Reference:
Erickson, Thomas and McDonald, David W. HCI Remixed: Reflections on Works that have Influenced the HCI Community. MIT. 2008
Title:
Ch. 24
Summary:
Chris Schmandt describes the process used by John Gould to evaluate speech to text recognition software. Since the field was still new, and the software was not robust enough to be evaluated properly, Gould devised his own method to evaluate them. The process consisted of a subject speaking into a microphone in front of a computer. Then instead of the speech recognition software analyzing the speech, there would be a typist hidden behind a wall who would type as the subject spoke. Different algorithms would be inserted to make the speed and accuracy reflect the capabilities of the actual speech to text software.
Discussion:
This is hilarious. I am impressed by the innovation of Gould. Instead of actually evaluating the software, he created new software to simulate the speech recognition software. I don't know how accurate this would be though. If the simulated software with the typist would be close to what was being developed.
Title:
Ch. 25
Summary:
Steve Harrison discussed a project called "A Hole in Space," and how he came to work on it. What the project did was project an image on a store window of a camera looking out another store window across the country, and same for the other store. People outside one store were seeing the people outside the other store. The project also included audio feeds, so the bystanders were able to talk to each other as well.
Discussion:
I think that this was a very interesting project. I would have liked to see how people would stop in order to see this, and the crowd that eventually formed. This project is a forerunner to technology that we take for granted today, like Skype.
Title:
Ch. 26
Summary:
Scott Jenson discusses Tufte's 1+1=3 Theory. This theory is that with two objects there lies a third object in the space between. Jenson relates this to parallel lines. With one line, you have just one line, but with two parallel lines, there is also an object existing in the negative space between them. Jenson applies this theory to elevators. Elevators have an open and a close button, but Jenson argues the poor design of the buttons, and even the need for both.
Discussion:
I had never known that there was a theory about objects in the negative space in between other objects. I found that interesting. I agree with Jenson. The design of the open and close buttons on elevators are too similar. When I see someone trying to catch the elevator that I am on, I have to take a second to figure out which one is the open button, and often I don't even try, I just stick my hand in the doorway so the motion detector can read it.
Title:
Ch. 27
Summary:
Jodi Forlizzi talks about some of her experiences with topography based on Muriel Cooper's work. Cooper's Graduate students published a paper that described the Topographical Space system. This system would allow users to generate three dimensional models that had a dynamic viewing space. The user could zoom in and out, and rotate about a point. Later on, Forlizzi worked as a graduate assistant for one of Cooper's students on a project about displaying one word at a time on a viewing screen.
Discussion:
I enjoy the graphic aspect of computer science. Its always nice to see what you have done. I though that the three dimensional graphing model system was interesting. I also enjoyed the displaying one word at a time to reduce reading speed.
Title:
Ch 28
Summary:
Steve Whittaker partially agrees with Kidd that mass storage on a computer is useless. According to Kidd, there are many problems with storing data on a computer. First is that files are stored in folders, and using folders forces the user to categorize their files. Also, placing files inside of folders can cause the user to lose track and forget about the file. If it is not constantly being viewed, it is easier to forget. Another point is that storing information leads to a lack of analysis of the information.
Discussion:
I tend to agree with Kidd. Folders are great for organization, but there are many files that i have put in a folder only to forget about it, or where I put it. The lack of analysis makes me think of a book I read. In it, there was a officer who had a photographic memory, and his supervisor pointed out that just because you can spit out a bunch of facts doesn't mean you have put the pieces together and seen the whole picture.
Title:
Ch 34
Summary:
Michael Muller built upon Krupat's ethnographic analysis of Native Americans by correlating problems that he found to HCI. Krupat wrote about multiculturalism , polyvocal polity, heterogeneity as a norm. Muller took these and changed them to HCI problems based on analyst's location, translation as a core process, and verbal privilege as a core problem.
Discussion:
I liked how Muller didn't like Krupat's analysis at first and wanted more in depth information. I thought that the correlations that Muller made were interesting.
