Interpersonal access control in computer-mediated communications: a systematic analysis of the design space

  • Authors:
  • Victoria Bellotti;Ann Blandford;David Duke;Allan MacLean;Jon May;Laurence Nigay

  • Affiliations:
  • Apple Computer, Inc., One nfinite Loop, Cupertino, CA;School of Computing Science, Middlesex University, London, United Kingdom;Human-Computer Interaction Group, Department of Computer Science, The University of York, Heslington, York, United Kingdom;Rank Xerox Research Center, Cambridge, United Kingdom;Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom;CLIPS-IMAG, Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble cedex, France

  • Venue:
  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Year:
  • 1996

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Abstract

Certain design projects raise difficult user-interface problems that are not easily amenable to designers' intuition or rapid prototyping due to their novelty, conceptual complexity, and the difficulty of conducting appropriate user studies. Interpersonal access control in computer-mediated communication (CMC) systems is just such a problem. We describe a collection of systematic theory-based analyses of a system prototype that inherited its control mechanism from two preexisting systems. We demonstrate that the collective use of system and user modeling techniques provides insight into this complex design problem and enables us to examine the implications of design decisions for users and implementation. The analyses identify a number of weaknesses in the prototype and are used to propose ways of making substantive refinements to improve its simplicity and appropriateness for two tasks: altering one's accessibility and distinguishing between who can make what kinds of connections. We conclude with a discussion of some critical issues that are relevant for CMC systems, and reflect on the process of applying formal human-computer interaction (HCI) techniques in informal, exploratory design contexts.