Showing papers by "Wendy A. Kellogg published in 1999"

Socially translucent systems: social proxies, persistent conversation, and the design of “babble”

Abstract: We take as our premise that it is possible and desirable to design systems that support social processes. We describe Loops, a project which takes this approach to supporting computer-mediated communication (CMC) through structural and intemctive properties such as persistence and a minimalist graphical representation of users and their activities that we call a social proxy. We discuss a prototype called Babble that has been used by our group for over a year, and has been deployed to six other groups at the Watson labs for about two months. We describe usage experiences, lessons learned, and next steps.

The adoption and use of 'BABBLE': a field study of chat in the workplace

Abstract: One way to gain a principled understanding of computer-mediated communication (CMC) use in the wild is to consider the properties of the communication medium, the usage practices, and the social context in which practices are situated. We describe the adoption and use of a novel, chat-like system called BABBLE. Drawing on interviews and conversation logs from a 6-month field study of six different groups at IBM Corporation (USA), we examine the ways in which the technical properties of the system enable particular types of communicative practices such as waylaying and unobtrusive broadcast. We then consider how these practices influence (positively or negatively) the adoption trajectories of the six deployments.

Optimization of system performance based on communication relationship

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimizing information-retrieval related system performance based on users' communication relationships. Users' interactions and relationships with each other are tracked by a ‘relationship analyzer’ that queries multiple heterogeneous information sources, such as e-mail logs, organization charts, calendar entries, phone logs, etc. A data structure is created for each user reflecting the intensity of communication relationship with other users, and modified over time as the data in the information sources change. A relationship group is defined based on the data structure and preference or importance ratings for each type of communication relationship that includes each user's group of highest-priority other users. A derived relationship group may also be defined based on high-priority users of a user's highest-intensity relationships. The relationship analyzer then acts as a proxy for user queries, and may modify queries and create persistent data stores or store the results of queries or sub-queries in order to improve system performance in a variety of ways: for example, to shorten retrieval time, to resolve missing or ambiguous results, to prioritize information for downloading to limited-resource computing devices, or to propagate updated information among closely related users. A way to derive a relationship group based on subject lines of communications, or other text-based content of communication-related information, is also described.

Space-conserving interface control for presenting and manipulating multidimensional state

Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying information on a display device of limited display area. More specifically, an array of elements is formed on the display where each of the elements represents an attribute and has graphical information indicating the state of the attribute. Further, the position of each element in the array represents its position in a collection of attributes. Each element is also user selectable, so that when the element is selected, further information on the attribute is displayed.

Research issues in the design of online communities

Abstract: Online communities are rapidly becoming a part of how we work, play, and learn. But how are they designed? What is already known in this emerging field? What are the key questions for future research? Online communities are becoming increasingly pervasive in the personal and professional lives of people from all strata of society; however, our knowledge about them is not increasing apace. The purpose of this workshop is to bring together researchers in this new area to begin to address these questions, and to support the growth of this research field.

Towards an Infrastructure for Knowledge Communities

Abstract: In this position paper we summarize our efforts to design, implement, and deploy the infrastructure for conversationally-based knowledge communities We believe that managing knowledge or expertise really means providing an on-line workplace within which users can engage socially with one another, and, in the process, discover, develop, evolve, and explicate knowledge relevant to shared projects and goals Our basic approach is to design systems which, by making users and their activities visible to one another, can make ‘knowledge work’ visible, thus increasing its importance to coworkers and to the organization as a whole

Research issues in the design of online communities: report on the CHI 99 workshop

Abstract: After brief introductions from each research team, Sara Kiesler got us started by leading a provocative discussion of research methodology. We debated both what questions about online communities are interesting, and what questions are possible to ask given availabIe research methodologies. Some participants prefer to use an experimental methodology grounded in experimental psychoIogy and explore only those questions for which "rigorous" quantitative answers are possible. Others prefer a design-oriented approach, which relies primarily on qualitative methods from anthropology such as ethnography. Most attendees felt that a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches is warranted, and the challenge is how to use these approaches in a complementary fashion. Next, Wendy Kellogg and Tom Edckson tackled issues of the use of online communities for business. They began by leading the group in a 1950's vintage IBM 'spirit' song, reminding us that the concept of community in business and professional settings is not a new one: many businesses have long found utility in invoking "community" to increase affiliation, team work, and mutual support. So, while the idea of virtual communities of business or professional colleagues may be relatively new, the impulses driving the ideas are not.