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Software-Ergonomie ’97 pp 27–36Cite as

What Application Designers Know: Some Thoughts on Innovation in Interactive Systems

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Part of the book series: Berichte des German Chapter of the ACM ((BGCACM,volume 49))

Abstract

This paper takes as a starting point Walter Vincenti’s seminal book, “What Engineers Know and How They Know It,” and explores the implications for interactive system design of some of his observations on engineering knowledge. In particular, it discusses the obstacles designers face in accessing relevant knowledge, and their consequent difficulties in engaging in design. The paper suggests that a crucial step in building knowledge about interactive system design knowledge is the establishment of critical parameters concerning the human activity that the application supports. It concludes with a discussion of the implications for innovative system design.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rank Xerox Research Centre, 61 Regent Street, Cambridge, UK, CB2 1AB

    Dr William Newman

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  1. Dr William Newman
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Technische Universität Dresden, Deutschland

    Rüdiger Liskowsky , Boris M. Velichkovsky  & Wolfgang Wünschmann ,  & 

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© 1997 B. G. Teubner Stuttgart

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Newman, W. (1997). What Application Designers Know: Some Thoughts on Innovation in Interactive Systems. In: Liskowsky, R., Velichkovsky, B.M., Wünschmann, W. (eds) Software-Ergonomie ’97. Berichte des German Chapter of the ACM, vol 49. Vieweg+Teubner Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-322-86782-7_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-322-86782-7_2

  • Publisher Name: Vieweg+Teubner Verlag

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-519-02690-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-322-86782-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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