Conversation IntegrationConversation Integration

Proposed Research Project DirectionFilipe Fortes / HCI Process & Theory / 09.21.2001

Proposed Research Project DirectionFilipe Fortes / HCI Process & Theory / 09.21.2001

Sources / Inspiration

• Interaction and Outeraction: Instant Messaging in Action Making Contact / Bonnie A. Nardi / Steve Whittaker / Erin Bradner (CSCW 2000)

• Providing Presence Cues to Telephone Users Making Contact / Allen E. Milewski / Thomas M. Smith (CSCW 2000)

Phone and IM

• Different mediums for conversations

• Used for informal communication

Phone vs. IM

• Emotions easily conveyed through speech

• Speaking quicker than typing

• Single standard, widely adopted

IM vs. Phone

• Recipients can negotiate availability– Easily screened and responded to, even while

users are engaged in other tasks

• Provides record for later reference, sharing• Better transmission of textual data (e.g.

URLs)• Less obtrusive than calling or stopping by

Use in conjunction

• IM already used to negotiate telephone availability– “Is this a good time to call?”

Best of both worlds?

• Can we combine the two while retaining their strengths?– Presence Awareness– Interruption management– Conversation Logging– Informal Structure– Ubiquity

Possible Research Directions

• Incorporating IM & Phone into a device (or across devices)?

• Supporting conversation flow, tasks in office environments

• Understanding how people decide which medium to use?– Upgrading

• Others