Mechanisms for collaboration: A design and evaluation framework for multi-user interfaces (original) (raw)

Improving Interfaces for Collaborative Work in Multiple-Device Environments

Urbana

Productive collaboration in a Multiple-Device Environment (MDE) requires an effective interface to efficiently manage applications among devices. Though many interfaces exist, there is little empirical understanding of how they affect collaboration. This paper reports results from a user study comparing how well three classes of interfaces; textual, map, and iconic, support realistic, collaborative activities in an MDE. From empirical results, our observations, and an analysis of how groups interacted with each interface, we produced a set of design lessons for improving management interfaces for MDEs. The lessons were demonstrated within the iconic interface, but are just as applicable to other interfaces. This work contributes further understanding of how to design effective management interfaces for MDEs.

Flexible User Interfaces for Group Collaboration

International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 2003

Flexible user interfaces that can be customized to meet the needs of the task at hand are particularly important for telecollaboration. This article presents the design and implementation of a user interface for DISCIPLE, a platform-independent telecollaboration framework. DISCIPLE supports sharing of Java components that are imported into the shared workspace at run-time and can be interconnected into more complex components. As a result, run-time interconnection of various components allows user tailoring of the human-computer interface. Software architecture for customization of both a group-level and application-level interfaces is presented, with interface components that are loadable on demand. The architecture integrates the sensory modalities of speech, sight, and touch. Instead of imposing one "right" solution onto users, the framework lets users tailor the user interface that best suits their needs. Finally, laboratory experience with DISCIPLE tested on a variety of applications with the framework is discussed along with future research directions. telecollaboration that can be dynamically adapted to the user's needs. Our approach offers architecture for end-user customization through on-demand loadable software components and XML documents. The architecture is an integral part of DISCIPLE (Distributed System for Collaborative Information Processing and Learning; . DISCIPLE provides a different look and feel not only across different groups but also across individuals within a group.

A Framework for a Priori Evaluation of Multimodal User Interfaces Supporting Cooperation

Human–Computer Interaction Series, 2013

In this short paper we will present our latest research on a new framework being developed for aiding novice designers of highly interactive, cooperative, multimodal systems to make expert decisions in choice of interaction modalities depending on the type of activity and its cooperative nature. Our research is conducted within the field of maritime surveillance at ATOL Laboratory and it is focused on the next generation distributed work support.

Designing interfaces to maximize the quality of collaborative work

… , 1999. HICSS-32. …, 1999

Technological advances provide designers with tools to develop interfaces with anthropomorphic qualities. However, it is not known how human participants accommodate such design features in their interactions with computers, nor do we know if these features facilitate or hinder information exchange and task performance. Study 1 examined the properties of mediation, contingency, and modality richness, whereas Study 2 examined the property of mediation. Results show that the some design features are better than others given the goal of the encounter (e.g., passive involvement vs. relation building). Discussion focuses on the relation between user perceptions, design features, and task outcomes.

A novel user interface for group collaboration

Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, 2000

Flexible user interfaces that can be customized to meet the needs of the task at hand are particularly important for real-time group collaboration. This paper presents the user interface of the DISCIPLE (DIstributed System for Collaborative Information Processing and LEarning) system for synchronous groupware along with the multimodal human-computer interface enhancement. DISCIPLE supports sharing of JavaBeans-compliant components [17], i.e., beans and applets, which at runtime get imported into the shared workspace and can be interconnected into more complex components. As a result, importing various components allows user tailoring of the human-computer interface. We present a software architecture for customization of both grouplevel and application-level interfaces. The applicationlevel interface includes a management system for sharing multiple modalities across concurrent applications. This multimodal management system is loadable on demand yet strongly embedded in the DISCIPLE framework to allow a pervasive multimodal user experience. This creates a very flexible user interface, enabling the users to tailor it to their specific needs. Finally, we report the informal laboratory experience with the framework tested on a variety of applications and discuss its limitations.

Human-centered collaborative interaction

Proceedings of the 1st ACM international workshop on Human-centered multimedia - HCM '06, 2006

Recent years have witnessed an increasing shift in interest from single user multimedia/multimodal interfaces towards support for interaction among groups of people working closely together, e.g. during meetings or problem solving sessions. However, the introduction of technology to support collaborative practices has not been devoid of problems. It is not uncommon that technology meant to support collaboration may introduce disruptions and reduce group effectiveness. Human-centered multimedia and multimodal approaches hold a promise of providing substantially enhanced user experiences by focusing attention on human perceptual and motor capabilities, and on actual user practices. In this paper we examine the problem of providing effective support for collaboration, focusing on the role of human-centered approaches that take advantage of multimodality and multimedia. We show illustrative examples that demonstrate human-centered multimodal and multimedia solutions that provide mechanisms for dealing with the intrinsic complexity of human-human interaction support.

Agent-based user interface customization in a system-mediated collaboration environment

Within a collaborative information environment, the system acts as a mediator between remotely located users. The user interface of such an information system has not only to provide support for the task to be performed, but also to reflect the ongoing discourse context. The MACIS Framework has been developed to support the design and implementation of collaborative, interactive information systems. Using a multi-agent approach, the whole information system, including its user interface, is decomposed in terms of various classes of cooperating agents. Since the users are also modeled as part of the multi-agent organization, interactions between all constituent agents are described in a uniform way.

A taxonomy of multi-user co-located interaction environments

Designing interfaces for multiuser co-located interaction in the context of a leisure environment for the general public 1 involves many challenges. An important one deals with the visual identification and tracking of one's own actions on shared interfaces. To better design interfaces that promote and facilitate interaction in those environments, it is important to understand the relations between different aspects of such interfaces and the degree of difficulty of participants to visually identify and follow their own actions. In this article we propose a definition of co-located interaction and classify several reviewed and analyzed projects that fit that specific definition using five high-level characteristics: group size, activity type, I/O distribution, display simultaneity and user attribute.

Flexible interactive technologies for multi-person tasks: current problems and future prospects

Technological support for …, 1989

Whether organizations are moving to network their personal computers, decentralize their mainframe environments, or build group-level computing structures, they share at least one major concern: to provide flexible interactive technology to support and augment multi-person work. This chapter reviews crosssectional, case study and pilot research carried out by RAND's Institute for Research on Interactive Systems, which explores the deployineit of current information technology in diverse user groups.