Participatory IT Design

The goal of participatory IT design is to set sensible, general, and workable guidelines for the introduction of new information technology systems into an organization. Reflecting the latest systems-development research, this book encourages a business- oriented and socially sensitive approach that takes into consideration the specific organizational context as well as first-hand knowledge of users’ work practices and allows all stakeholders—users, management, and staff—to participate in the process. Participatory IT Design is a guide to the theory and practice of this process that can be used as a reference work by IT professionals and as a textbook for classes in information technology at introductory through advanced levels. Drawing on the work of a ten-year research program in which the authors worked with Danish and American companies, the book offers a framework for carrying out IT design projects as well as case studies that stand as examples of the process.

The method presented in Participatory IT Design—known as the MUST method, after a Danish acronym for theories and methods of initial analysis and design activities—was developed and tested in thirteen industrial design projects for companies and organizations that included an American airline, a multinational pharmaceutical company, a national broadcasting corporation, a multinational software house, and American and Danish universities. The first part of the book introduces the concepts and guidelines on which the method is based, while the second and third parts are designed as a practical toolbox for utilizing the MUST method. Part II describes the four phases of a design project—initiation, in-line analysis, in-depth analysis, and innovation. Part III explains the method’s sixteen techniques and related representation tools, offering first an overview and then specific descriptions of each in separate sections.

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Machine Conversations

Machine Conversationsis a collection of some of the best research available in the practical arts of machine conversation. The book describes various attempts to create practical and flexible machine conversation — ways of talking to computers in an unrestricted version of English or some other language. While this book employs and advances the theory of dialogue and its linguistic underpinnings, the emphasis is on practice, both in university research laboratories and in company research and development. Since the focus is on the task and on the performance, this book provides some of the first-rate work taking place in industry, quite apart from the academic tradition. It also reveals striking and relevant facts about the tone of machine conversations and closely evaluates what users require. Machine Conversations is an excellent reference for researchers interested in computational linguistics, cognitive science, natural language processing, artificial intelligence, human computer interfaces and machine learning.

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Information Visualization

B> This is the first fully integrated book on the emerging area of information visualization, incorporating dynamic examples on an accompanying website to complement the static representations within the book. Its emphasis is on real-world examples and applications of computer-generated/interactive information visualization. Readers will learn how to display information to: pick out key information from large data streams; present ideas clearly and effectively; and increase the usability and efficiency of computer systems. It takes a dynamic approach to the subject using software examples on an associated website. This book is appropriate for readers interested in information visualization, human-computer interaction, business information technology, and computer graphics.

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Readings in Human-Computer Interaction

The effectiveness of the user-computer interface has become increasingly important as computer systems have become useful tools for persons not trained in computer science. In fact, the interface is often the most important factor in the success or failure of any computer system. Dealing with the numerous subtly interrelated issues and technical, behavioral, and aesthetic considerations consumes a large and increasing share of development time and a corresponding percentage of the total code for any given application. A revision of one of the most successful books on human-computer interaction, this compilation gives students, researchers, and practitioners an overview of the significant concepts and results in the field and a comprehensive guide to the research literature.
Like the first edition, this book combines reprints of key research papers and case studies with synthesizing survey material and analysis by the editors. It is significantly reorganized, updated, and enhanced; over 90% of the papers are new.
An invaluable resource for systems designers, cognitive scientists, computer scientists, managers, and anyone concerned with the effectiveness of user-computer interfaces, it is also designed for use as a primary or supplementary text for graduate and advanced undergraduate courses in human-computer interaction and interface design.
* Human computer interaction–historical, intellectual, and social
* Developing interactive systems, including design, evaluation methods, and development tools
* The interaction experience, through a variety of sensory modalities including vision, touch, gesture, audition, speech, and language
* Theories of information processing and issues of human-computer fit and adaptation

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