The task analysis methods discussed in this presentation stem from Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Ethnography (as applied for the design of Computer Supported Cooperative Work-CSCW), different disciplines that often are considered conflicting approaches when applied to the same design problems. Both approaches have their strength and weakness, and an integration of them does add value to the early stages of design of cooperation technology. In order to develop an integrated method for groupware task analysis (GTA) a conceptual framework is presented that allows a systematic perspective on complex work phenomena. The framework features a triple focus, considering (a) people, (b) work, and (c) the situation. Integrating various task-modeling approaches requires vehicles for making design information explicit, for which an object oriented formalism will be suggested. GTA consists of a method and framework that have been developed during practical design exercises. Examples from some of these cases will illustrate our approach.
This paper concerns the development of complex systems from the point of view of design as a structure of activities, related both to the clients and the users. Several modeling approaches will be adopted for different aspects of design, and several views on design will be integrated. The proposed activity structure is based on teaching design practice, and will be illustrated by examples from design courses for university students and for practitioners in industry. COMPLEX SYSTEMS AS A CHALLENGE FOR DESIGNThis contribution focusses on the design of that part of information systems, that is facing the users. We will only consider those aspects of the system that are of relevance to the user in working with the system. In terms of the Seeheim model (Pfaff and ten Hagen, 1985) these are the parts indicated by the user interface and the application interface. Tauber (1988) and Van der Veer et al. (1985) indicate this as the UVM, the user's virtual machine, denoting all aspects of a system the user should be aware of during interaction (including planning and evaluation of interaction).Traditional user interface design mainly concerns the situation of a single user and a monolithic system. In current applications of information technology the UVM should include all aspects of communication between the user and other users of the system as far as communication is routed through the system. It should also include aspects of distributed computing and networking as far as this is relevant for the user, like the access to and structural and time aspects of remote sources of data and computing.The newer types of application bring another dimension of complexity into view. People are collaborating in various ways mediated by information technology. Collaboration via systems requires special aspects of functionality, both providing facilities for the integration of actions originating from different users on shared objects and environments, providing facilities to manage and coordinate, and providing communication functionality.The concept of "user interface" in the literature is used to denote various parts of the UVM. Unless otherwise indicated, in this paper it will indicate the whole of the UVM, including user relevant aspects of communication and network structure, and of collaboration. As far as these extensions are an important aspect of a system, current literature often denotes such systems by the label "groupware".Our approach does not bother with this distinction. It is claimed to be relevant for both the situation of the classical single user systems and the groupware case. In fact we expect this distinction will no longer be important or even valid in the near future. The task worldFrom the point of view of the user interface, designing systems for users means designing a task world in the first place. In fact, there is already a task world to start with in most cases, which may not employ information technology, or use systems that should be improved. Consequently, design will start with knowledge acq...
CSCL (Computer Supported Co-operative Learning), better called TSCL, Telematic (and IT) Supported Co-operative Learning, seems to be driven by both social dynamics (like the tendency to reduce the formal training component in industrial settings, and have it replaced by training on the job, handling EPSS, etc) and technological facilities like Internet-based communication tools. This paper reports a recent research plan that anticipates the situation where individual learners, all having their individual learning agendas, look for partners in their learning process. TSCL, then, can assist those learners to announce them to the learning community, and also find appropriate partners to co-operate with. As far as educational institutes are concerned, we expect them to increase the level of autonomy for the learner. Teaching in this case becomes 'facilitating the information access to the learner' and 'facilitating the communication between actors in the learning process'.Abstract français: le CSCL (Computer Support Cooperative Learning -Enseignement cooppératif assiseté par ordinateur), mieux appelé le TSCL (Telematic -and ITSupported Co-operative learning; Enseignement coopératif assisté par télématique -et TI), semble poussé à la fois par la dynamique sociale (comme la tendance à réduire la composante formation formelle dans le cadre industriel et son remplacement par la formation continue au travail, la mise en oeuvre du EPSS, etc.) ainsi que par les facilités technologiques telles que les outils de communication basées sur internet. Cet article fait rapport d'un plan de recherche récent qui anticipe la situation dans laquelle les étudiants isolés, ayant tous leurs pogrammes d'apprentissage individuel, cherchent des partenaires pour cette méthode d'instruction. Le TSCL peut alors les aider en annonçant leurs demandes à la communauté éducative et trouve des partenaires compétents pour coopérer avec eux. Dans la mesure où les instituts d'éducation sont concernés, nous pensons qu'ils pourront ainsi accroître le niveau d'autonomie de l'enseigné. Dans ce cas, enseigner devient 'faciliter pour l'enseigné l'accès à l'information' et 'faciliter la communication entre acteurs dans le processus d'apprentissage'.
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