ICS 131: Social Analysis of Computerization

Lecture 14:

Computer Supported

Collaborative Work

Announcements

• In the spirit of the course…

• One free credit report per year, mandated by the US government. Available at:

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/freereports.htm

• Get a sense for what the financial powers-that-be know about you.

Key Idea

• Computational technology can change the way people work together.

How do people work?

• Collaborative

• Clearly defined roles

• Hierarchies

Why is work collaborative?

• Because one person doesn’t have all the necessary skills.

• Because it’s more efficient.

Why clearly defined roles?

• Allows people to understand their responsibilities and focus their efforts.

• Allows for longer-range planning.

Why hierarchies?

• Flow of information.

• Flow of control.

• Clear point of control.

Describe a Job You’ve Had

• Organizational structure

• Tasks

• Role of computers

How does computation affect collaboration?

• Remote. Example?

• Asynchronous. Example?

• Large scale. Example?

• Other effects?

Technologies that enable collaboration

• Pre 1900

• 1900-1980

• 1980-present

How does computation affect work roles?

• Greater fluidity. E.g., open source development communities let people see what has already been done.

• Makes certain jobs obsolete. E.g. “computers”. OED: One who computes; a calculator, reckoner; spec. a person employed to make calculations in an observatory, in surveying, etc.

• Creates additional work roles - IT managers.

How does computation affect hierarchies?

• Flatter or higher? Why?

Military Hierarchies

• Situational awareness through computer networks.

• Flattening out as a result of IT.

Military Hierarchies

• Also, replacing some of the tasks at the lower levels of hierarchies with autonomous systems.

• First robot killed in action

Open Source Software Development

• What is it?

• Examples?

• Why does it work?

• What are the problems?

Readings

• NYTimes - Life Hackers

• Mark, Gonzalez and Harris -Fragmented Work

Life Hackers

• What projects are described?

• What common themes are presented?

Mark, Gonzalez and Harris

• Researchers here at UCI.

Methodology

• How did they conduct their study?

What is a working sphere?

What types of interruptions are there?

How long did people spend in a working sphere before

switching?

Multitasking

• How frequently?

Differences between the two readings?

Talk Show

• Please tell two stories of how computing technology has influenced a collaborative work experience during a project class or similar effort, one based on your own experience, and one based on the experience of a person sitting next to you.

• Take 5 minutes to discuss.

Today’s discussants are...

…come on down front!

RECKSIEK, APRIL RENEE

SLEIMAN, HUSSIEN N.

TRAVERSO, DARIO ALEXANDER

FULKERSON, JEFFREY JAMES

HO, KY CUONG VAN V.

ITOMURA, ERIC JAMES

KAN, LONG TING

MATSUOKA, ASUKA

NGAN, TIK HO

PAREDES, ROBERT ANTHONY

ULHAQ, MINAM

Next class: Privacy

Reading summaries due