The emergence of ubiquitous computing as a new design paradigm poses significant challenges for HCI and interaction design. Traditionally, human-computer interaction has taken place within a constrained and well-understood domain of experience – single users sitting at desks and interacting with conventionally-designed computers employing screens, keyboards and mice for interaction. New opportunities have engendered considerable interest in “context-aware computing” – computational systems that can sense and respond to aspects of the settings in which they are used. However, considerable confusion surrounds the notion of “context” – what it means, what it includes, and what role it plays in interactive systems. This paper suggests that the representational stance implied by conventional interpretations of “context” misinterprets the role of context in everyday human activity, and proposes an alternative model that suggests different directions for design.

Abstract. Traditional document systems use hierarchical filing structures as the basis for organising, storing and retrieving documents. However, this structure is very limited in comparison with the rich and varied forms of document interaction and category management in everyday document use. Presto is a prototype document management system providing rich interaction with documents through meaningful, user-level document attributes, such as “Word file”, “published paper”, “shared with Jim”, “about Presto ” or “currently in progress”. Document attributes capture the multiple different roles that a single document might play, and allow users to rapidly reorganise their document space for the task at hand. They provide a basis for novel document systems design and new approaches to document management and interaction. In this article, we outline the motivations behind this approach, describe the principal components of our implementation, discuss architectural consequences, and show how these support new forms of interaction with large personal document spaces.

Document properties are a compelling infrastructure on which to develop document management applications. A property-based approach avoids many of the problems of traditional hierarchical storage mechanisms, reflects document organizations meaningful to user tasks, provides a means to integrate the perspectives of multiple individuals and groups, and does this all within a uniform interaction framework. Document properties can reflect not only categorizations of documents and document use, but also expressions of desired system activity, such as sharing criteria, replication management and versioning. Augmenting property-based document management systems with active properties that carry executable code enables the provision of document-based services on a property infrastructure. The combination of document properties as a uniform mechanism for document management, and active properties as a way of delivering document services, represents a new paradigm for document management infras...

Appropriation is the process by which people adopt and adapt technologies, fitting them into their working practices. It is similar to customisation, but concerns the adoption patterns of technology and the transformation of practice at a deeper level. Understanding appropriation is a key problem for developing interactive systems, since it critical to the success of technology deployment. It is also an important research issue, since appropriation lies at the intersection of workplace studies and design.

Abstract. Conventions are necessary to establish in any recurrent cooperative arrangement. In electronic work, they are important so as to regulate the use of shared objects. Based on empirical results from a long-term study of a group cooperating in electronic work, I present examples showing that the group failed to develop normative convention behavior. These difficulties in forming conventions can be attributed to a long list of factors: the lack of clear precedents, different perspectives among group members, a flexible cooperation media, limited communication, the design process, and discontinuous cooperation. Further, I argue that commitments to the conventions were difficult, due to the conventions not reaching an acceptance threshold, uneven payoffs, and weak social influences. The empirical results call for a specific set of awareness information requirements to promote active learning about the group activity in order to support the articulation of conventions. The requirements focus on the role of feedback as a powerful mechanism for shaping and learning about group behavior.

Abstract. The concept of Enterprise Content Management (ECM) represents integrated enterprise-wide management of the life cycles of all forms of recorded information content and their metadata, organized according to corporate taxonomies, and supported by appropriate technological and administrative infrastructures. Based on a case study of a Norwegian oil company (Statoil), we identify a wide range of issues related to management of content, infrastructure, and change. The ECM perspective is found to integrate and extend the existing research areas of information resource management and document management, as well as the repository model of knowledge management. ECM thus deserves further attention beyond its current market hype, as a potential area of IS research crossing several previously separate areas of information management from the viewpoint of the enterprise.

this paper, I want to sketch some aspects of appropriation, drawing on a couple of examples. The examples I draw upon here are ones that I've been involved in myself in one way or another. They are cases where appropriation has turned out to be a critical perspective on the development, deployment and uptake of a technology. Buttons and the Tailoring Culture

To design an infrastructure for knowledge communities, we need both technical expertise and an understanding of human and social aspects of communities. Technologies for implementing such infrastructures are often available. However, there is no clear, proven procedure for building successful communities. In this paper, we review research literature concerning user practices and social aspects of information and knowledge management. Based on this review, we propose preliminary design criteria for Semantic Desktop systems.

Shared workspace systems provide virtual places for selforganized and semi-structured cooperation between local and distributed team members. These cooperation systems have been adopted by a large community over the past years and the volume of managed information is increasing rapidly. However, a problem that occurs frequently is the missing user support for the workspace organization and a lack of assistance finding the right place for storing new documents and contributions. This often results in poorly organized workspaces, making it difficult to find documents. Starting with a user survey, this paper presents a solution that assists the users in finding the right location based on an analysis of recent individual and group activities combined with a content analysis of the shared workspaces. The evaluation of the system shows evidence that the combination of the two approaches provides a useful assistance for different work situations. Furthermore some unexpected effects could be observed that makes the solution also suitable for cooperative knowledge management.

“Context ” has become the word of the moment. Contextaware computing is a hot topic, the focus of research grants, workshops, conferences, development programs and a stream of publications. Systems that take advantage of context