A unified characterisation for shared multimedia CSCW workspace designs
The target of this study is synchronous multimedia computer systems for co-operative work, which makes extensive use of shared workspaces, supporting both visual and audio presentations. This article develops a formal method for describing shared CSCW workspace designs through a unifying multidimensional characterisation scheme. The scheme consists of a system of taxonomic characters (TCs), and a formal notation to specify the inherent interdependencies among the design choices. This article introduces the notion, and discusses the issues of completeness and coherence of the system. The scheme is then applied to two aspects of Multimedia CSCW: shared workspaces and floor control. Particular attention is paid to provide a unified view of both the audio and visual components, by showing how they can both be treated uniformly using the same characterisaton. Finally, the notion of control shadowing for shared workspaces is presented and is described using a special notation, the notation of control whizzies.
cscw specifications groupware design space multimedia interfaces