WORKSHOP CALL -- UNIVERSITY OF BATH -- 12/13 July 2004 Coping with complexity: sharing new approaches for the design of human-computer systems in complex settings. The use of interactive information and communication technologies is now thoroughly ingrained in society, but the complexity of their role is constantly changing, and deepening. The complexity of the interplay between such technologies, people and society needs to be better understood to give design a better foundation. Capability to support settings such as collaborative work, mobile work, knowledge-sharing communities, as well as the operation of dynamic, high-consequence, and safety-critical systems, requires new approaches. Equipping computer systems with new capabilities is often approached through increased automation, adaptivity, context sensitivity, and artificial intelligence techniques. Such advances, however, create new types of interaction, and therefore new problems including new types of error, often with higher consequences. However, the aim of any such design should be to make human-computer interaction simpler not more complex and difficult. Whilst theory and practice of HCI has made tremendous progress in many areas, identifying suitable approaches to dealing with complexity remains a major challenge. Neither just modelling the complexity of the technical artefacts we operate, nor modelling the activities we engage in gives us all the insights we need for design. We need to study the interplay of both. Moreover, we are increasingly faced with having to understand what is often termed 'context' -- the settings, resources and constraints, within which tasks are carried out by individuals and groups. Lastly, when modelling interaction for design, we are faced with change and uncertainty. How can we envisage future interaction? What aspects of current activities, knowledge and skills should be preserved? Which aspects need to be improved? When faced with the design of effective and seamless human-computer systems in complex settings, we face the classical dilemma. We need to create a suitable understanding to reduce complex phenomena. We cannot reason about complexity without suitable abstractions that take account of the features of reality that matter for the specific design task we are faced with. However, solutions for simplified systems often do not scale to complex systems. Understanding and shaping complexity requires identifying essential structures and central aspects (which may differ for specific domains and design problems). Do we need to study organisational structures and rules to deal with the problem of managing interdependencies between activities? Do we benefit from viewing interactive systems as distributed cognition by shifting traditional system boundaries between computer system and users? Should we design computer systems as collaborators, by drawing suitable analogies to collaboration as can be observed between humans? Should we focus on studying meta-cognitive processes? Can biological systems inform the design of interactive systems? This workshop aims to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas on new approaches to support the development of new generations of interactive systems -- and to establish a network of researchers working with these problems. The workshop is open to contributors from any discipline (e.g., computer scientists, designers, sociologists, biologists, architects, environmental scientists) -- including both practitioners and academics. Format and organisational details: We invite two types of position papers: Long Position Papers (6-8 pages) and Short Position Papers (1-2 pages). We will select a number of long position papers that will be the main basis for the discussions after 20-minute presentations. The short papers act as an indicator to structure the themes for discussion. Acceptance of short position papers is essential for attendance. Participants will present their short papers as posters. All position papers will be selected on the basis of their relevance, quality and ability to stimulate discussion. We envisage a number of participants of around 30, although some limited places may be available for people who have not submitted papers. *Long position papers: due by the Friday, 16th April 2004; should describe original research work; should be 6-8 pages long, and no longer than 7000 words. *Short position papers: also due by Friday, 16th April 2004; outlining experience and views on the topic, and reasons for the interest in the workshop; should be 1-2 pages long, and no longer than 1500 words. *Notification of acceptance: Monday 17th May 2004 *Workshop date: 12-13 July 2004 Please download the style guide to make our work easier http://www.cs.bath.ac.uk/~hci/Workshops/2004/formatting_guide.doc All accepted papers will be made available prior to the workshop via our webpage http://www.cs.bath.ac.uk/~hci/Workshops/2004/complexity.htm We would encourage all participants to familiarize themselves with the papers before participation. After the workshop, we will produce post-workshop proceedings including a workshop report. It is our intention to publish selected papers in an extended and revised form through a journal, or as an edited book. The workshop will run over 2 days, at the University of Bath's conference facilities during the 12th and 13th July 2004. Address For Further Information And Submissions: Anne Bruseberg or Peter Wild: [log in to unmask] Department of Computer Science University of Bath BA2 7AY Workshop Organising Committee: Peter Johnson Anne Bruseberg Peter J Wild