Concise natural language interaction (abstract only)

Abstract

Advances in both hardware and software continue to make it possible to design user oriented systems more easily. Because we have not had a language for describing the user orientation of computer systems, a variety of interpersonal metaphors have been used to aid in the comparative evaluations of systems. Recent cultural history has shaped the semantics of computer systems. Out of the turbulent, liberal strains of the 1960s emerged the movement to humanize computer systems. During the self-centered backlash of the 1970s the term friendly became a computer household word. During the 1980s we need to grow beyond a concern for friendliness alone and build systems that are considerate.Consideration supercedes friendliness in at least three major ways, First, it goes beyond satisfaction by focusing upon attempts to help and assist others. Secondly, it requires that a person take the role of another and take the other's needs into account. Thirdly, to be considerate is to be courteous and, most importantly, respectful. In these respects, the metaphor of the considerate system points to the essence of user orientation wltbout sacrificing other critical system features such as productivity. In fact, truly considerate systems will facilitate productivity because of improved communication clarity, greater tolerance for user errors and idiosyncrasies, and increased availability of options, i.e., user-directed socio-computer interaction.Designing and developing considerate systems is not easy and requires considerable time and effort. Representative users must he involved in the selection of system features and in the process (formative) evaluation as well as the outcome (summative) evaluation. Consequently, there is a very necessary and essential role for the social scientist in the development of present day socio-computer systems.