Saul Greenberg Computer Supported Cooperative Work Saul Greenberg Professor Department of Computer Science University of Calgary

Motivation I work by myself I work with people

In the Near Future Computers will be ubiquitous Computers will be inter-connected Result through their computers, people will be able to -communicate -work together

Let those who wish to communicate any matter of pressing importance to each other by fire-signals prepare two earthenware pots of exactly equal size both as to diameter and depth. Let the depth be 3 cubits, the diameter one…

Definitions / Research Goals Groupware -software that supports group work -investigate algorithms & architectures fundamental to multi-user systems Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) -knowledge about the context of groupware design -investigate individual/group/organizational requirements for multi- user systems feedback

Perspectives Why pursue collaboration through computers? consider massive change to society of: -printing press -telephone -facsimiles -electronic mail -world wide web

The Groupware Paradigm & Technologies same place different places same timedifferent times face to face interactions public computer screens decision rooms brainstorming tools continuous task team rooms group displays shift work groupware project management remote interactions video conferencing walls & hallways desktop conferencing shared views shared drawing/editors... communication+coordination bulletin boards asynchronous conferencing schedulers version control...

Anytime, any place groupware same place different places same timedifferent times

Focus: Real Time Distributed Meetings One or more participants are in different locations Telepresence -can we give participants a sense they are in the same room? Teledata -how can participants interact over their work artifacts? Casual Interaction -how can participants get in touch with each other? Mmmm mmm mmmm mm mmm mmmmm m mmm. Mm mmmm mm. Mmmmm mmm.

Telepresence Giving participants a sense they are in the same room 1. Video Conferencing Rooms dedicated meeting rooms joined by audio & video ‘heavy weight’ to use talking heads

Telepresence Giving participants a sense they are in the same room 2. Media spaces digitally switched “ubiquitous” audio and video on personal computers

Telepresence Giving participants a sense they are in the same room Videos: Digitally switched video technology -Pandora (Olivetti) Eye contact, gestures and body language -Talking heads (MIT) -Magik (Keio University) -GestureCam (University of Tsukuba)

Telepresence Issues Size and Quality what is the image fidelity? Scalability how do I show several people? Camera positioning, focusing am I centered in the view of the camera? Eye contact is the other person looking at me? Body language can I see subtle body motions? Gaze awareness can I tell where the other person is looking? Gestures tied to artifacts can I gesture around objects Reciprocity if I can see them, can they see me?

Teledata Letting participants interact over their work artifacts Shared visual workspaces views of computer artifacts are shared in real time

GroupSketch (Calgary) Identical views, gestures, simultaneous activity

Supporting awareness when views are not identical

Supporting Awareness (Calgary)

Supporting both telepresence and teledata (NTT)

Casual Interaction and Awareness Questions who is around? are they available now? can they be interrupted? how can I initiate contact?

The problem Groupware can only work after people make contact with each other ?

Current approaches Glancing into offices via Montage (Sun Microsystems) What I see

Current Approaches Video walls (Bellcore)

Current approaches Periodic Snapshots Mark’s office (3:05pm) Mary’s office (3:01pm) Deen’s office (now)

Current Approaches Iconic indicators (Calgary)

Current Approaches Iconic indicators

Current Approaches Active badges (Olivetti)

Current Approaches Digital but physical surrogates (Calgary and Tsukuba)

The Message In the near future people will regularly communicate and work together through computers through groupware Groupware design requires technical know-how deep knowledge of the human + social factors behind communication -telepresence -teledata -awareness and casual interaction

Team Rooms