UCD Project News Edition 14, September 29, 2003
UCD Project News is a fortnightly e-newsletter devoted to increasing
awareness of user-centred design (UCD) principles and contributing
towards a culture of UCD within the Smart Internet Technology CRC.
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In this issue:
1. Saying Goodbye to John Burke
2. Meet the New Faces of the UCD Group
3. Upcoming Conferences & Calls for Papers
4. Useful Links & References
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1.Saying Goodbye to John Burke
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John Burke is leaving the Smart Internet Technology CRC after nearly
four years. He has been important in influencing the focus on the
user in the SITCRC. Indeed, it was his enthusiasm for research on
the use of technology, and vision that technology is meant to serve
people and make life better, that kept most of us enthusiastic about
the area.
John’s career has spanned periods in IBM, Telstra, and community
work such as the Learning Exchange, the Centre for International
Research on Communication and Information Technologies (CIRCIT)
and RMIT University.
It therefore comes as no surprise that he is particularly skilled
at bringing people together from diverse disciplinary backgrounds.
Even before the SITCRC started, John organised for many of us from
all the programs to meet at Stonelea near Melbourne. We discussed
our research for three days. More important was the chance to talk
together, have dinner, and discover connections. It became easier
to relate, knowing that most of the people in the SITCRC themselves
had crossed cultural and disciplinary boundaries themselves.
We in the UCD group also benefited greatly from John’s focus
on interdisciplinary communication. He led the group in its early
years and brought us together, which was quite a challenge: we are
spread across three universities; and comprise sociologists, computer
scientists, researchers from communication studies, information
systems, business and management and industrial design. Now, with
Leon and Margaret joining us, we have architects and lawyers as
well. Once we had learnt to talk to each other, the challenge before
was to connect with technologists in different universities. It
is now happening, building on the steps that were taken four years
ago.
We want to thank John again for his leadership and friendship. We
wish him well in his future work at RMIT University and in the broader
community.
Supriya
Assoc Prof Supriya Singh,
Project Leader
supriya.singh@rmit.edu.au
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2. Meet the New Faces of the UCD Group
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The UCD Group would like to extend a warm welcome to its newest
members:
Professor Leon van Schaik, Innovation Professor of Architecture,
RMIT
http://www.ucd.smartinternet.com.au/vanschaik.html
As an architect, Leon has worked on self-help and conventional housing;
designed and built complex educational buildings, art galleries
and factories; and provided design leadership to the innovative
RMIT Technology Estate and the ecologically responsive RMIT initiative
in Vietnam. He has chaired the University Campus Planning Committee
and has instituted a process of consultant appointment that has
transformed RMIT’s reputation for Architecture and Urban Design
through award winning buildings.
As an academic, Leon has developed a practice based research program
for architects and designers whose work already demonstrates mastery
in their field. The Practice of Practice, the fourth volume documenting
this work, was published in 2003. Leon’s research interest
focuses on the ways in which architectural intelligence can support
new learning environments – real and virtual, and he is leading
an initiative that links researchers into real and virtual learning
concourses.
Leon also actively promotes local cultures of architecture internationally.
At the Venice Biennale 2000, in the 7th International Exhibition
of Architecture, he was Commissioner for Australia. He was also
on the advisory board for the 2003 Netherlands Architecture Biennale.
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Professor Margaret Jackson, Professor of Computer Law, RMIT
http://www.ucd.smartinternet.com.au/jackson.html
Professor Margaret Jackson is the University’s Professor in
Computer Law and is based in the School of Accounting and Law. She
developed the e-Business Law course in the Master of E-Business,
in online and face-to-face mode. She also lectures in Business Research
Methods. Margaret is the author of Hughes on Data Protection in
Australia, published by the LawBook Co in 2001, and has just completed
a new book A Practical Guide to Protecting Confidential Business
Information, due to be published by LawBook Co at the end of October
2003. Recent papers have been on ‘Internet Privacy’
and ‘Globalised Business Information: Can the Law Cope?’
Margaret Jackson has been at RMIT since 1986, fulfilling a number
of roles, including Sub Dean of the Faculty of Business, Head of
the Faculty Research Development Unit, and Associate Dean (Research
& Professional Development), RMIT Business. For three years,
until April 2003, she was the Dean of RMIT Business. She has been
Chair and now is Deputy Chair of the RMIT Education and Training
Intellectual Property Committee.
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3. Upcoming Conferences & Calls for Papers
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* CAiSE*04
The 16th Conference on Advanced Information Systems Engineering
will be held in Riga, Latvia, on June 7 ? 11, 2004. Since the late
1980's, CAiSE conferences have provided a forum for the presentation
and exchange of research results and practical experiences within
the field of information systems engineering.
