CHI '02 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems
2002
Interactive technologies have changed - and continue to change - our world. We are living in an era of transformation driven by the Internet, hand-held computing, digital photography, interactive entertainment, and wireless communication technologies. But such transformations are nothing new. Adoption of many technologies has transformed our work, play, communication, and thought. It has also transformed our research and practice in the HCI community.CHI 2002 explores transforming technologies, looking back to the past and forward to the future. First, by reflecting on past (and current) technologies, we seek a better understanding of questions like: Why do some technologies succeed where others fail? How have economic and work conditions and leisure been changed? What roles have technologists, entrepreneurs, legislators, lawyers, and citizens played? We examine these issues especially as they relate to HCI, a young field that will celebrate its 20th anniversary at CHI 2002.Second, we look forward, examining emerging technologies and involving us all in shaping their progress. Profound HCI issues are raised as computer and communications technologies progress from portable to wearable to implantable, as the power and speed of technology increases and the cost decreases, and as the standard desktop graphical interface is augmented by mobile devices, tangible and mixed reality interfaces. In response, we ask: What role should HCI professionals play in the development and deployment of such profoundly transformative devices and the socio-technical systems surrounding them? How can we ensure usability and a regard for personal privacy? What is the role of the legal and political system can they "keep up" with technology, or do sufficiently compelling technologies simply push them aside.Third, in addition to looking outward, CHI 2002 has looked inward to the practices of our community. We used some new technologies to nudge the CHI conference in the direction of greater interactivity, turning attendees into participants. CHIplace.org, our interactive online forum, enables people to exchange ideas, offer suggestions, and preview conference content. As part of CHIs increasing emphasis on issues of interest to designers and usability practitioners, CHI 2002 features the Practitioners Special Track. Professional and student designers present portfolios of their work, and usability professionals reflect on the experiences they have gained with usability methods in practice. CHI 2002 also is proud to feature a two-day forum, the CHI 2002|AIGA Experience Design Forum. Held in collaboration with the Experience Design Group of AIGA, the American Institute of Graphic Arts, this forum serves as an in-depth, interdisciplinary exploration of issues in design and human-computer interaction.