[Sighci-l] We are breathing.....

[Xia Lin]

Let's follow Andrew's trail for a more constructive discussion:
brainstorming some possible panel sessions for the annual meeting.



1. There is no question that HCI is a major research area.  If it is alive
or dead will not be decided by how HCI survives in ASIS.  Some of you have
discussed differences between ASIS HCI and ACM SIGCHI. They certainly can
not be compared in the same scale.  But one possible unique area that ASIS
can establish is "Information Retrieval Interfaces" -it's not a major area
in ACM SIGCHI, not in ACM SIGIR, neither.  It fits well within ASIS.  I
remembered we used to organize IR Interface Demo sections at ASIS Annual
meetings, they were very popular.  So this is my first suggestion - to
organize a demo or panel session on IR Interface Design.



2. Continuing the comparison of ACM SIGCHI and ASIS HCI, I also see a
difference in the H (human). ACM SIGCHI studies all types of users --
general computer users or system users. ASIS perhaps can focus on one
special type of users -  the middle of H and I  --- it's not C as in HCI -
it's the intersection of users and information, or simply, information
consumers and providers.  This again will play well within ASIS. A session
co-sponsored with USE group would be nice on this topic.



3.  One best way to show HCI's contribution is to present the design and
results of nice empirical studies on interfaces/interactions.  Is any one
out there doing any empirical research?  I can think of one and two ..



4.  Going back to Andrew's suggestion of providing examples of how HCI has
added knowledge to the field, one model of ACM SIGCHI might be considered -
Introducing HCI Labs.  We might organize a session to include presentation
on:

    HCI Research Agenda at Drexel

    HCI Research Agenda at Texas

    HCI Research Agenda at Michigan

    ..

Then let the schools challenge each others ..





Enough of my suggestions.  Comments?   New ideas?



-- Xia





----- Original Message -----
From: "Andrew Dillon" <adillon at gslis.utexas.edu>
To: <sighci-l at asis.org>
Sent: Monday, December 09, 2002 6:37 PM
Subject: [Sighci-l] We are breathing.....


> Well, I am pleased to note that this SIG has produced more activity via
> email over the last week than I have witnessed in the last 2 years - this
> must count for something. I'd like to explore, however, the extent to
which
> HCI within ASIST has something unique to offer to its members and the
> broader ASIST community.
>
> At the recent Annual Conference of ASIST I deliberately asked a
provocative
> question of the IA panel (which was something like: "What have you told us
> that is new?"). I would propose a similarly provocative line for us e.g.,
> what can HCI within ASIST offer that is new/unique/of value?
>
> In one way, I am convinced that the C in HCI is potentially misleading -
> since the field's focus has always been on tasks, the notion that we are
> studying phenomena that exclude information or content is not sustainable
to
> me. Furthermore, I would point out that I believe information is part of
the
> interface, it carries with it conventions and forms which serve a
> communicative process to the user, regardless or how the screen is
designed
> or the control functions are displayed. Perhaps we are the Human
Information
> Interaction group really, but that name hardly helps either.
>
> When I listen to much of what passes for IA within ASIST I also feel the
> need for the HCI group since so many issues related to user experience are
> excluded from the rather narrow 'little IA' perspective that dominates
> there.
>
> So much for the good - but what do we offer in response?
>
> Perhaps we just need this venue for those of us who want to talk on
> occasion. But I would like something more. I cannot track the original
> message that raised the point about how lacking in HCI knowledge many
people
> still are (was it you Murray?) but I think this raises a really
interesting
> point for us to consider in the light of the question I asked the IA
panel:
> What should we be doing to get the message out about the value HCI can add
> to the information world?
>
> I would love to see a panel at the next annual that had a series of
> presentations where each person contributed one example of how HCI has
added
> knowledge to the field that makes a difference. At the IA summit I heard
the
> keynote speaker say that the research on usability was relatively  useless
> as it told him nothing he did not already know. I challenged him on this
> publicly but his point stuck with many. Are we able to counter such
> arguments for HCI in general? Perhaps we do not need a panel so much as a
> public debate to stir up interest and activity in this SIG. That's my
> suggestion, but I'd love to hear yours.....
>
>
>
>
>
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