This paper describes a multi-method exploratory study conducted with the aim of developing a greater understanding of how individuals working in an office environment communicate and manage information. The study is directed towards informing the design of ‘personal information management appliances’ - advanced information and communication products which support the management of electronic communication and information. The study has focused on the relationship between managers and their personal assistants as an instance of collaborating office-based professionals, identifying and categorising the range of tasks which are performed during office-based interaction. It describes the frequency and duration of a common set of tasks, indicating variations in performance of those tasks by managers and assistants, and proposes the implications which this may have on the design of enabling technologies to support such collaborative office-based activities.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
[1] R.M. Baecker , J. Grudin , W.A.S. Buxton and S. Greenberg , Readings in Human-Computer Interaction: Toward the Year 20002nd ed. ( Morgan Kaufman, San Francisco, CA , 1995).
2.
[2] J.A. Breuker and B.J. Wielinga , Techniques for Knowledge Acquisition and Analysis (Report 1.5, Esprit Project 12) ( Amsterdam , July 1984). [Memorandum 2 of the research project ‘The Acquisition of Expertise’.]
3.
[3] A.M. Burton and N.R. Shadbolt , Knowledge engineering. In: N. Williams and P. Holt (eds), Expert Systems for Users ( McGraw-Hill , 1987).
4.
[4] D. Engelbart , A conceptual framework for the augmentation of man’s intellect. In: I. Grief (ed.), Computer-Supported Cooperative Work: A Book of Readings ( Morgan Kaufman, San Mateo, CA , 1963).
5.
[5] C. Fleuriot , D.Y. Lees , R.D. Macredie , P.J. Thomas and J.F. Meech , Interface engineering in an office information appliance . In: Proceedings of the CHI ‘95 Human Factors in Computing Conference, Denver, Colorado, May 1995, pp. 242-243 .
6.
[6] D. Frohlich , Interpersonal information management. In: P. Thomas (ed.), Personal Information Systems: Business Applications ( Unicom/Stanley Thornes , 1994), pp. 133-153.
7.
[7] B.G. Glaser and A.L. Strauss , The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research ( Aldine, New York , 1967).
8.
[8] B.G. Glaser , Theoretical Sensitivity ( Sociology Press, Mill Valley, CA , 1978).
9.
[9] T.R. Halfhill , PDAs arrive - but aren’t quite here yet , BYTE (October 1993) 66-86 .
10.
[10] A. Hart , Knowledge Acquisition for Expert Systems ( McGraw-Hill, New York , 1986).
11.
[11] M. Lamming , Towards Future Personalised Information Environments . [Paper presented at FRIEND 21 Symposium on Next Generation Human Interface, 2-4 February 1994, Meguro Gajoen, Tokyo, Japan. Also available as RXRC TR 94-104.]
12.
[12] M. Lansdale , The psychology of personal information management , Applied Ergonomics19(1) (1988) 55-66 .
13.
[13] M. Lansdale and E. Edmonds , Using memory for events in the design of personal filing systems , International Journal of Man Machine Studies36 (1992) 97-126 .
14.
[14] G. De Michelis , Computer Support for Cooperative Work ( Butler Cox Foundation , 1990).
15.
[15] A. Monk , B. Nardi , N. Gilbert , M. Mantei and J. McCarthy , Mixing oil and water? Ethnography versus experimental psychology in the study of computer-mediated communication . In: Proceedings of CHI ‘93 (ACM, New York, 1993), pp. 73-74 .
16.
[16] B. O’Conaill , E. Geelhoed and P. Toft , Deskslate: A Shared Workspace for Telephone Partners (HP Technical Document) ( Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, Bristol , 1994).
17.
[17] B. Pfaffenburger , Microcomputer Applications in Qualitative Research ( Sage , 1988).
18.
[18] G.J. Proudler , C.G. Romans and C. L’Anson , Trialling GSM Data Services for the Mobile Office ( Institution of Electrical Engineers , 1995).
19.
[19] D. Randall and J. Hughes , Sociology, CSCW and working with customers. In: P. Thomas (ed.), The Social and Interactional Dimensions of Human-Computer Interfaces ( Cambridge University Press , 1995), pp. 142-160.
20.
[20] L. Richards and T. Richards , The transformation of qualitative method: computational paradigms and research processes. In: N. Fielding and R. Lee (eds), Using Computers in Qualitative Research ( Sage , 1991).
21.
[21] C. Ritchie and L. Hu , Design of an Academic Personal Information Manager ( Glasgow Caledonian University, Computer Studies Department , 1994).
22.
[22] R. Stewart , Managing Today and Tomorrow ( Macmillan , 1991).
23.
[23] A.L. Strauss and J. Corbin , Grounded theory research-procedures, canons and evaluative criteria , Zeitschrift für Soziologie19(6) (1990) 418-427 .
24.
[24] H. Thimbleby , S. Anderson and I.H. Witten , Reflexive CSCW: supporting long-term personal work , Interacting with Computers2(3) (1990) 330-336 .
25.
[Special book issue entitled The Social Contexts of Intelligent Systems, edited by P.J. Thomas .]
26.
[26] P.J. Thomas , The social and interactional dimensions of human-computer interfaces. In: P.J. Thomas (ed.), The Social and Interactional Dimensions of Human-Computer Interfaces ( Cambridge University Press , 1995), pp. 1-11.
27.
[27] P.J. Thomas , J.F. Meech and R.D. Macredie , Managing office-based services using an integrated information appliance . In: Proceedings of HFT ‘95 15th International Symposium on Human Factors in Telecommunications, Melbourne, Australia, 6-10 March 1995, pp. 427-429 .
28.
[28] M. Weiser , Some computer science issues in ubiquitous computing , Communications of the ACM36(7) (1993) 74-83 .
29.
[29] S. Whittaker , P. Hyland and M. Wiley , Filochat: hand-written notes provide access to recorded conversations . In: Proceedings of CHI ‘94, Boston, Massachusetts (ACM, New York, 1994), pp. 171-277 .
30.
[30] P. Wilson , Computer Supported Cooperative Work ( Intellect, Oxford , 1991).
