Groupware Interfaces

Abstract

To help the interface designer take account of human capacities and skills, a number of guidelines for user interface design have been formulated, and there is now a general consensus about the desirability of abiding by these guidelines. However, the guidelines were formulated with “single-user” systems in mind; that is, for systems where the user interacts with the computer. Recently, there have been a number of experiments with and designs for systems that are intended to support computer-mediated communication, that is, where the user interacts with other users through the computer (e.g. Crowley et al. 1990; Patterson et al. 1990; Watabe et al. 1990). Such systems aim to support synchronous group working (see Chapter 1), where each user is linked to others through a computer network and possibly through audio and video channels. Brooke (Chapter 2) discusses the issues concerning the design of single-users versus systems for group working in more detail.

… that we view those (knowledge and skills) of the prospective users of the technology as central, and that we incorporate into the design process as sophisticated an understanding of the social world as the technology involved …” (Suchman 1988)