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Presentation
Participatory Design in the Development of a Web-based Technology for Visualizing Writing Activity as Knowledge Work
SIGDOC '12 Proceedings of the 30th ACM international conference on Design of communication (2012)
  • Sarah Read, Portland State University
  • Anna DelaMerced, University of Washington
  • Mark Zachry, University of Washington
Abstract
This study raises the question of how to make an analytical tool developed for and by researchers for visualizing writing activity as knowledge work into a useful tool for a broader community, and in particular students. The development of GEMviz, a web-based technology for creating Genre Ecology Models in research and instructional contexts, provides the context for this study. Our study examines the process of using participatory design techniques to develop GEMviz with students and researchers working in different institutions. The study illustrates a 4-stage participatory design process in which contributors voluntarily participate in varied events that contributed to the design effort, refining the technology that is meant to provide insight into the communicative practices of knowledge workers. This paper reports on this design process in light of six design and functional requirements for visualizations of writing activity and knowledge work more broadly. The paper proposes new design and functional requirements for visualizing writing activity and future directions for the technology.
Publication Date
2012
Location
Seattle, Washington
DOI
10.1145/2379057.2379119
Comments
Copyright (2012) ACM.

*At the time of publication, Sarah Read was affiliated with Depaul University.
Citation Information
Read, S., DelaMerced, A., & Zachry, M. (2012, October). Participatory design in the development of a web-based technology for visualizing writing activity as knowledge work. In Proceedings of the 30th ACM international conference on Design of communication (pp. 333-340). ACM.