Issues in cognitive and social ergonomics: from our house to bauhaus

  • Authors:

  • John Seely Brown;Susan E. Newman

  • Affiliations:

  • Intelligent Systems Laboratory, Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, Palo Alto, CA;Intelligent Systems Laboratory, Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, Palo Alto, CA

  • Venue:
  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Year:
  • 1985

Quantified Score

Hi-index 0.00

Visualization

Abstract

Intelligibility is one of the key factors affecting the acceptance and effective use of information systems. In this article, we discuss the ways in which recognition of this factor challenges current system design strategies, as well as current theoretical perspectives and research methodologies. In particular, we claim that in order to understand the problem of system intelligibility, we must focus not only on the cognitive, but also on the social aspects of system use. After considering some of the sources of users' difficulty in understanding information systems, we propose a new global philosophy for interface design: design for the management of trouble. We discuss the design implications of four mechanisms for improving system intelligibility: (1) useful mental models of the system and its associated subsystems, (2) communicative repair in user-system interaction, (3) new training strategies, and (4) use of the larger social environment as an aid to understanding information systems. We then discuss the possibility of developing intelligent systems capable of providing assistance and feedback related specifically to users' actions. We claim that development of such systems requires understanding the mechanisms for achieving mutual intelligibility in interaction and propose new research approaches for investigating these mechanisms. In the final section, we elaborate on the relationship between information systems and the larger social environment, suggesting that the functionality and design of information systems can deeply influence the surrounding culture. We propose adopting a goal of socially proactive design and discuss the possibilities for embedding new paradigms for communication and problem solving in specialized information systems.