collaborative task assignment on tabletop computer

[]chayan debNew Media Design2010-12

hci researchBangaloreMarch-July 2012

today’s roadmap

Project Initiation, Research,Design Development

Prototype

Connecting the dots

Conclusion

motivation

1. Multi-Touch Table from locally sourced materials

2. Interactive Installation using Gesture Recognition

project brief

Study and understand the emerging field of Natural User Interfaces and design interactions for probable application for industrial / enterprise users.

Understanding NUI Problem Finding

Tabletop Computers “The Computer is Personal”

directionTabletop Computers

Commercially Available Lesser Explored

EducationEntertainment

Hospitality

Multi-touch capabilityLarge screen real estate

Collaborative workOffice Environment

Table-like form factorObject Recognition

CSCW

FtF / CMCommunication

research plan

Precedent StudiesSecondary Research

Interviews

Research Reflections

Research Question

research question

1. Explore properties of Tabletop Computer to know which property can be leveraged upon maximum in an office scenario.

2. In what office scenarios face-to-face collaboration is absolutely necessary? What properties of face-to-face communication make them so?

precedent studies

1. Commercial Tabletop Computer applications: Sonicspree, The Real Estate Agent

2. Commercial Project Management packages: Microsoft Project

secondary research1. Types of tables in collaboration

Tables with different sizes have different purpose:

Meeting TableCollaboration Table

Ambient Table

secondary research1. Types of tables in collaboration2. Traditional tabletop work practices

Turn-takingOrientation of items

Personal & Private Space

secondary research1. Types of tables in collaboration2. Traditional tabletop work practices3. Evolution of Tabletop Computers

1992-Now

From lab prototypes to real-world applications From single-touch to multi-touch and tangibility

From projection to direct-display technology

secondary research1. Types of tables in collaboration2. Traditional tabletop work practices3. Evolution of Tabletop Computers4. Computer-mediated communication vs.

Face-to-face communication

Reaching consensusPerception of Task

Perception of colleagueIntent of colleague

interviewproject management becomes a way of life

among the more conventional project management tasks...I think the ones which involve collaboration are the ones which are most challenging

almost all collaborative activities at some point or other involve face-to-face collaboration

social factors comeinto play

sense of seriousness

if someone means what he or she is saying

virtual is virtual

many tasks are inter-related and there are lot of dependencies

it ultimately comes down to a meeting !

my point is that if task assignment anyways, happens in the face-to-face meeting...then what is the point iterating it over the network .

research reflection

Multi-touch capabilityLarge screen real estateTable-like form factor

Object Recognition

1. Explore properties of Tabletop Computer to know which property can be leveraged upon maximum in an office scenario.

research reflection

FtF communication is required in places which require discussion and planning.

FtF is effective in disseminating task related information and in reaching

consensus.

2. In what office scenarios face-to-face collaboration is absolutely necessary? What properties of face-to-face communication make them so?

In FtF communication, the participants become aware of each other’s intent.

re-evaluation

Tabletop Computers

Commercially Available Lesser Explored

EducationEntertainment

Hospitality

Multi-touch capabilityLarge screen real estate

Collaborative workOffice Environment

Table-like form factorObject Recognition

CSCW

FtF / CMCommunication

Interviews

TaskAssignment

re-evaluationThe aim of the project is to:

1. Study Tabletop Computers as an emerging area in Natural User Interfaces, understand and build on its distinctive properties like its horizontal form factor and multi-touch abilities.

2. Understand advantages of face-to-face communication over computer-mediated communication.

3. Design for a Task Assignment application on the Tabletop Computer which could leverage on advantages of FtF communication.

idea generation

design goals1. To get the best of “meeting table” and “collaboration table”

on the table meant for task assignment.

2. To leverage on the “social” benefits of FtF communication and “productivity” benefits of CM communication in the design for human-human interaction and human-computer interaction during task assignment on tabletop computer.

3. To bring the task assignment activity back on table and help users reach consensus on task assignment activities faster.

design considerations & decisions

1. Public & Private Information

Release

Division of work surface for personal and group activity

design considerations & decisions

1. Public & Private Information

Relocate

design considerations & decisions

1. Public & Private Information

Reorient

design considerations & decisions

1. Public & Private Information

Resize

design considerations & decisions

1. Public & Private Information2. Managing Display Elements

Replicated controls over centralized controls:

Ease of collaborationUsability

Usage of screen real-estateUser preference

design considerations & decisions

1. Public & Private Information2. Managing Display Elements3. Occlusion

Address right-handed occlusion:

270o menuMulti-level sub-menus

design considerations & decisions

1. Public & Private Information2. Managing Display Elements3. Occlusion4. Democracy

Address the hierarchy issue in FtF discussion:

All tasks are independentlyrepresented as cards

design considerations & decisions

1. Public & Private Information2. Managing Display Elements3. Occlusion4. Democracy5. Metaphors Attempt to make each task cards

as “full metaphor”

design considerations & decisions

1. Public & Private Information2. Managing Display Elements3. Occlusion4. Democracy5. Metaphors6. Skeuomorphs

Attempt to retain the feel of working with physical documents on a table

Samsung SUR40 with Microsoft PixelSensePopularly called Microsoft Surface 2.0

hardware

SDK for Microsoft Surface 2.0

software

Microsoft Visual Studio 2010

C##

prototype

connecting the dots ...

1. Why Microsoft Surface tabletop computer?

1. Why Microsoft Surface tabletop computer?2. Why Task Assignment?

1. Why Microsoft Surface tabletop computer?2. Why Task Assignment?3. Why ‘tasks’ as ‘cards’?

1. Why Microsoft Surface tabletop computer?2. Why Task Assignment?3. Why ‘tasks’ as ‘cards’?4. Why only 2 login windows on Task Assignment application start-

up?

1. Why Microsoft Surface tabletop computer?2. Why Task Assignment?3. Why ‘tasks’ as ‘cards’?4. Why only 2 login windows on Task Assignment application start-up?5. Why a specific arrangement of information on task cards?

1. Why Microsoft Surface tabletop computer?2. Why Task Assignment?3. Why ‘tasks’ as ‘cards’?4. Why only 2 login windows on Task Assignment application start-up?5. Why a specific arrangement of information on task cards?6. Why task cards are scattered and not arranged?

analysis

1. Comparative Study2. Heuristic Evaluation

conclusion

1. Can be used as a platform to gauge project development.

2. Learning as a Designer, Researcher and as a Person

thank you