the issue by replacing the desktop
environment with a full-screen
application that offers a complete
interface. However, my work relied
on being able to use a diverse
range of applications for different
tasks. If the computer as a general-purpose platform is something
we wish to preserve, this will need
to change.
November + December 2012
Taking this concept to the next
level, Lui et al. recently demonstrated how a USB stick embedded
within a glowing ball can be used
as a way of playfully sharing files
in an office [ 9]. They argue that
this is far from trivial: There are
characteristics to such interactions that will be key to supporting the next generation of office
workers. Other such features
include the ability to share data
directly between the desk and personal devices [ 10, 11]. This is suggestive of a much broader design
space, a function of which would
be to support a diverse technological ecosystem.
interactions
Collaboration
Horizontal surfaces are known
to promote collaboration. Indeed,
the desk was brilliant for facilitat-
ing quick discussion and collating
ideas. We would often flip up to
the monitor to Google information.
However, like most multitouch
devices, the desk interface was
not multi-user. Being unable to
distinguish different users at the
application level has limitations,
but the most severe limitation
in my experience was that the
operating system supported inter-
action with only one application
at a time. This had the effect of
forcing everyone at the desk to be
constantly aware of how and when
those around them were interact-
ing. It severely restricted the num-
ber of ways in which collaborative
work could take place.
Acceptance and Practice
Although there were many technical limitations, none were
severe enough to prevent me
from accepting the desk into my
workflow or achieving my goals.
Nevertheless, the influence of
these limitations on how I interacted and established practices
was very high. Factors like low
resolution were silent governors
over how I did what I did. While
this would probably change given
better technology, I remain convinced that my experience would
not have been as positive had it
not been for the failsafe of the
vertical monitor. However, as I was
the developer of the system, my
tolerance to problems is considerably higher than would normally
be the case.
Most of what I perceived as a
benefit of the desk stemmed from
its role as an output device rather
than an input device. Even with
limited UI controls, the size of
the desk encouraged me to spread
information over my working environment and throughout multiple
applications. Indeed, different
tasks invoke different cognitive
processes, and it is around a user
interface that many of these processes are often structured. Giving
people control over their environment allows them to construct
processes that are illustrative of
any personal requirements and
the task they are doing.