Directions for Hypertext Research: Exploring the Design Space for Interactive Scholarly Communication John J. Leggett & Frank M. Shipman Department of Computer Science and Center for the Study of Digital Libraries Texas A&M University

Motivation for topic Class at Texas A&M University Class at Texas A&M University Computers and New Media (Shipman, 2001 & 2004) Computers and New Media (Shipman, 2001 & 2004) Class at The University of Texas Class at The University of Texas Readers, Authors and Libraries: Effects of New Media (Leggett, 2001 & 2002) Readers, Authors and Libraries: Effects of New Media (Leggett, 2001 & 2002)

Overview of talk Motivation for a community developed framework for interactive scholarly communication Motivation for a community developed framework for interactive scholarly communication Seven dimensions of interactive communication Seven dimensions of interactive communication Previous work in the context of the seven dimensions Previous work in the context of the seven dimensions Open research questions Open research questions Conclusions/Goals Conclusions/Goals

Brief timeline for improved scholarly communication 1940’s Vannevar Bush 1940’s Vannevar Bush 1960’s & 1970’s Nelson, Engelbart, Licklider, van Dam 1960’s & 1970’s Nelson, Engelbart, Licklider, van Dam 1980’s Hypertext research field coalesces 1980’s Hypertext research field coalesces 1990’s Digital libraries and interactive digital storytelling research fields coalesce 1990’s Digital libraries and interactive digital storytelling research fields coalesce

Current practices of scholarly communication Focus on text and continuance of existing methods of writing the scientific record Focus on text and continuance of existing methods of writing the scientific record Restructuring old media via point-to-point conversions from the static physical world to a part of the digital world that is also static Restructuring old media via point-to-point conversions from the static physical world to a part of the digital world that is also static The way we make the record is essentially unchanged from Vannevar Bush’s time The way we make the record is essentially unchanged from Vannevar Bush’s time

A new approach to scholarly communication A wide-open exploration of the design space created by new media for writing the scientific record A wide-open exploration of the design space created by new media for writing the scientific record Focus on interactive authoring tools and systems that will help scholars record the record of their ideas and scientific contributions Focus on interactive authoring tools and systems that will help scholars record the record of their ideas and scientific contributions Authoring tools for the digital libraries of tomorrow Authoring tools for the digital libraries of tomorrow

Why are new forms of scholarly communication needed? Infrastructure is available: Infrastructure is available: Internet for dissemination Internet for dissemination Digital Libraries for archival storage Digital Libraries for archival storage Interactive faction is not keeping up with results from interactive fiction Interactive faction is not keeping up with results from interactive fiction Scholarly communication is already broken Scholarly communication is already broken Existing forms may not be the most efficient Existing forms may not be the most efficient New media may be more immersive and engaging New media may be more immersive and engaging

Plan of attack Draw upon our collective prior work on hypertext systems, interactive fiction, digital libraries, interactive digital storytelling, etc. to build an initial framework Draw upon our collective prior work on hypertext systems, interactive fiction, digital libraries, interactive digital storytelling, etc. to build an initial framework Refine and expand this framework through evaluations comparing the impact of different interactive media on scholarly communication Refine and expand this framework through evaluations comparing the impact of different interactive media on scholarly communication

Research agenda Design new systems for making and consulting the scientific record Design new systems for making and consulting the scientific record Evaluate and disseminate the results of interactive media studies on scholarly communication Evaluate and disseminate the results of interactive media studies on scholarly communication Generate and distribute new interactive media, authoring tools, and storytelling engines Generate and distribute new interactive media, authoring tools, and storytelling engines Improve the general framework for interactive scholarly communication Improve the general framework for interactive scholarly communication

Initial framework Interactive media tend to change the relationship between the reader and the author Interactive media tend to change the relationship between the reader and the author A simple model will suffice to discuss the design space of interactive scholarly communication A simple model will suffice to discuss the design space of interactive scholarly communication

Seven dimensions of interactive communication Roles Roles Voices Voices Interaction Interaction Indirection Indirection History History Narrative Narrative Media Media

Seven dimensions of interactive communication Roles Roles Voices Voices Interaction Interaction Indirection Indirection History History Narrative Narrative Media Media

