A New Agenda for Computing Professionals Ben Shneiderman Ben Shneiderman ([email protected]) ([email protected]) Founding Director (1983-2000), Human-Computer Interaction Founding Director (1983-2000), Human-Computer Interaction Lab Lab Professor, Department of Computer Science Professor, Department of Computer Science Member, Institutes for Advanced Computer Studies & Member, Institutes for Advanced Computer Studies & Systems Research Systems Research
Founding Director (1983-2000), Human-Computer Interaction Lab Founding Director (1983-2000), Human-Computer Interaction Lab Professor, Department of Computer ScienceProfessor, Department of Computer Science
Member, Institutes for Advanced Computer Studies &Member, Institutes for Advanced Computer Studies &Systems ResearchSystems Research
Human-Computer Interaction Laboratory
Interdisciplinary research community - Computer Science & Psychology - Information Studies & Education
www.cs.umd.edu/hcil
Scientific ApproachScientific Approach (beyond user friendly)(beyond user friendly)
Specify users and tasksSpecify users and tasks Predict and measure (theory-driven, hypothesis-testing)Predict and measure (theory-driven, hypothesis-testing)
time to learntime to learn speed of performancespeed of performance rate of human errorsrate of human errors human retention over timehuman retention over time
Assess subjective satisfactionAssess subjective satisfaction (Questionnaire for User Interface Satisfaction)(Questionnaire for User Interface Satisfaction)
Accommodate individual differencesAccommodate individual differences Consider social, organizational & cultural contextConsider social, organizational & cultural context
Preventing future terrorPreventing future terror National ID systems: authenticate, monitor, deter Monitor selected email, financial transactions, and
travel patterns Improve transportation security: air, train, ships, roads Protect public utilities: nuclear, water, electric Attack terrorist sources Eliminate “root causes of terror”
Study the process of terrorStudy the process of terror Recruitment Training Decision-making strategies Choice of targets Travel plans Border crossing Gaining identity Local preparations Implementation
10 Questions for ID System Developers10 Questions for ID System Developers
How do you collect, verify and update the data? what data?
(signature, photo, thumbprint, eyescan)
validate new applications and lost cards? (are expired cards destroyed?)
conducts verifications? (you need terminals everywhere)
respond when a false ID is detected?
10 Questions for ID System Developers10 Questions for ID System Developers
verify security (prevent hacker destruction), privacy (keep data in control) & reliability (limit & cope with software /hardware/network/power failures?)
hire, train, and manage employees to continually improve quality
10 Questions for ID System Developers10 Questions for ID System Developers
handle inquiries from police, immigration, intelligence, and other government agencies?
ensure appropriate management and judicial oversight?
measure costs, benefits, effectiveness?
Special classes of usersSpecial classes of users
frequent travelers who agree to closer monitoring of their behavior in exchange for faster processing
non-citizen visitors whose background is checked more carefully
airline/airport/trucking/port personnel
Opportunities to increase rightsOpportunities to increase rights
Should citizens be able to view their records to verify contents the log of usage government inquiries
What form of citizen or judicial oversight?
Cautions for ID system proponentsCautions for ID system proponents
Are identification systems a good investment? Are other approaches more effective? How easy are they to compromise? What are the worst case risks? Do they generate a false sense of security
Four challengesFour challenges
1) Prevent future terror2) Strengthen communities
- increase vigilance- enable rapid response- support communities in coping
3) Broaden participation & universal usability4) Reduce inequities by international development
Social Support: ConceptsSocial Support: Concepts Online communities
E-commerce customer service & consumer conversations Medical support groups & information exchange Educational discussions & teamwork Neighborhood forums & political organizing
Social Support: GoalsSocial Support: Goals Supporting Sociability
People: Target a population Purposes: Clearly state focus Policies: Make expectations explicit
behavior, privacy, moderation, joining rules
Designing Usability Users: Know the users Tasks: Understand frequencies and sequences Systems: Choose seamless combinations of tools
Online Communities: Supporting Sociability, Designing Usability Jenny Preece, John Wiley & Sons, June 2000
Social Support: TrustSocial Support: Trust
Invite participation by ensuring trust Disclose patterns of past performance Provide references from past and current users Get certifications from third parties Make policies for privacy & security easy to find & read
Accelerate action by clarifying responsibility Clarify each participant's responsibilities Provide clear guarantees with compensation Describe dispute resolution and mediation services
Communications of the ACM, Dec. 2000, Special Issue on Trust
Restore social capitalRestore social capital Decline in community groups since 1965
Less volunteerism, reciprocity, honesty, trust, philantropy More commuting, women working, TV watching,
solitary activities Generational change
Potential remedies Youth and school projects Workplace changes Urban and metropolitan design Religion Arts & culture Politics & government
Bowling Alone Robert Putnam, 2000
Four challengesFour challenges
1) Prevent future terror2) Strengthen communities
- increase vigilance- enable rapid response- support communities in coping
3) Broaden participation & universal usability4) Reduce inequities by international development
Support broad range of hardware, software, and network access
User diversity: Accommodate users with different skills, knowledge, age, gender, literacy, culture, income, disabilities, disabling conditions (mobility, injury, noise, light)...
Gaps in user knowledge: Bridge the gap between what users know and what they need to know
Communications of the ACM, May 2000
Technology variety:Technology variety: Support broad range of Support broad range of hardware, software, and network accesshardware, software, and network access
1 to 100 range in processor speeds
286 486 Pentium
1 to 100 range in screen sizes
Palm devices Laptops Large Desktop or Wall Display 30,000 480,000 3,840,000 pixels
In a fair society, all individuals would have equal opportunity to participate in, or benefit from, the use of computer resources regardless of race, sex, religion, age, disability, national origin or other such similar factors.
Four challengesFour challenges
1) Prevent future terror2) Strengthen communities
- increase vigilance- enable rapid response- support communities in coping
3) Broaden participation & universal usability4) Reduce inequities by international development
Information Technology & DevelopmentInformation Technology & Development
Support development agencies Disaster relief Agricultural specialists & farm workers Hospitals, clinics, doctors Roads, irrigation, water, sewage, electricity,… Education & training Entrepreneurship & business development
I feel... an ardent desire to see knowledge so disseminated through the mass of mankind that it may...reach even the extremes of society: beggars and kings.
