Patterns to Promote Individual and Collective Creativity

How do we help design socio-technical systems to facilitate

creativity?John Thomas, IBM Research

Las Vegas, Nevada

27 July 2005

Outline Kinds of Knowledge The Fantasy of Technology Transfer Importance of Social Factors Social – Technical Relationships Patterns and Pattern Languages Some Proposed Socio-Technical Patterns Discussion

Potential Forms of Knowledge

Known, Predictable, Unchanging, Simple

Unknown, Unpredictable, Changing, Complex

Algorithms, Formulae, Programs, Machines

Patterns

Guidelines

Heuristics, Principles, Properties

Case Studies

Stories

Ethical values and fluid intelligence

The Fantasy of Transfer

Social Scientists discover important principles of socio-technical system

Social Scientists report findings in the literature

Systems designers, ever eager to apply what is known about social science to the design of their systems, will read these articles and..

Apply what has been learned to design better systems; in this case, systems to enhance individual and collective creativity

Reality?

Findings must be incorporated into convenient, useful, usable methods and tools

Only then will they have (a reasonable chance) for positive impact

The Importance of the Social Robert Putnam: Making Democracy Work

(Italy) Bowling Alone (America) Impacts health of individual more than

smoking Impacts on whether we have a sustainable

approach to the world’s resources Impact on war and other miseries Corporations now supporting collaboration

and communities of practice Socially defined intelligence: Evan’s Thesis

on figures analogies

Some ways social and technical can interact

Technology supports existing practice (NOTES TeamRoom)

Technology changes, or destroys existing practices (garages in phone company)

Technology allows systems otherwise too costly (Babble, Co-labs)

Technology designed for one purpose; is adopted for social purpose (e-mail)

Technology designed for one function has unintended social consequences (microwave, dishwasher)

Technology impacts individual minds & this impacts social functions (video games & impatience)

Technology changes society (automobile) Changes in technology lead to desired changes in social

systems (verifiable electronic voting)

Some Aspects of Socio-Technical Interaction

Is coordinated rhythm Required (R), Helpful (+),Neutral (0), Harmful (-), or Incompatible with respect to goals ?

Is conversation R, +,0,-, I with respect to goals? Negotiation ? Shared stimlus in terms of the gross context ? Shared fine stimulus context ? What is the Physical positioning of people? How are Goals controlled? Jointly? From above? Is physical contact Required, Helpful, Neutral,

Harmful or Incompatible with meeting goals?

Additional Aspects of Socio-Technical Situation

Perceived game-theoretic aspects (zero-sum?) Preconscious game-theoretic aspects Visual Fidelity, timing of Communication Auditory Fidelity, timing of Communication Other senses involved (tactile, smell, etc.) Token interaction: cf. Football, Chess, Golf Instrumental Space of Conversation Expressive Space of Conversation

E.g. Washing Dishes

Hand Washing Duo Rhythm required Side by side

“confessional” Conversation OK Team accomplishes the

work High shared stimulus

context Possible venue for

collaborative creativity “In the moment”

Using Dishwasher Rhythm not required Unitary better Conversation ? Team or One

prepares machine to accomplish the work

Moderate shared stimulus context

Rushing to the next moment

Fixing Dinner

Traditional cooking Negotiation Required High shared stimulus

context (same meal) Synchronous activity Conversation likely Collaborative

creativity possible

Microwave No negotiation

required (separate meals)

Asynchronous activity

Conversation less likely (person who is ready first starts some other activity)

Traditional Queue

Some shared context; however… Perceived as competition for limited

resource (tickets may run out) People in front are costing you time Face to Back of Head orientation Asynchronous movement reinforces

individual identity (cf. rowing)

Vibrating Pager Queue

The obviousness of the competition has been greatly reduced

No requirement to “face the same direction”

Face to face interaction possible Conversation is much more likely

Enhanced Telephone Help Desk Queue

Many more people need help solving technical problem than servers available

People describe problem ASR used to group similar problems People are bridged onto a conference call Synthesis announces to group their areas of

overlapping interest Group may be able to solve the individual problems;

may create new knowledge collectively When available, help first gives generic advice

A Pattern Language

Christopher Alexander Architectural “Patterns” that capture

recurring problems and solutions Organized into a “Pattern Language” – a

lattice of inter-related Patterns. Examples:

– Eccentric Town Center encourages commuter traffic to stop at Town Center

– European Pub– Gradient of Privacy in homes: porch, entry,

living room, dinning room, kitchen, bedroom

Patterns Behavioral Patterns vs. Design Patterns Application Areas:

– OO Programming – Business Process Patterns– Human Computer Interaction & Sociotechnical

Patterns• CHI ’97 Workshop• Interact ’99 Workshop• CHI 2000 Workshop• CHI 2001Panel• DIAC 2002 & subsequent on-line work on Pattern Language• CHI 2002 Workshop• CSCW 2002 Workshop• CHI 2003 Workshop DTD for XML (PLML)• ECSCW 2003 Workshop in Helsinki• Two books in process

Parts of a Pattern– << Pattern Name >>

• Author, reviewer and revision dates:• Synonyms• Abstract (including evocative picture)• Problem • Context • Forces

• Solution (including schematic)• Examples • Resulting Context • Rationale • Related Patterns • Known Uses • References

Some Socio-Technical Patterns Community of Communities Reality Check Radical Co-location Small Successes Early Who Speaks for Wolf? Support Conversation at Boundaries Social Proxy Greater Gathering Cycles of Diversity & Identity Context-setting Entry Answer Garden Registered Anonymity Anonymized Stories for Organizational Learning Mentoring Circle Levels of Authority Rites of Passage

Reality Check

Reality Check

Who Speaks for Wolf?Visual by www.PDIimages.com

Small Successes Early

Support Conversation at the Borders

Cycles of Diversity and Identity

Context: A group, team, or community is working long-term to accomplish a set of interrelated goals. Tangible progress is required and what is known about the domain shows both a moderate degree of stability and a moderate degree of change due to new conditions, new knowledge gained or both.

