Trans-surface computing enables work to take place across multiple devices possessed by multiple people. Information can be shared across a publicly visible and manipulable display.

The team will be tasked with developing a trans-surface information visualization application. The application will enable users to construct information resources on personal devices, and share them publicly. A group of collaborators can then manipulate the public display directly.

The application will serve in the domain of emergency response, where deployed resources are typically tracked by paper cards (T-cards) arranged on a board. As resources (fire engines, rescue vehicles, etc.) are deployed, cards are made (or retrieved from previous events) and arranged on a board to indicate their location and/or activity. This application will eliminate the need for the T-card board, and support resource tracking (and logging) electronically. New visualizations may support better sensemaking by collaborating responders.

The team will study relevant literature on Computer Supported Collaborative Work (CSCW) specifically regarding private and public spaces for human-computer interaction, sensemaking, and visualization. The readings will make the students aware of research issues involved in multimodal interaction of teams. They will develop and analyze various forms of interaction within the context of their proposed project.

minimal requirements

• users must be able to create information artifacts on their devices and share them to a public display
• the public display should be manipulable, and provide ways of visualizing classifications of the information artifacts

bonus objectives

• the public display provides a dynamically reconfigurable visualization of the artifacts
• incorporates a novel design technique for moving information artifacts

required readings

• D. M. Russell, M. J. Stefik, P. Pirolli, S. K. Card. The cost structure of sensemaking. Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 1993. 269–276.
• A. Kerne, W. A. Hamilton, P. O. Toups Dugas. Culturally Based Design: Embodying Trans-Surface Information Exchange in Rummy. Accepted at the Conference on Computer Supported Collaborative Work (CSCW) 2012.
• T. Bader, A. Heck, J. Beyerer. Lift-and-drop: Crossing boundaries in a multi-display environment by Airlift. Proceedings of the International Conference on Advanced Visual Interfaces, 2010. 139–146.
• M. R. Morris, A. Cassanego, A. Paepcke, T. Winograd, A. M. Piper, A. Huang, Mediating Group Dynamics through Tabletop Interface Design. IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications 26, 5. 65–73.
• K. Hinckley, G. Ramos, F. Guimbretiere, P. Baudisch, M. Smith. Stitching: Pen gestures that span multiple displays. Proceedings of the 10th annual ACM symposium on User interface software and technology, 1997. 31–39.
• J. Rekimoto. Pick-and-drop: A direct manipulation technique for multiple computer environments. Proceedings of the working conference on Advanced visual interfaces, 2004. 23–31.
• M. R. Morris, A. Paepcke, T. Winograd, J. Stamberger. TeamTag: Exploring centralized versus replicated controls for co-located tabletop groupware. Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2006. 1273–1282.
• R. Khaled, P. Barr, H. Johnston, R. Biddle. 2009. Let's clean up this mess: Exploring multi-touch collaborative play. Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2009. 4441–4446.
• R. Dachselt, R. Buchholz. Natural throw and tilt interaction between mobile phones and distant displays. Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2009. 3253–3258.

project resources

• 5x HTC EVO Smartphones

provided deployment platform

• Apple iMac
• HP Windows workstation

project-specific deliverables

Activity Analysis

Write a critical breakdown and analysis of the resource tracking process. Working with your mentor, you may meet with actual responders to complete this objective. You should conduct this activity yourselves with physical artifacts.

Visual aids (diagrams, flow charts, screenshots, photographs, etc.) will be essential. The breakdown should address the following in a narrative (not outline) format:

1. what information is available in the activity?
2. what information is visible to whom and at what times?
3. through what means is information transferred or communicated between participants
4. representations: how is the information encoded?
5. what social interactions take place in the environment?

Project Plan (addendum)

• In your project plan, reflect on your activity analysis and discuss it. Your project plan should address the following questions:

  1. How did what you learned from the analysis inform your design?
  2. What design elements (from the literature) are you employing? Justify your decisions.

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