The first call for papers is now open. Papers relating to the conference
theme of “Knowledge and Model Driven Information Systems Engineering
for Networked Organisations,” are especially welcomed. The
deadline for submission is 30 November 2003.
For further information, please visit: http://www.cs.rtu.lv/caise2004/
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* Learning Conference 2004
The 11th International Literacy and Education Research Network Conference
on Learning will be held in the Institute for Pedagogical Sciences,
Havana, Cuba, on June 27-30 2004. The overall theme of the conference
will be 'Learning Today: Communication, Technology, Environment,
Society'.
The call for papers is now open. The conference welcomes presentation
proposals from right across the field of education. Critical issues
to be addressed include education for local and global cultural
diversity, the impact of new technologies, changing forms of literacy,
and the role of education in social and personal transformation.
For further information, please visit: http://www.LearningConference.com
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4. Useful Links and References
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* Jennifer Preece, Yvonne Rogers, Helen Sharp (2002), Interaction
Design: Beyond Human-Computer Interaction, Wiley.
Interaction Design deals with a broad scope of issues, topics and
paradigms that has traditionally been the scope of Human-Computer
Interaction (HCI) and Interaction Design (ID). The book covers psychological
and social aspects of users, interaction styles, user requirements,
design approaches, usability and evaluation, traditional and future
interface paradigms and the role of theory in informing design.
The topics are grounded in the design process and the aim is to
present relevant issues in an integrated and coherent way, rather
than assembling a collection of chapters on individual HCI topics.
The author supported, highly interactive companion website provides
resources that allow readers to collaborate, find resources and
communicate with other interested users.
http://www.id-book.com/
(Companion website)
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* Tomoko Kanayama. Ethnographic Research on the Experience of Japanese
Elderly People Online. New Media & Society, 5:2 (June 01, 2003),
pp 267-288
Elderly people in Japan are becoming part of virtual communities.
This article explores the online experience of these people, how
they interact with others, and how they construct social support
relationships via computer-mediated communication (CMC). This ethnographic
study, through participant observation and in-depth interviews,
reveals that elderly Japanese people enjoy interaction in a variety
of language forms, ranging from haiku to emoticons, by combining
traditional text-based Japanese culture with a new virtual culture,
despite the limitations of text-based communication. Also, both
the immediacy and asynchrony of CMC helps them to construct real
human relationships within virtual communities, including social
connectedness to others as well as supportive and companionship
relationships. They create a sense of closeness by their sharing
stories online.
http://ejournals.ebsco.com/direct.asp?ArticleID=5Y35XCGLAQ33PG9GBTKY
(Subscription required)
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* Sun Lim (2002) “The Self-Confrontation Interview: Towards
an Enhanced Understanding of Human Factors in Web-Based Interaction
for Improved Website Usability,” Journal of Electronic Commerce
Research, Special Issue: Human Factors in Web-based Interaction,
3:3 2002
An in-depth understanding of human factors in web-based interaction
requires a methodology which enables researchers to chart online
actions, understand the cognitive processes guiding these actions
and the mental dispositions governing them. In this regard, the
self-confrontation interview is an extremely effective method. In
this article, the self-confrontation interview method, its history,
design and execution are explained. This method was utilized in
a study on online shopping behaviour. Selected findings from this
study are presented and design principles which will enhance the
usability of online store interfaces are proposed. These design
principles are: (i) follow a sequential progression, (ii) mimic
real-life scripts, (iii) provide visual indicators, (iv) place functionality
above aesthetics and (v) avoid conditioning automatic actions. The
article concludes with an assessment of the strengths and limitations
of the self-confrontation interview method and its efficacy vis
a vis other methods of studying web-based interaction.
http://www.csulb.edu/web/journals/jecr/issues/20023/paper5.pdf
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* Janet Morahan?Martin and Phyllis Schumacher, Loneliness and
social uses of the Internet, Computers in Human Behaviour, 19:6
pp 659?671
Loneliness has been associated with increased Internet use. Lonely
individuals may be drawn online because of the increased potential
for companionship, the changed social interaction patterns online,
and as a way to modulate negative moods associated with loneliness.
Anonymity and lack of face-to-face communication may decrease self-consciousness
and social anxiety, which could facilitate social behaviour and
enhance friendship formation. Support for this model was found in
a survey of 277 undergraduate Internet users that was used to assess
differences between lonely and not-lonely individuals in patterns
of Internet use. Loneliness was assessed on the UCLA Loneliness
Scale; students in the highest 20% (Lonely) were compared with all
other students (Non-lonely). Lonely individuals used the Internet
and email more and were more likely to use the Internet for emotional
support than others. Social behaviour of lonely individuals was
consistently enhanced online, and lonely individuals were more likely
to report making friends online.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/
B6VDC?48H869C?1/1/b47e200aa59663dbbc09ba46ad24f793
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