Prior systems Spatial hypertext (VKB) Spatial hypertext (VKB) Digital Scholarship and Publishing (Synchrony) Digital Scholarship and Publishing (Synchrony) Metadocuments (Walden’s Paths) Metadocuments (Walden’s Paths) For each system: For each system: Brief review as media for interactive scholarly communication Brief review as media for interactive scholarly communication Locate in design space provided by the seven dimensions Locate in design space provided by the seven dimensions

VKB Spaces as media for interactive scholarly communication Publishing unit is an evolutionary space Publishing unit is an evolutionary space Authors construct the space over time through direct manipulation of visual representations Authors construct the space over time through direct manipulation of visual representations Readers explore the space to understand its message Readers explore the space to understand its message Existing media types: text, images, music files, internal and external links Existing media types: text, images, music files, internal and external links Constructed media types: classes, lists, collections Constructed media types: classes, lists, collections

VKB Spaces in the design space Multiple roles Multiple roles Multiple voices Multiple voices Moderate level of interaction Moderate level of interaction Low level of indirection Low level of indirection High level of support for history High level of support for history VKB spaces are most often non-narrative VKB spaces are most often non-narrative Low to moderate level of media use Low to moderate level of media use

Synchrony PADLs as media for interactive scholarly communication Publishing unit: a structured presentation of streaming video segments and text (transcripts, original writing, annotations) Publishing unit: a structured presentation of streaming video segments and text (transcripts, original writing, annotations) Authoring through direct manipulation Authoring through direct manipulation Readers watch streaming video and read text Readers watch streaming video and read text Existing media types: streaming video, text Existing media types: streaming video, text Constructed media types: presentations Constructed media types: presentations

Synchrony PADLs in the design space Multiple roles Multiple roles One voice One voice Low level of interaction Low level of interaction Low level of indirection Low level of indirection No history No history Highly narrative Highly narrative Moderate level of media use Moderate level of media use

Walden’s Paths as media for interactive scholarly communication Publishing unit: an annotated path Publishing unit: an annotated path Authoring via a path authoring tool Authoring via a path authoring tool Readers browse paths linearly, jump between pages of a path, or navigate off the path Readers browse paths linearly, jump between pages of a path, or navigate off the path Existing and constructed media are those offered by the web Existing and constructed media are those offered by the web

Walden’s Paths in the design space Separate author and reader roles Separate author and reader roles Multiple voices due to component pages Multiple voices due to component pages Medium level of interaction Medium level of interaction Medium level of indirection Medium level of indirection No history No history Medium level of narrative Medium level of narrative Moderate level of media use Moderate level of media use

Characteristics of communication supported by ends of spectrum RolesAuthorityDiscussion Voices Consistent presentation Many perspectives InteractionImmersionEngagement Indirection Author control Applicability to diverse situations HistoryPrivacy Understanding authoring process Narrative Facts, maps, emergent relations Comprehension of complex reasoning Media Easy distribution Multiple comprehension strategies

Research questions Should we build research systems to cover the high end of these dimensions independently or take on several dimensions at a time? Should we build research systems to cover the high end of these dimensions independently or take on several dimensions at a time? Are any of our research systems stable enough to support a community’s scholarly writing? Are any of our research systems stable enough to support a community’s scholarly writing? Which dimensions should we target? Which dimensions should we target? Indirection (e.g. authoring in VKB) Indirection (e.g. authoring in VKB) Interaction (e.g. AuthorSim) Interaction (e.g. AuthorSim) How can we share our interactive media and systems? How can we share our interactive media and systems?

Expected results Conceptual framework for interactive scholarly communication Conceptual framework for interactive scholarly communication Categorization scheme Categorization scheme Applicability conditions for the dimensions Applicability conditions for the dimensions Tradeoffs among areas in the design space Tradeoffs among areas in the design space Open source systems providing new forms of interactive scholarly communication Open source systems providing new forms of interactive scholarly communication Writings in our interactive medias that provide examples of the scholarly communication we aim to enable and facilitate Writings in our interactive medias that provide examples of the scholarly communication we aim to enable and facilitate

Conclusions/Goals A new community of researchers investigating the use of interactive scholarly communication A new community of researchers investigating the use of interactive scholarly communication Bridging methods, terminology and context of several diverse research communities Bridging methods, terminology and context of several diverse research communities Broaden the groups presenting their research at the hypertext conference Broaden the groups presenting their research at the hypertext conference Change scholarly practice for the better Change scholarly practice for the better