Research
My primary research interest is in how small amounts of information may be of relatively great assistance to a learner when offered at a crucial moment. I seek to circumvent the notion of a “user” issuing a “request” in the over-used “desktop” style. Instead, my interest is in the continual ambient availability of small amounts of critical information that are likely to be of assistance at each given moment. The information should be relevant at that moment—based on context and circumstance—but its usefulness is determined by the person’s choice to attend to it.
My academic life began with a first degree in Psychology at Middlesex University, a masters in Human Centred Computer Systems at the University of Sussex and a PhD at the University of Birmingham. The PhD investigated the use of automated assistance within spoken conversations between a learner and relative expert. Using speech recognition as input, and purpose-written software, I created a system that continually offered the learner information related directly to their telephone conversation. It was found that this information improved the quality of interaction with, and understanding of, the “expert”.
Towards completion of the PhD I joined a group at Glasgow University working on the Equator project, using handheld computers to provide continual access to virtual representations of physical environments, such as photos, hypermedia and location information. The objective was to form one ‘space’ or experience combining the physical and digital representations of a location and allowing these to be shared with other people not physically present. An interesting investigation into the effects of small amounts of immediately-relevant information on peoples' perception of their environment.
In 2006-7 I worked as a Research Assistant at Oxford Brookes University on the Atgentive project - an investigation into the assessment and manipulation of attention in web-based learning systems. See the AtGentive section of the INSEAD site for my AtGentive-related publications.
Currently, I work part-time as a consultant, specialising in web-site and software usability, and am writing a book - details to appear here in early 2008.