Cognitive Artifacts in Complex Work - Ambient Intelligence for Scientific Discovery - page 176

the conceptual design of a display that would complement cognitive work needs
for resource scheduling and management. It also promises to improve on the
previous paper copy of the master schedule by providing information that is
structured, consolidated, retained, and explicit.

Structured. The visual organization of the temporal display remains the same
as it evolves. By using a graphic representation of time, the team can understand
and evaluate relationships among events through time.

Consolidated. Relevant variables such as age are shown within each case win-
dow, which saves the need to locate and assemble information that is related but
is displayed separately.

Retained. Cases that were performed remain on the display in sequence. Com-
ments and related information can be added. Retaining information makes it
possible to review the entire day's activities while they are still underway.

Explicit. Aspects of schedule management that were previously hidden are
made evident. These include requirements that are the objects of coordinator
cognitive work such as showing conflicts and gaps in timing, and constraints on
schedule management such as operating room clean-up and restocking.
Taking a longer-term view, AmI displays could also support prompting, spec-
ulation, consequence assessment and value-based decisions in ways that physical
artifacts cannot [24].
The cognitive artifact's design must represent constraints and opportunities
that are relevant in this domain. Because time is the key consideration, orga-
nizing display design according to time allows users to easily track changes, to
anticipate future events, and to respond to emerging situations.

5.2 Experimental Life Sciences Laboratory

The case findings enable specification of information services to support infor-
mation use toward discovery in the research laboratory. As with the acute care
case, we must build upon an understanding of the use of significant artifacts.
Artifacts analysis can reveal numerous needs of collaborating scientists in the
discovery process.
As with acute care, an “endogenous” issue remains to first understand the
cognitive work practices in research and design interfaces and information ser-
vices that meet the requirements of the work. The major purpose of reporting
detailed findings from life sciences information use is to share real world situa-
tions of research practice and discovery with system designers, and reveal some
key constraints to adoption of any new service. Again, these constraints come
down to the cognitive artifacts, the printed article and lab notebook. These ar-
tifacts are so closely coupled to research work that design initiatives must focus
on enhancing their properties for cognitive work.