Shoulder Learning is the informal, spontaneous workplace help-giving interactio... more Abstract Over The Shoulder Learning is the informal, spontaneous workplace help-giving interaction that is often used by people to learn from their colleagues how to use part of a computer application. The concept is analysed in the light of a study of office activity, revealing both the strengths and weaknesses of the method.

Abstract: With current systems, we are forced to make decisions either to keep or not keep; delet... more Abstract: With current systems, we are forced to make decisions either to keep or not keep; delete or not delete a file. Unfortunately our opinions about many information items do not easily fit into this binary worldview. As a part of an exploratory study of looking at file organization on personal computers, this paper describes how people deal with this difficulty on their computers. It implies that people need a facility for information items that falls between the categories of keep and not keep.

The availability of advanced computing technologies is leading to radical changes in business, ed... more The availability of advanced computing technologies is leading to radical changes in business, education, and society in general. The aim of this project is to explore the potential of new technologies to enhance the experience of visiting a museum. The focus of this proposal is not remote access to the virtual museum; rather, I wish to examine a relatively under-explored area: how to enhance the experience of an actual museum visit in real life, through the deployment of different information technologies.

Abstract Groupware is defined as software, systems, and services that help groups of workers do t... more Abstract Groupware is defined as software, systems, and services that help groups of workers do their jobs better [2]. Computer Supported Cooperative Work is defined by Greif and Cashman as the support of multiple individuals working together with computer systems [1]. Groupware is currently a widespread tool in the professional community[3]. To educate and prepare students in these areas, many universities are teaching their students groupware and CSCW.

We describe the development of the Designers' NotePad; a tool to support the rapid creation and r... more We describe the development of the Designers' NotePad; a tool to support the rapid creation and refinement of ideas. The tool supports collaborative dialogues with features that enable idea fragments to be rapidly entered and revised. The core features are entities and links. Users are able to gradually add more structure while still keeping the freedom to rapidly refine and without being required to make premature commitments about classification. An iterative design approach was used involving frequent studies of the tool in use.

This white paper and attached pre-prints are part of the three-year interim project report for th... more This white paper and attached pre-prints are part of the three-year interim project report for the IMLS Digital Collections & Content Project, summarizing major findings October 2002 through September 2005. Project is hosted at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Project Director is Timothy W. Cole (t-cole@uiuc.edu). Full report is available at http://imlsdcc.grainger .uiuc.edu. The material in this report is based upon work supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under IMLS National Leadership Grant Award No.

Abstract: iSchools have a well-established reputation for rigorous analysis, applying a range of ... more Abstract: iSchools have a well-established reputation for rigorous analysis, applying a range of multidisciplinary methods. However, increasingly many of us are teaching design elements as well as doing design in our research.

ABSTRACT This chapter explores the concept of patchwork prototyping: the combining of open source... more ABSTRACT This chapter explores the concept of patchwork prototyping: the combining of open source software applications to rapidly create a rudimentary but fully functional prototype that can be used and hence evaluated in real-life situations.

ABSTRACT This paper presents an analysis of written and electronic records that document the coll... more ABSTRACT This paper presents an analysis of written and electronic records that document the collaborative process of packing museum artifacts in preparation for a move. The majority of data recorded detailed the process of packing, while only a small amount of the data concerned which artifacts were packed in which boxes. Museum staff members were able to use these process data to solve the numerous errors that occurred during packing.

ABSTRACT In this workshop, we explore emerging research themes in web mash-ups which are relevant... more ABSTRACT In this workshop, we explore emerging research themes in web mash-ups which are relevant to CSCW research. Web mash-ups are web sites which combine data or services from more than one source into an integrated whole. The mash-up community resembles open-source communities and likewise could benefit from further study. We explore several themes in and related to mash-ups which connect to core research areas in CSCW.

Abstract The movement from the physical to the digital library offers both dangers and opportunit... more Abstract The movement from the physical to the digital library offers both dangers and opportunities. Alongside the greater quantity of online material goes the problem of quality assurance: how can be the information searcher be sure of the status of a document. We suggest that this be addressed by supporting recommendations and that the key feature that links these recommendations together is that of usage.

