Handover: Collaboration for Continuity of WorkECSCW’07 Workshop,

Tuesday 25th September 2007

Towards a PatternLanguage for Effective

Handovers.John C. Thomas

IBM T. J. Watson Research Center

A Pattern LanguageA Pattern Language• Initiated by Christopher AlexanderInitiated by Christopher Alexander• Architectural “Patterns” that capture named Architectural “Patterns” that capture named

recurring problems and solutionsrecurring problems and solutions• Organized into a “Pattern Language” – a lattice of Organized into a “Pattern Language” – a lattice of

inter-related Patterns.inter-related Patterns.• Examples: Examples:

– Eccentric Town Center encourages commuter traffic to Eccentric Town Center encourages commuter traffic to stop at Town Centerstop at Town Center

– European PubEuropean Pub– Gradient of Privacy in homes: porch, entry, living room, Gradient of Privacy in homes: porch, entry, living room,

dinning room, kitchen, bedroomdinning room, kitchen, bedroom• Since applied to other domains: Object-oriented Since applied to other domains: Object-oriented

programming(e.g.,Coplien, Vlissides, Gamma), programming(e.g.,Coplien, Vlissides, Gamma), management (e.g., Coplien & Harrison), learning (management (e.g., Coplien & Harrison), learning (http://http://www.pedagogicalpatterns.orgwww.pedagogicalpatterns.org//), HCI (e.g., ), HCI (e.g., Borchers, Tidwell, Van Weile) and the socio-Borchers, Tidwell, Van Weile) and the socio-technical domain (e.g., Schummer, Schuler).technical domain (e.g., Schummer, Schuler).

Focus and Context: An Focus and Context: An Assembly Line vs. A GardenAssembly Line vs. A Garden

• A baton is dropped:A baton is dropped:– The moment is dramatic!The moment is dramatic!– Our attention is focused on the moment.Our attention is focused on the moment.– Our culture is bent on blame.Our culture is bent on blame.

• Another approach:Another approach:– Examine the context; e.g.,Examine the context; e.g.,

• What is the current physical & psychological state of What is the current physical & psychological state of individuals?individuals?

• What is the game-theoretic context?What is the game-theoretic context?• What is the physical context; e.g., distracting stimuli?What is the physical context; e.g., distracting stimuli?• What is the larger social sharing context wrt What is the larger social sharing context wrt

knowledge, rewards, etc.?knowledge, rewards, etc.?– Examine the history:Examine the history:

• How were people trained? How were people trained? • How were expectations managed? How were expectations managed?

A Handover StoryA Handover Story

• D.H., psychiatric patient, 11 years old, D.H., psychiatric patient, 11 years old, had severe diabetes.had severe diabetes.

• After a blood test, and before lunch, After a blood test, and before lunch, given a high dose of insulin.given a high dose of insulin.

• Instead of lunch, had an energy-Instead of lunch, had an energy-consuming battle with staff.consuming battle with staff.

• Taken to an isolation room.Taken to an isolation room.• I told attending nurse to pay close I told attending nurse to pay close

attention to him for the reasons above.attention to him for the reasons above.

A Handover Story (Cont.)A Handover Story (Cont.)

• A few minutes later, I left lunchroom to check A few minutes later, I left lunchroom to check on D.H. (Why? After all, I had “handed over” on D.H. (Why? After all, I had “handed over” responsibility to the Nurse).responsibility to the Nurse).

• Nurse said, “He’s doing fine. He went right to Nurse said, “He’s doing fine. He went right to sleep.” sleep.”

• Thanks to “instant glucose” D.H. was OK.Thanks to “instant glucose” D.H. was OK.• Nurse, it turned out, was almost totally deaf!Nurse, it turned out, was almost totally deaf!• But generated social cues to indicate she But generated social cues to indicate she

“understood” what was said. Hence, no-one “understood” what was said. Hence, no-one knew!knew!

• What was my critical (wrong) assumption here? What was my critical (wrong) assumption here?

Another Handover StoryAnother Handover Story

• Thames Water CompanyThames Water Company• Engineers and DispatchersEngineers and Dispatchers• Dispatchers measured on how many Dispatchers measured on how many

calls/hourcalls/hour• Engineers measured on problems fixedEngineers measured on problems fixed• Older dispatcher given warnings; 1/3 Older dispatcher given warnings; 1/3

average calls/hour; ready to let go for average calls/hour; ready to let go for incompetenceincompetence

Rest of the Story…Rest of the Story…

• Married to an engineerMarried to an engineer• Highly experiencedHighly experienced• Average calls resulted in dispatching an Average calls resulted in dispatching an

engineer 1/10 callsengineer 1/10 calls• Her Her calls resulted in dispatching engineer calls resulted in dispatching engineer

1/1000 calls1/1000 calls• Fallacy of CompositionFallacy of Composition• In medical setting, unrelenting tests and In medical setting, unrelenting tests and

indefinite drugsindefinite drugs• Problems: novel drug interactions; drug/human Problems: novel drug interactions; drug/human

systems systems interactions; physicians seldom trained interactions; physicians seldom trained in systems thinkingin systems thinking

A Totally Different A Totally Different Handover StoryHandover Story

• The Walking People The Walking People by Paula Underwood is by Paula Underwood is the English transcription of the oral history of the English transcription of the oral history of her branch of the Iroquois.her branch of the Iroquois.

• Oral transmission of knowledge was crucial to Oral transmission of knowledge was crucial to the existence of the tribe.the existence of the tribe.

• The telephone game “shows” the unreliability The telephone game “shows” the unreliability of oral transmission. Guess again.of oral transmission. Guess again.

