From Visible Past

to Visible Effort
A research agenda for
Web 3.0 technologies

Dr. Sorin Adam Matei

Purdue University
http://matei.org/ithink
The web 3.0 revolution
• Web 1.0
– Push

• Web 2.0
– pull and network

• Web 3.0
– Location aware
• Information is located in space
• Information is delivered on the fly
• You don’t search for information,
information searches for you
– Ubiquitous collaboration
• On the fly
• Utilizing implicit user behavior
– Dynamic reinforcement of
collaboration
• Key collaborative indicators are
incorporated in the interface in a direct
and telling way
Location aware questions
• Is information delivered on the
fly at a specific place more
memorable?
• Is information contextualized in
space more conducive to
narrative organization of
knowledge?
• What theories are appropriate
in this context?
– Dual coding?
– Conjoint retention theory?
– Theatre/palace of the mind
theory?
Ubiquitous collaboration
questions
• What is the optimal structure of
collaboration?

• Is there a way to measure social

order online in a synthetic manner?

• What level/type of collaboration is

most conducive to:
– Learning
– Efficient production of content

• What theories are appropriate in this

context?
– Social entropy theory
– Functional differentiation theory
– Structuration (norms and resources)
theory?
– Social capital/trust theory?
Learning impacts
• Is spatially located
information more
memorable (tentative
yes)
• Is information located
spatially in memory
(tentative yes)
• Can “synthetic”
Matei, S. A., * Madsen, L., Bertoline, G.,
spatial environments
Arns, L., Ren, M. and Davidson, A.
(2006, June). The cognitive impact of
produce the same
location-aware information systems.
Paper presented at The Annual
learning outcomes as
Conference of the International
Communication Association, Dresden,
real environments?
Germany.
Social impacts
• Can virtual
reality/location
aware applications
support social ties
established with
collocated
individuals?

• What is the right

Matei, S. A. * and Ball-Rokeach,
mix of social
S. (2003). The Internet in the
communication infrastructure of
control vs. social
urban residential communities: freedom in an era
Meso or macro-linkage? Journal of
Communication. 53(4), 642-657. of ubiquitous
computing?
Usability questions
• What kind of experiences best fits
specific tasks?
– Should we deliver multitasking
information on the go? Or just
simple tasking info?
– Should we deliver facts or
narratives?
– Right mix of audio, video, text
information?
– Right kind of output/input
device/experience?
– Glanceable interfaces
– Communicating with colors
– Importance of physical affordances
• Relevant theories
– Narrative theory
Matei, S. A., * Wheatley, D. and Faiola,
D. (2006, June). Multipurpose mobile – Affordance theory
devices, graphic user interfaces, and – Satisficing theory
physical affordances: A Case Study.
Paper presented at the Annual
Conference of the International
Communication Association, Dresden,
Germany.
Illustrations
• Visible Past – location aware

– http://visiblepast.net

• Thought Ark – ubiquitous collaboration

– http://thoughtark.com

• Visible Effort – dynamic measurement

and reinforcing of collaboration

– http://veffort.us