Re: Fw: [COMPLEX-M] CFP: Coping with Complexity, Workshop, 16/17 September 2004 (Bath, UK)

[Ionel <***>]

I agree with John M. completely: this seems to be the norm, maybe even in.
or at, Santa Fe. I was surprised to find on the web under "Higher
Dimensional Automata" that some cellular automatons claim " to simulate all
life...", etc. Obviously they didn't bother to read either Robert's "Life
Itself"  or his "Essays... " As John M. says some people like complications
for the sake of complication , especially when they are less than genius
level, 'pure' mathematicians.

Ionel


Please note that the inserted quotes around "Complexity" are mine! Hope
John M. doesn't mind?!

On Tue, 1 Jun 2004 17:02:36 -0400, John M <***> wrote:

>Appeared on another ("Complexity") list. Short notice, but maybe
>some listers want to contribute a position in RR's views. It seems the
>organizers have the 'conventional complicated structures' in mind and think
>in computerized limited models, even restricting them further (by
>'abstraction') to simplify the problems.
>I don't know if they accept sent-in papers from people not going to Bath UK
>in September? I just saw the call an thought about the RR position missing
>in the writeup.
>It does not look like "THE" top cpnference of the century.
>Just FYI
>
>John Mikes
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Anne Bruseberg" <***>
>To: <***>
>Sent: Thursday, May 27, 2004 11:21 AM
>Subject: [COMPLEX-M] CFP: Coping with Complexity, Workshop, 16/17 September
>2004 (Bath, UK)
>
>
>> WORKSHOP CALL - UNIVERSITY OF BATH - 16/17 September 2004
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> Coping with complexity: sharing new approaches for the design of
>> human-computer systems in complex settings.
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> The use of interactive information and communication technologies is now
>> thoroughly ingrained in society, but the complexity of their role is
>> constantly changing, and deepening.  The complexity of the interplay
>between
>> such technologies, people and society needs to be better understood to
>give
>> design a better foundation.  Capability to support settings such as
>> collaborative work, mobile work, knowledge-sharing communities, as well
as
>> the operation of dynamic, high-consequence, and safety-critical systems,
>> requires new approaches.  Equipping computer systems with new
capabilities
>> is often approached through increased automation, adaptivity, context
>> sensitivity, and artificial intelligence techniques.  Such advances,
>> however, create new types of interaction, and therefore new problems
>> including new types of error, often with higher consequences.   However,
>the
>> aim of any such design should be to make human-computer interaction
>simpler
>> not more complex and difficult.
>>
>> Whilst theory and practice of HCI has made tremendous progress in many
>> areas, identifying suitable approaches to dealing with complexity remains
>a
>> major challenge.  Neither just modelling the complexity of the technical
>> artefacts we operate, nor modelling the activities we engage in gives us
>all
>> the insights we need for design.  We need to study the interplay of both.
>> Moreover, we are increasingly faced with having to understand what is
>often
>> termed 'context' -- the settings, resources and constraints, within which
>> tasks are carried out by individuals and groups.  Lastly, when modelling
>> interaction for design, we are faced with change and uncertainty.  How
can
>> we envisage future interaction?  What aspects of current activities,
>> knowledge and skills should be preserved?  Which aspects need to be
>> improved?
>>
>> When faced with the design of effective and seamless human-computer
>systems
>> in complex settings, we face the classical dilemma.  We need to create a
>> suitable understanding to reduce complex phenomena.  We cannot reason
>about
>> complexity without suitable abstractions that take account of the
features
>> of reality that matter for the specific design task we are faced with.
>> However, solutions for simplified systems often do not scale to complex
>> systems.  Understanding and shaping complexity requires identifying
>> essential structures and central aspects (which may differ for specific
>> domains and design problems).  Do we need to study organisational
>structures
>> and rules to deal with the problem of managing interdependencies between
>> activities?  Do we benefit from viewing interactive systems as
distributed
>> cognition by shifting traditional system boundaries between computer
>system
>> and users?  Should we design computer systems as collaborators, by
drawing
>> suitable analogies to collaboration as can be observed between humans?
>> Should we focus on studying meta-cognitive processes?  Can biological
>> systems inform the design of interactive systems?
>>
>> This workshop aims to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas on new
>> approaches to support the development of new generations of interactive
>> systems -- and to establish a network of researchers working with these
>> problems.  The workshop is open to contributors from any discipline
(e.g.,
>> computer scientists, designers, sociologists, biologists, architects,
>> environmental scientists) -- including both practitioners and academics.
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> Format and organisational details:
>>
>> We invite two types of position papers: Long Position Papers (6-8 pages)
>and
>> Short Position Papers (1-2 pages).  We will select a number of long
>position
>> papers that will be the main basis for the discussions after 20-minute
>> presentations.  The short papers act as an indicator to structure the
>themes
>> for discussion.  Acceptance of short position papers is essential for
>> attendance.  Participants will present their short papers as posters. All
>> position papers will be selected on the basis of their relevance, quality
>> and ability to stimulate discussion.  We envisage a number of
participants
>> of around 30, although some limited places may be available for people
who
>> have not submitted papers.
>>
>> *Long position papers:
>> due by the Friday,                18 June 2004;
>> should describe original research work;
>> should be 6-8 pages long, and no longer than 7000 words.
>>
>> *Short position papers:
>> also due by Friday,               18 June 2004;
>> outlining experience and views on the topic, and reasons for the interest
>> in the workshop;
>> should be 1-2 pages long, and no longer than 1500 words.
>>
>> *Notification of acceptance:          Friday 23 July 2004
>> *Workshop date:                       16-17 September 2004
>>
>> Please download the style guide:
>> http://www.cs.bath.ac.uk/~hci/Workshops/2004/formatting_guide.doc
>>
>> All accepted papers will be made available prior to the workshop via our
>> webpage http://www.cs.bath.ac.uk/~hci/Workshops/2004/complexity.htm
>> After the workshop, we will produce post-workshop
>> proceedings including a workshop report.   It is our intention to publish
>> selected papers in an extended and revised form through a journal, or as
>an
>> edited book.
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> Address For Further Information And Submissions:
>>
>> Anne Bruseberg or Peter Wild: ***
>> Department of Computer Science
>> University of Bath
>> BA2 7AY
>>
>> Workshop Organising Committee:
>> Peter Johnson
>> Anne Bruseberg
>> Peter J Wild
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
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