• How How did did oral transmission of knowledge oral transmission of knowledge work?work?

• How did they “handover” experience from one How did they “handover” experience from one generation to the next?generation to the next?

Some Patterns from the Some Patterns from the IroquoisIroquois

• ““Who Speaks for Wolf?”Who Speaks for Wolf?”• The Rule of Six.The Rule of Six.• All Learn but one is Arbitrator.All Learn but one is Arbitrator.• An Ordered Council.An Ordered Council.• Reality Check.Reality Check.• Small Successes Early.Small Successes Early.

Iroquois PatternsIroquois Patterns

• Not so much focused on the BATON Not so much focused on the BATON PASSING, PASSING, per seper se..

• Focused on Focused on setting the conditionssetting the conditions for for which effective baton passing takes which effective baton passing takes place.place.

References:References:• Alexander, C. A timeless way of building. New York: Oxford, 1979. • Alexander, C. A., Ishikawa, S., Silverstein, M., Jacobson, M. Fiksdahl-

King, I., and Angel, S. A Pattern Language. New York: Oxford Press, 1977.

• Alexander, C. The Nature of Order. New York: Oxford Press, In Press. • Coplien, J. O., and Schmidt, D. C. Pattern Languages of Program Design.

Reading, MA: Addison-Weslye, 1995. • Crabtree, A., Hemmings,T., Rodden, T.,.Pattern-based Support for

Interactive Design in Domestic Settings. Proceedings DIS 2002, 265-275.• Gamma, E., Helm, R., Johnson, R., and Vlissides, J. Design Patterns:

Elements of Reusable Object Oriented Software. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1995.

• Johansen, B. E. Johansen, B. E. Forgotten founders: How the American Indian helped Forgotten founders: How the American Indian helped shape democracy. shape democracy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Common Press, 1987.Cambridge, MA: Harvard Common Press, 1987.

• Johansen, B. E. Johansen, B. E. Debating democracy: Native American legacy of freedom. Debating democracy: Native American legacy of freedom. Sante Fe: Clear Light, 1998. Sante Fe: Clear Light, 1998.

• Liberating Voices: A Pattern Language for Social Change. www.cpsr.org/program/sphere/patterns

• Thomas, J. C. (2001). An HCI Agenda for the Next Millennium: Emergent Global Intelligence. In R. Earnshaw, R. Guedj, A. van Dam, and J. Vince (Eds.), Frontiers of human-centered computing, online communities, and virtual environments. London: Springer-Verlag.

References:References:

• Thomas, J. C., Kellogg, W.A., and Erickson, T. (2001) The Knowledge Thomas, J. C., Kellogg, W.A., and Erickson, T. (2001) The Knowledge Management puzzle: Human and social factors in knowledge management. Management puzzle: Human and social factors in knowledge management. IBM Systems Journal, IBM Systems Journal, 4040(4), 863-884. Available on-line at (4), 863-884. Available on-line at http://www.research.ibm.com/journal/sj40-4.htmlhttp://www.research.ibm.com/journal/sj40-4.html

• Thomas, J. C. (2001). An HCI Agenda for the Next Millennium: Emergent Thomas, J. C. (2001). An HCI Agenda for the Next Millennium: Emergent Global Intelligence. In R. Earnshaw, R. Guedj, A. van Dam, and J. Vince (Eds.),Global Intelligence. In R. Earnshaw, R. Guedj, A. van Dam, and J. Vince (Eds.), Frontiers of human-centered computing, online communities, and virtual Frontiers of human-centered computing, online communities, and virtual environmentsenvironments. London: Springer-Verlag. . London: Springer-Verlag.

• Thomas, J.C. (1980). The computer as an active communication medium. Thomas, J.C. (1980). The computer as an active communication medium. Invited paper, Association for Computational Linguistics, Philadelphia, June Invited paper, Association for Computational Linguistics, Philadelphia, June 1980. 1980. Proceedings of the 18th Annual Meeting of the Association for Proceedings of the 18th Annual Meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics.Computational Linguistics., pp. 83-86. , pp. 83-86.

• Malhotra, A., Thomas, J.C. and Miller, L. (1980). Cognitive processes in design. Malhotra, A., Thomas, J.C. and Miller, L. (1980). Cognitive processes in design. International Journal of Man-Machine StudiesInternational Journal of Man-Machine Studies, , 1212, pp. 119-140. , pp. 119-140.

• Thomas, J.C. (1978). A design-interpretation analysis of natural English. Thomas, J.C. (1978). A design-interpretation analysis of natural English. International Journal of Man-Machine StudiesInternational Journal of Man-Machine Studies, , 1010, pp. 651-668. , pp. 651-668.

• Thomas, J.C. and Carroll, J. (1978). The psychological study of design. Thomas, J.C. and Carroll, J. (1978). The psychological study of design. Design Design Studies,Studies, 1 (1)1 (1), pp. 5-11. , pp. 5-11.

• Underwood, P. Underwood, P. Who speaks for Wolf: A Native American learning story. Who speaks for Wolf: A Native American learning story. San San Anselmo, CA: Tribe of Two Press, 1983. Anselmo, CA: Tribe of Two Press, 1983.

• Underwood, P. Underwood, P. Three strands in the braid: A guide for learning enablers. Three strands in the braid: A guide for learning enablers. San San Anselmo, CA: Tribe of Two Press, 1994.Anselmo, CA: Tribe of Two Press, 1994.

• Underwood, P. Underwood, P. The walking people. The walking people. San Anselmo, Ca: Tribe of Two Press, San Anselmo, Ca: Tribe of Two Press, 1993.1993.