Papers by Mary Czerwinski
Our studies have shown that as displays become larger, users leave more windows open for easy mul... more Our studies have shown that as displays become larger, users leave more windows open for easy multitasking. A larger number of windows, however, may increase the time that users spend arranging and switching between tasks. We introduce GroupBar, a task management system for dealing with the profusion of windows on the PC desktop. Designed to offer the same basic form and function as the existing Microsoft Windows™ TaskBar, GroupBar additionally allows users to group windows into higher-level tasks and enables task switching with a single mouse click. In order to gain experience with GroupBar usage and to develop reasonable task definitions we conducted a longitudinal field study. Based on the results of that field study, we conducted a comparative user study wherein we found that participants were able to multitask faster when using GroupBar than when using the existing Windows TaskBar.
Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2004
We report on a diary study of the activities of information workers aimed at characterizing how p... more We report on a diary study of the activities of information workers aimed at characterizing how people interleave multiple tasks amidst interruptions. The week-long study revealed the type and complexity of activities performed, the nature of the interruptions experienced, and the difficulty of shifting among numerous tasks. We present key findings from the diary study and discuss implications of the findings. Finally, we describe promising directions in the design of software tools for task management, motivated by the findings.
People and Computers XVI - Memorable Yet Invisible, 2002
In pursuit of computational tools for augmenting computer users' abilities to interleave multiple... more In pursuit of computational tools for augmenting computer users' abilities to interleave multiple tasks, we examined computer users' ability to identify and recall computing events deemed to be important, both with and without supportive reminder tools. Memory for events occurring during computer sessions was studied both 24 hours after an initial taped session and again after a one-month period of time. Results show that memory for important computing events is fragile and that software tools could be used to augment users' memories of how they have spent their time while computing. In addition, we observed that approximately half of the events that users identified as important could be identified automatically with available computational methods, and an attempt was made to characterize the nature of the remaining events. Finally, in a probe of alternate designs for reminding systems, we found that users typically preferred to see snapshots of their computing events in a prototype reminder system, without audio, as opposed to a full video version of an event reminder system.
Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2012
We present AffectAura, an emotional prosthetic that allows users to reflect on their emotional st... more We present AffectAura, an emotional prosthetic that allows users to reflect on their emotional states over long periods of time. We designed a multimodal sensor set-up for continuous logging of audio, visual, physiological and contextual data, a classification scheme for predicting user affective state and an interface for user reflection. The system continuously predicts a user's valence, arousal and engagement, and correlates this with information on events, communications and data interactions. We evaluate the interface through a user study consisting of six users and over 240 hours of data, and demonstrate the utility of such a reflection tool. We show that users could reason forward and backward in time about their emotional experiences using the interface, and found this useful.
While people often carry mobile phones for communication purposes, they are generally underutiliz... more While people often carry mobile phones for communication purposes, they are generally underutilized as productivity tools, especially in the workplace. In this paper we present Courier, a system that leverages the storage capacity and communication capabilities of the mobile phone to facilitate the viewing and exchange of PC-based documents when users are away from their desks. We describe a formative evaluation of Courier"s use in a collaborative meeting setting and report on the results. While participants were enthusiastic about Courier overall, our study also highlighted usability issues that will require further refinement, such as users" concerns with privacy, reliability and speed.
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Papers by Mary Czerwinski