Abstract We explore the application of a wiki-based technology and style of interaction to enabli... more Abstract We explore the application of a wiki-based technology and style of interaction to enabling the incremental translation of a collaborative application into a number of different languages, including variant English language interfaces better suited to the needs of particular user communities.

This paper presents a qualitative and formative study of the uses of a starfield-based visualizat... more This paper presents a qualitative and formative study of the uses of a starfield-based visualization interface for analysis of library collections. The evaluation process has produced feedback that suggests ways to significantly improve starfield interfaces and the interaction process to improve their learnability and usability. The study also gave us clear indication of additional potential uses of starfield visualizations that can be exploited by further functionality and interface development.

Abstract The paper discusses issues to be considered when evaluating an Intelligent Learning Envi... more Abstract The paper discusses issues to be considered when evaluating an Intelligent Learning Environment. In particular it considers problems that may arise when using rigorous experimental methods and the usefulness of informal techniques. It advocates the frequent use of informal in-depth studies on prototypes during the development of a system to reveal problems with the ILE in use and to raise general issues applicable across ILEs.

ABSTRACT This paper considers how studies of collaborative activities in the real world can be us... more ABSTRACT This paper considers how studies of collaborative activities in the real world can be used to aid in the design of digital libraries. We describe two studies of collaboration in physical environments. The first study examines behaviour at the enquiry desk in an academic library. The second study examines collaboration in an office environment-concentrating on'over the shoulder learning'.

Abstract Although searching for documents is the dominant paradigm in information retrieval it is... more Abstract Although searching for documents is the dominant paradigm in information retrieval it is often more effective to ask another person. A library can serve as a matchmaker that introduces users with common interests to each other. Several methods of matchmaking are described and their implications for privacy are discussed. An approach to prototyping matchmaking functionality is outlined.

Abstract This article reports on a study which used results from 119 scenario–based evaluations o... more Abstract This article reports on a study which used results from 119 scenario–based evaluations of 36 museum Web sites to develop a conceptual framework for analyzing the usability flaws of museum Web sites. It identifies 15 unique dimensions, grouped into five categories, that exemplify usability problems common to many museum Web sites. Each dimension is discussed in detail, and typical examples are provided, based on actual usability flaws observed during the evaluations.

Can open source software save the world? Recently Brian Behlendorf, who helped found and develop ... more Can open source software save the world? Recently Brian Behlendorf, who helped found and develop the Apache Web server open source project and now sits on the Mozilla Foundation board, asked this question. He discussed how open source systems are being built to address some of the world's major problems: economic distress, natural-disaster responses, broken healthcare systems, education crises, and more.

ABSTRACT The paper examines the concept of over-the-shoulder learning: the informal collaborative... more ABSTRACT The paper examines the concept of over-the-shoulder learning: the informal collaborative learning of a computer application that occurs in brief episodes as part of regular work. Certain design implications are explored, including the representation of the process of system use, and the consequences of regarding interfaces as media for human-human interaction.

ABSTRACT This chapter presents results from our empirical studies of metadata quality in large co... more ABSTRACT This chapter presents results from our empirical studies of metadata quality in large corpuses of metadata harvested under open archives initiative (OAI) protocols. Along with a discussion of why and how metadata quality is important, an approach to conceptualizing, and assessing metadata quality is presented. The approach is based on a more general model of information quality for many kinds of information beyond just metadata.

Abstract Over The Shoulder Learning is the informal, spontaneous workplace help-giving interactio... more Abstract Over The Shoulder Learning is the informal, spontaneous workplace help-giving interaction that is often used by people to learn from their colleagues how to use part of a computer application. The concept is analysed in the light of a study of office activity, revealing both the strengths and weaknesses of the method.

Abstract: With current systems, we are forced to make decisions either to keep or not keep; delet... more Abstract: With current systems, we are forced to make decisions either to keep or not keep; delete or not delete a file. Unfortunately our opinions about many information items do not easily fit into this binary worldview. As a part of an exploratory study of looking at file organization on personal computers, this paper describes how people deal with this difficulty on their computers. It implies that people need a facility for information items that falls between the categories of keep and not keep.