CS 575 Spring 2012 Lecture 2

Engelbart Video Discussion Object-oriented system UI, Code, Documentation, Papers Language design – “overlay” hierarchy of objects – Custom languages Finite State Machines Compiler-compiler Software Engineering – Source-code control, Documentation Communication – Message handling and management Human-computer, Human-human collaboration concepts implemented in hardware & Software sytems – Remote Videocams, mouse, …

Augmenting the Human Intellect 1962 Engelbart’s report/proposal to Air Force Ofc. Of Scientific Research – Capability to obtain better solutions to complex problems New conceptual framework – Not small tricks Example scenario: an architect’s workday – Design alternatives – Operational environments – Functional specifications – Detailed design – Tools Synthesis, analysis, verification, debugging

Engelbart Overview Conceptual framework is needed to know – What to augment artifacts language methodology Training – Goal: problem solving process Process is what we actually do, and are trying to do more effectively – Structure or organization across the board Little steps, organized as a process hierarchy – Versus objects? Process repertoire or toolkit Basic capabilities (‘hardware’) to higher-level capabilities – Synergy, emergent capabilities, … Which subprocess to choose? – Executive Capability: planning, selecting, and supervising – Augmentation impact Suppose you had a better writing tool… – Hardware, software, dictionary, spell checker, fact researcher, … – Pencil to word processor » Benefits? » Break down old process, come up with new process » New capabilities!

Engelbart: Two-domain system H-LAM/T

Engelbart (contd) Capability repertoire hierarchy – Basic capabilities (human and artifact) are the raw materials – Mental structuring (cognitive structures) Development Models: garden, basketball team, machine building – Concept structuring – Symbol structuring – Process structuring ‘M’ in H-LAM/T – Physical structuring A in H-LAM/T – Interdependence among all these structures

Engelbart (contd) How did humans get ‘augmented’ during our development? – 1. concept manipulation – 2. symbol manipulation – 3. Manual, External, Symbol Manipulation Whorf’s hypothesis: Language affects our thinking and capabilities – 4. Automated external symbol manipulation (neo- whorfian: technology affects language and capabilities) Language can also evolve to meet conceptual and task needs (counterargument to whorfian hypothesis)

Engelbart (contd) Brick-pencil experiment

Engelbart (contd) Brick-pencil expt (de-augmentation) – Typewriter: 7 sec – Pencil: 20 secs – Brick, small letters: 65+ secs – Brick, large letters: 42 secs Impacts on effectiveness of culture – Too hard  too few people doing it – Different concepts for work, record-keeping, etc. What about known impacts of actual augmentation, 46 years after Engelbart wrote this proposal?

Engelbart (contd) Concept structuring – concepts are tools – concepts have handles--representations – concept structures map to mental structures – some concept structures are better than others – language (natural lang esp) is the grand concept structuring tool

Engelbart (contd) Symbol structuring – some symbols work better than others depends on the purpose – need flexibility, translatability – view generation capability (rather than physical linear ordering)

Engelbart (contd) Interdependence among hierarchies – Cyclic – Regenerative Improvement in one category feeds improvement in other categories

Engelbart (contd) Roles and levels – executive – direct-contributive model of executive superstructure – Bureaucratic hierarchy is onerous – contractor-subcontractor model Flexibility in the Executive Role – executive tasks are complex – orderly flexibility requirement on symbol etc. structures is costly – disorderly process of change must be supported ‘agile methodologies’

Engelbart (contd) Who will benefit – Every person who does his thinking with symbolized concepts Human language, pictographs, formal logic, mathematics, … – Architects, engineers, lawyers, writers, … – ‘information workers’

Human-computer symbiosis Issues – Speed mismatch – System requirements (hardware, memory, …) – Organizational mismatch: Memory organization (Information structuring and retrieval) – Language mismatch What versus how – I/O mismatch Voice, mobile, touch, …

Computer as communication device “In a few years, men will be able to communicate more effectively through a machine than face to face” What is communication? – Two tape recorders exchanging data – Two humans having a meeting – Collaborative Modeling

Licklider Contd--Economics Models are complex Simplification is risky and dangerous – Oversimplification – Premature simplification Communicating models is expensive – Cost of not doing it?

Licklider Contd Computer as switch vs. interactor Distributed intellectual resources – ‘critical creative mass’ Vision of internet – Store-and-forward technology Economics: billing models

Vision of internet Node Mediator for online life: OLIVER Social groups Better for individual Better for society

Summary Human Augmentation & Man-Computer symbiosis studied systematically very early on Licklider’s vision of internet was based on communication Led to TCP/IP

Needfinding Exercise Post-disaster – Lost pet – Missing relative Age, disability – Locating relief centers Available Match needs – Getting help to come to you – Procurement Barter Keeping track of balance Money transfer – Limitations Servers down High traffic Random failures of connectivity but worldwide connectivity may still be available

Workarounds, hacks Errors

Good Questions? Feature x: is it important to you? Specific vulnerability of systems to abuse Open-ended: what features would you like to see? User self-profile Who would you interview?

Data recording Notetaking Photos videos

Other Strategies Diary studies