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SUMMARY:Let's stop pushing the envelope and start addressing it: a referen
 ce task agenda for HCI - William Newman and Jost Schatzmann
DTSTART:20050805T100000Z
DTEND:20050805T113000Z
UID:TALK4425@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Alan Blackwell
DESCRIPTION:The paper we will be discussing is:\n\nWhittaker\, S.\, Tervee
 n\, L.\, and Nardi\, B. (2000). Let's stop pushing the envelope and start 
 addressing it: a reference task agenda for HCI. Human Computer Interaction
 \, 15\, 75-106. \n\nThis paper is available online at:\nhttp://dagda.shef.
 ac.uk/is/people/stafpage/whittake/reference_task_hci2000.pdf\n\nOriginal a
 bstract:\nWe identify a problem with the process of research in the HCI co
 mmunity  an \noveremphasis on radical invention at the price of achieving 
 a common research focus. Without such a focus\, it is difficult to build o
 n previous work\, to compare different interaction techniques objectively\
 , and to make  progress in developing theory. These problems at the resear
 ch level have implications for practice\, too\; as researchers we often ar
 e unable to give  principled  design  advice to builders  of new systems. 
 We propose that the HCI community try to achieve a common focus around  th
 e  notion of  reference tasks. We offer arguments for the advantages of th
 is approach\, as  well as considering potential difficulties. We explain h
 ow reference tasks have been highly effective in focussing research into i
 nformation retrieval and speech recognition. We discuss what factors have 
 to be considered in selecting HCI reference tasks and present an example r
 eference task (for searching speech archives). We conclude with recommenda
 tions about necessary  steps to execute the reference task research agenda
 \, including both  required  technical research\, as well as changes in HC
 I research community practice. The technical research involves: identifica
 tion of important user tasks by systematic requirements gathering\; defini
 tion and operationalisation of  reference tasks and evaluation metrics\; e
 xecution of task-based evaluation along with judicious use of field trials
 . Perhaps more important\, we also suggest changes in HCI community practi
 ce. We must create forums for discussion of common tasks and methods by wh
 ich people can compare systems  and techniques. Only through this can the 
 notion of reference tasks be  integrated into the process of research and 
 development\, enabling the field to achieve the focus it desperately needs
 .\n\nRubric for the reading group:\nEveryone attending is expected to read
  the paper in advance. Please bring a copy with you\, preferably annotated
  with interesting reflections. The format of discussion will be a brief in
 vited introduction/critique by two members of the group\, followed by gene
 ral discussion and informal mixing. 
LOCATION:Seminar Room FW11\, Computer Laboratory
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