Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Mailing List 

In our last meeting and  with calls from Holger for a mailing list we are delighted to say  have managed to establish a jiscmail mailing list as a point of exchange for  those interested in architecture  and interaction. 

Please invite anyone who shows the slightest bit of interest . 


I am going to sign you up to this using the name from the workshop mailing list. You should probably get an email seeking your permission to do this and if your willing then just click (to opt out do nothing). 
In case you want to change the email address your using then you can go to the main list at 

http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/ARCHITECTURE-AND-INTERACTION

and change it. 

While it took a while for us  go through the JSIC vetting process it does mean we get space and a number of other facilities with the mailing list.

Disposition of workshop submissions


There was debate at CHI about where to put workshop papers and we left with a number of possibilities. The committee and I felt that the jiscmail server is a good location for the first workshop papers. Jiscmail is  on line and accessible in an academic  environment but reflects the tentative nature of the workshop. 

We are happy with the papers as they are and there was some very notable work. We are going to give an opportunity for you, the workshop participants to revise their submissions in light of the workshop and submit by 27th of July. If we don't here from you then we will just put up your final submission in the shared area of the  jisc list server. As always email me (n.dalton@open.ac.uk) your final PDF. Given the online nature of the system don't feel overly constrained to sticking rigidly to the 4 page CHI limit.

Changes to the committee 

Thinking is already happening for the next CHI workshop and the committee for Ar-CHI-tecture 2.0 is evolving. To that end I am happy to announce Holger Schandelbach has accepted our invitation to join the committee.

This should be the last email from me as I will be shifting these emails to the mailing list. 

thanks again for a great workshop. 

Nick Dalton and the committee.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Notes from the workshop

Ar-CHI-tecture in action


Some shots  from the workshop.

All discussing the results 





Thursday, April 19, 2012

Some sample images

As part of the ice breaker we want everyone to send in an image we can show while the participants introduce them selves. 

I thought I would show a couple of  sample images to get the creative juices working.

This was an experiment I collaborated over with a Phd Student called Gonzalo Garcia-Perate. This was a pop up wine shop with an recommender system ( when you pick up a bottle of wine it colours the table to tell you 'people that chose this wine also chose'. I think it reminds me that the space in the shop (the configuration of tables) is a much an element of the interaction design as the digital elements themselves. Its also an effect of the experimental condition too, something we really don't understand. 


This is a geodetic dome build by Buckminsterfuller himself in the 1950s. Its quite evocative this highly futuristic dome now sitting rusting outside Mobile  Alabama. I like it because it reminds me that even the future can grow old. 

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

pre-workshop organisation


Regarding position papers: the organisers and I were very pleased with the range and diversity of the workshop papers. There is clearly a lot of enthusiasm for the workshop and we have received many positive comments even from CHI organisers. It seems natural to see this as the first of a short run of workshops at CHI. 
This creates space to allow us to be slightly more efficient with our purpose: we do not have to do everything in one workshop.  This means the workshop can be slightly more exploratory than others at CHI. We are looking to explore the rich space between Interaction and Architecture. Thus, there is little work to report on but a great deal of territory to scout out. The overall aim for this workshop will be to initiate, introduce, incite and instigate rather than finalise, we have space to try to establish the right kinds of questions rather than supply the answers. As such, it seemed inappropriate to give a detailed feedback on each paper,
Our approach instead is to ask for the position papers to be revised in light of the experience of the day post workshop. The quality of the accepted papers is already very high and therefore we propose to circulate those pre-workshop. So, if you have any changes to make prior to the workshop (bearing in mind that you will have another opportunity for revision post workshop) then please get them to me by Sunday 22nd. This Monday I will send out a collated list of position papers for your inspection.

It’s normal for CHI workshops to have some last minute attendees, but this is a very healthy number for a first workshop showing the general positive reaction to the workshop theme itself.
The team and I look forward to seeing you all.
Nick Dalton

Provisional plan

Images

During the introductions, we want everyone to have a single image for them selves. It can be of a building, or a mood, or funny or anything you think represents you, your interests or your thinking. Something 640x480 or larger would be fine. These will be presented on power point and shown while you introduce yourself (everyone will get 3 minutes to say who they are, where they are from, what interests them and why they are there).  I will put a couple of examples on the website.  
Please email the images to n.dalton@open.ac.uk by Tuesday 24th May (otherwise we will randomly assign an image to you!)

