collaboratory life: observations on scholarship via the internet thomas a. finholt collaboratory for...
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Collaboratory life: Observations on scholarship via the Internet
Thomas A. FinholtCollaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
School of InformationThe University of Michigan
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
A problem statement
• “There is a growing mountain of research...the investigator is staggered by the findings and conclusions of thousands of other workers...”
• “...our methods of transmitting and reviewing the results of research are generations old and by now are totally inadequate for their purpose...”
• “The difficulty seems to be, not so much that we publish unduly in view of the extent and variety of present-day interests, but rather that publication has been extended far beyond our present ability to make real use of the record.”
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
“As we may think” -- 1945
• “memex” -- a device in which individuals store all their books, records, and communications, and which...may be consulted with exceeding speed and flexibility
• “links” -- associations between information
• “trails” -- persistent records of information searches across multiple sources
Vannevar Bush, author of“As we may think”
www.netspot.unisa.edu.au/tutorial/vbush/as-we-may-think.html
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
As we may work...
• electronic resources (e.g., the Web) represent a tremendous opportunity
• gains for scholars are possible...but not automatic
• the challenge: How to maximize the likelihood of positive change?
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
An old pattern
More
Time
Performance
Less
hype
raw performance of technology
“real performance”
“reality gap”
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
Interdisciplinary synergy
Behavioral & Organizational Science
Computer & Communication Science
The User’s Domain
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
Human-centered design
Build:Rapid prototyping
Trials: Deploy, use, evaluate.
Modify: extend design,evolution
Conceptualize:Interview, Observe & Define objectsin current practice; establish baseline.
“living specification”
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
A testbed for human-centered design
• “a laboratory without walls”
• support for work among geographically distributed scholars
• 1993 National Academy Report– National Academy Press
2101 Constitution Ave., NWWashington, DC 20418
• fund several prototype systems
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
The collaboratory vision
Digital libraries &electronic publishing
groups-to-information groups-to-facilities
people-to-people
Communication,Collaboration
Services
Distributed,media-richinformationtechnology
Remote instruments
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
University of Michigan Digital Library (UMDL)
• one of 6 large projects funded under the NSF/DARPA/NASA Digital Library Initiative
• centerpiece of a range of digital library projects at Michigan
• initial deployment in schools
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
The UMDL approach
• a system to support large-scale information collections and services in a heterogeneous environment
• “agent-based” -- software that mediates between information sources and users
• easy integration of new and legacy collections
• services tailored to users’ abilities and history of use
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
UIA TPA
RACIA
Registration process
CIA
Registration of collections
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
UIA TPA
RACIA
Registration processCollection search -- find CIAs
CIA
Collection search
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
UIA TPA
RACIA
Registration processConspectus search -- find CIAsInformation retrieval -- get documents
CIA
Information retrieval
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
UIA TPA
RACIA
Registration processConspectus search -- find CIAsDocument search -- get documents
CIA
The entire agent-based system
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
The UMDL interface
UMDLIndexes
Numeric Data
Spatial Data
Books
Encoded Texts
Reference Works
ImagesJournals
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
Upper Atmospheric Research Collaboratory (UARC)
• NSF-funded, 1992 to the present
• an experimental system for collaborative research over wide-area networks
• focused on data from ground-based observatories, spacecraft, and supercomputer models
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
The UARC approach
• Java-based -- to overcome platform dependence
• designed to accommodate a wide range of “quality of service”
• used by an international community of 300 scientists
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
The nature of space physics
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
Remote observatories
Kangerlussauq, Greenland
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
The UARC testbed
Chat window
Radar displays
TING model
Session manager
Polar UVI
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
UARC scope, 1997
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
Access to complementary expertise
• Past: access limited by time and distance– single PI campaigns
– dependence on face-to-face meetings
• Hypothesis: UARC should increase access– diverse expertise should be available during UARC
campaigns
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
Pattern of participation, April 1997
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
Interaction network, 1997
Utah State
Millstone
SRIRice
EISCAT
HAO
NSF
SwRI
SPRL-3Scientist
Post-doc
Student
Student
ScientistScientist
Scientist
Scientist
Scientist
Scientist
Scientist
Scientist
SPRL-1Scientist
0 - 5 exchanges
6-10 exchanges
> 10 exchanges
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
Interaction network, 1997
Utah State
Millstone
SRIRice
EISCAT
HAO
NSF
SwRI
SPRL-3Scientist
Post-doc
Student
Student
ScientistScientist
Scientist
Scientist
Scientist
Scientist
Scientist
Scientist
SPRL-1Scientist
0 - 5 exchanges
6-10 exchanges
> 10 exchanges
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
Interaction network, 1997
Utah State
Millstone
SRIRice
EISCAT
HAO
NSF
SwRI
SPRL-3Scientist
Post-doc
Student
Student
ScientistScientist
Scientist
Scientist
Scientist
Scientist
Scientist
Scientist
SPRL-1Scientist
0 - 5 exchanges
6-10 exchanges
> 10 exchanges
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
Opportunities for participation
• Past: limited participation by students– watch, but don’t touch
– secondary analysis of data
• Hypothesis: UARC should create new ways to participate
– students will treat UARC like a computer-mediated community of learners
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
“Lurking”N
um
ber
of
con
vers
atio
nal
tu
rns
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Participants – Most active to least active
FTFUARC
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
Experimental paradigms
• Past: focus on views from instruments– local data; one person = one instrument
• Hypothesis: UARC should create simultaneous views from multiple instruments
– shift in focus to a global perspective
– emphasis on phenomena, not instruments
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
Design challenges
• Access and participation– need to create shared interpretations
– problem: absence of metaphors for “group” work involving dozens of scientists
• New experimental paradigms– need to provide multiple views
– problem: overwhelm screen real estate
• Technology– need to support tightly-coupled work
– problem: variable quality of service in current Internet
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
A vehicle for change
www.si.umich.edu
Collaboratory for Research on Electronic Work
CREW
Finholt
School of Information: Intellectual Linkages
School of Information
Information & Library Science Business Admin.Psychology
Computer Science
CREW
Economics
Org. Theory
Education
Health Care Units:Research & Practice
Design & Fine Arts,Architecture Libraries, Media Union
Law School
Public Policy Studies
Journalism,Communication