Things to Talk About When Talking About Things
- 1 June 2003
- journal article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Human–Computer Interaction
- Vol. 18 (1-2) , 149-170
- https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327051hci1812_6
Abstract
This commentary reviews the existing research literature concerning support for talking about objects in mediated communication, drawing three conclusions: (a) speech alone is often sufficient for effective conversations; (b) visual information about work objects is generally more valuable than visual information about work participants; and (c) disjoint visual perspectives can undermine communication processes. I then comment on the four articles in the light of these observations, arguing that they broadly support these observations. I discuss the paradoxical failure of current technologies to support talk about objects, arguing that these need to be better integrated with existing communication applications. I conclude by outlining a research agenda for supporting talk about things, identifying outstanding theoretical, empirical, and design issues.Keywords
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