Problem: The group, team, or community runs the dual risks of becoming too fragmented as well as becoming too in-bred, smug, and stale.

Forces: Common work practices, assumptions, methods, values, and language can all help

increase efficiency and effectiveness. People working alone or in non-communicating smaller teams will tend to have novel

experiences and perspectives. Novel experiences and perspectives lead to new ideas. New ideas eventually need to be evaluated by a wider circle of stakeholders (See

“Who Speaks for Wolf?”). Solution: Provide support for both diversity and for identity. This may be done by

instituting alternating cycles of diversity (where communication among teams is minimal and variety is encouraged) and identity (where communication across teams and sharing experiences are both encouraged)

Related Pattern: One way to help implement this is “Greater Gathering”

Greater Gathering

Context: A group of people has been attempting to accomplish some task as effectively and

efficiently as possible. In order to do this, one common method is to breakdown a large, complex task into smaller, less complex tasks. Often, those people working on a subtask naturally spend more time with others on that subtask than on other subtasks. It naturally occurs in this context that since people spend a lot of time together, they may develop common interests and also spend leisure time together as well. Sharing common sub-goals, physical contexts, and leisure activities as well as working on the same subtasks may eventually lead to an “in-group” feeling.

Problem: People in the “in-group” may begin to limit their learning because of a lack of diversity in

perspective. Furthermore, they may come to work so hard to solve their own sub-problem that they lose sight of the larger problem and make sub-optimizing decisions.

Forces: People working on a common problem often bond as well. People working on a common sub-problem often lose sight of the larger problem. Social sanctions can lead to a lack of diversity of perspectives. All people share certain basic drives. Shared special events help build social bonds. People enjoy novel experiences and viewpoints, under some circumstances An expectation of what happens (based on story and experience) can help mold what does

happen.

Greater Gathering (Continued)

Solution: All the sub-groups that need to cooperate in a larger group should

get together periodically for a meeting of “Greater Gathering.” This should be periodic and structured. Activities need to be formulated that help everyone visualize and experience common ground. Eating, drinking, dancing, singing, athletic contests, and other physical activities should also be included since these are experiences people will relate to and enjoy regardless of which sub-group they belong to or which sub-problem they are working on.

Examples: Company picnics. Company sponsored sporting events. Boy Scout Jamborees. HCII. Family reunions. Early IBM yearly 100 % club meetings.

Potential Uses of a Pattern Language Approach

Problem identification and formulation Lingua franca among stakeholders Problem solving (tool of thought) Design, maintenance (understanding implications

of change) and documentation Capture, find, and share reusable intellectual

assets Structure empirical tests of usefulness Marketing: ties to impacts on people’s image and

experience

Challenges to Pattern Approach

Developing the Pattern Language – capturing the “inter-connection and inter-dependencies of patterns”

Different tools for different pattern-user groups– Instantiating a pattern as a software artifact

(e.g., Web service)– Developing methodology, services, etc. for

using patterns (e.g., facilitating pattern-user via a Web service or wizard)

Summary and Conclusions

Knowledge, presented as a social science article, aids only in a few real-life situations

Pattern Languages and Properties may provide actionable knowledge representations

Initial focus on “Socio-technical patterns” as area of high leverage because:– Much has been learned that is not intuitive– Patterns already exist in software, HCI

Discussion (For more information): www.truthtable.com/patterns.html/ www.research.ibm.com/knowsoc/ www.truthtable.com/websitewelcome_page_index.html http://www.cpsr.org/conferences/diac02 http://www.welie.com/patterns/plml/ http://www.pliant.org/personal/Tom_Erickson/InteractionPa

tterns.html http://www.hcipatterns.org/ http://www.cpsr.org/program/sphere/patterns/ http://www.ibm.com/developerWorks/patterns/ http://jerry.cs.uiuc.edu/~plop/plop2003/cfp2003.html http:/www.cs.kent.ac.uk/people/staff/saf/patterns/

gallery.html http://www.groupware-patterns.org/ http://www.lmu.ac.uk/ies/comp/research/isle/janetfinlay/

Christopher Alexander’s Fifteen Properties from The Nature of Order

1. Levels of scale. 2. Strong centers. 3. Boundaries. 4. Alternating repetition. 5. Positive space. 6. Good shape. 7. Local symmetries. 8. Deep interlock and ambiguity. 9. Contrast. 10. Gradients. 11. Roughness. 12. Echoes. 13. The Void. 14. Simplicity and Inner Calm. 15. Not-separateness.

Can these be applied to the design of social systems?

* Levels of Scale: Organizations, Divisions,

Departments, Projects, Teams, Individual.

* Positive Space: Opposite of “not my job”; better to have contention than gaps

* The Void: Need empty space and empty time; perhaps even roles of peace

* Roughness: Problems arise when designs presume that they have covered every case.