The night before the workshop

We propose to have informal drinks at 8:00pm the night before the workshop (Friday) somewhere near the conference centre the night before the workshop. The final location has not been determined and if you have any recommendations then let me and know!  It’s likely that people might be arriving late so don’t worry if you can’t make it.  If you are likely to attend, then it would be helpful to let me know and I can arrange things like a phone number you can contact.

The workshop proper


The objective is to support emergent themes and issues, to genuinely respond to what has emerged from the consensus of the group rather than impose any preconceptions. From this we hope to faithfully respond to the issues, challenges and opportunities of Ar-CHI-tecture. This is an exercise in listening and participation with the emphasis on emergence and self-organisation.  

Start time is 9:00 on Saturday May 5th.
The workshop you have signed up for is Ar-CHI-tecture WS18.  We should be in room 15 but things can change, so please check on the morning on your arrival at the conference center.

The day will be split into 4 sessions.
·       Session 1
o   This will be a chance for the organisers to introduce the workshop and its objectives.
o   We will then have the time for individual introductions from each participant (with your image). Have your elevator pitch ready.
·       CHI Coffee break at 10:30
o   A chance to talk to some of the other workshop attendees and compare notes.
·       Session 2
o   Beginning with the questions ‘what can architecture do for interaction’ and ‘what can interaction do for architecture’, we ask you to put up yellow post-it notes to asking more questions.
o   The questions will be clustered and we will generate 4-6 groups of 3-4 people around similarly themed questions.
o   Each of the groups will become ‘experts for a day’ and will form a short panel to sit before the workshop and debate/answer some of the questions they have aggregated around. ( about 15 mins per panel)
·       Lunch  ~ 12:30
o   If you agree, we will book a restaurant or bar near the conference centre, and will decamp en masse to it.
o   Let me know about any special dietary requirements, we already have two vegetarians so if you expect to go to a stake house your going to be disappointed.
·       Session 3
o   Depending up time we will finish the experts for a day session(s)
o   Staying in groups we will break off into tables and try to map out the debate.
·       CHI Coffee 15:30
o   A chance to talk to some of the other workshop attendees and compare notes.
·       Session 4
o   We will regroup and report back to the workshop on the questions emerging from the themes
o   Followed by a where do we go from here? session.
§  This will be a period to reflect on what has emerged from the day and how best to take things forward.
o   Finally your chance to let us know how things went.
·       18:00 Official end of workshop
·       Again possible post workshop drinks for those with the energy to carry on the conversation.
Post conference
            I will be contacting you for your final workshop papers revised in light of the workshop experience.

Notes:

·       We would photograph and video tape the session. The objective is to possibly create a youtube video summarising the session. Depending upon results we might also be able to get this on ITunes-U. If you have any problems with appearing let me know and we will endeavour to edit you out.
·       The conference will be having a poster session on Monday at 17:00. If you would like to help make the poster or feel as if you could present the poster to others on the Monday afternoon then again let me know now or at the conference. 

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Notifications ( and corrections )

You should have got your notification by now  ( if not contact us and we can check ) . 



Hi - Please note I made an error on our original reply email and am terribly sorry about this. 

The registration code you need to use on the registration system  is WS18 not WS12 as stated.  We are workshop 18. 

Apologies again and looking forward to seeing you at CHI. 



You may have also noticed we are first on the list of workshops at CHI !
http://chi2012.acm.org/program/desktop/workshops.html

Thursday, January 5, 2012

A question of format

Hi there has been a question about which format to use for the workshop. 


Given the number of architects who we hope to attract we are generally being very flexible about format.


 If you are looking for a starting point then look to the CHI extended abstracts format which can be found here ->

http://chi2012.acm.org/cfp-formatting-instructions.shtml#extendedformat