7232664
Designing in the dark: the changing user-developer relationship in information systems development
Although user involvement can be problematic for all types of information systems development, the situation has become even more difficult with the recent spread of information technology to senior organizational levels. Better theoretical conceptualization of the dynamic relationship between developers and users in systems development is needed to understand how this relationship shapes, and is shaped by, various constraints. Drawing on Giddens’ work on constraints on human action and interaction, a theoretical conceptualization of the dynamic relationship between developers and executive users is proposed. This is grounded in empirical studies of the executive information systems development process in two organizations. The paper seeks to illustrate the “enabling” properties of the constraints and their ongoing production and reproduction. Such constraints may vary in their malleability and some appear to be relatively resistant to change by developers. Nevertheless, through improvisation and ingenuity, developers can often find ways to overcome them.
19544571
Too close for comfort? Distance and engagement in interpretive information systems research
In this paper, we seek to explore the implications of the assumptions underlying interpretivism for the preferred relationship between the researcher and the research phenomenon. The growing interest in interpretive information systems research has drawn attention to the need to gain access to the interpretations of social actors. Various data-gathering methods are available to the researcher to achieve such access. These may be seen as located on a spectrum in terms of the degree of engagement between the researcher and the research subject. While engagement is not without its drawbacks from a research perspective, it may be argued that it enables good access to the sorts of data that interpretive researchers are seeking. Most of the research reported in the information systems (IS) field, however, has adopted relatively distant methods by which the researcher avoids intervention in the research context. Some of the characteristics of more engaged forms of research are illustrated through a discussion of a participant observation study of executive information systems development. This research has highlighted a number of issues that can be seen to be common to other data-gathering methods. Reasons for the neglect of engaged data-gathering methods are explored, and it is suggested that consideration of the issues it raises may contribute to more reflexive interpretive IS research practice.
6541426
Wikifying your interface: facilitating community-based interface translation
We explore the application of a wiki-based technology and style of interaction to enabling the incremental translation of a collaborative application into a number of different languages, including variant English language interfaces better suited to the needs of particular user communities. The development work allows us to explore in more detail the design space of functionality and interfaces relating to tailoring, customization, personalization and localization, and the challenges of designing to support ongoing incremental contributions by members of different use communities.
14775203
Supporting Information Structuring in a Digital Library
In this paper we present Garnet, a spatial hypertext interface to a digital library. Spatial hypertext systems support information structuring the organisation of documents performed by a user to complement their information seeking. In the past, spatial hypertext systems have suffered from poor connectivity with information sources such as digital libraries. Conversely, digital libraries have provided strong support for document retrieval whilst offering little support for information structuring over the retrieved documents. Garnet provides an integrated environment for both seeking and organising information. We report on the results of a user study that elicits the response of users to a combined seeking and structuring environment. The feasibility of exploiting the information structuring of users to identify the interests of users is also investigated.
10888216
Hypertexturing complex volume objects
This paper will examine hypertexture rendering techniques and will demonstrate how volume data sets may be adapted in order for hypertexture to be applied. Details are given of a process for the conversion of complex objects, such as CT scans, into accurate distance fields. Hypertexture is applied to these objects and example renderings include the UNC CThead, a chess piece, a dodecahedron and a tank. Additional information is given about soft objects, density modulation functions, ray marching and controlling hypertexture application.
22559047
Usability of digital libraries
7930341
StoryBank: an indian village community digital library
This paper considers information access styles for a community digital library in an Indian village. We present our impressions of the community gathered during a field-study and show how these have influenced the interaction design. The prototype aims to overcome low-textual literacy and lack of computing experience by combining touch-based interaction, engaging visual presentations and drawing on villagers' familiarity with radio listening.