Designing a Groupware Implementation of a Manual Participatory Design Process

Abstract

TelePICTIVE is an experimental groupware prototype based on the paper-and-pencil PICTIVE participatory design technique. This paper describes a number of design issues that arose during the implementation of a computerized version of the manual process. The major classes of issues included: (1) Transformation: How well do the manual process and low-tech object model serve as metaphors for the groupware implementation? Which new computer-supported capabilities are desirable? (2) Embodiment and Skill: What changes may result from the more formal and technological groupware implementation of a deliberately low-tech and informal manual process? We discuss these issues, strategies for resolving them, and the lessons learned in using the manuaiPICTIVE process to design the groupware TelePICTIVE prototype.