Collaborative Spatial Decision-Making on the WallBoard
Collaborative spatial decision-making, such as that undertaken by a
group of planners, can make full use of the capabilities offered by the GIS
WallBoard. Planners regularly work together on planning projects and have
collaborative needs that are currently not fully satisfied by computer
technology
(Densham et al. 1995). Planners often draw on information retrieved from a wide range of multimedia
materials including maps, surveyors' reports, aerial photographs, traffic
information, and other miscellaneous audio, video, and verbal information, and
often more than one office needs to work off the same version of a spatial data
set. Presentations by planners to various groups typically involve verbal,
visual, and gestural components. They spread maps out on tables, show slides of
before- and after-development scenarios, play sound recordings of noise levels
at various locations, and use hand gestures pointing out "where development
will take place" or "all of this area will be included"
(Shiffer 1995). An intelligent, interactive, wall-mounted device in this context would improve both the collaborative spatial decision-making process and the interactions with an interested audience, as shown by the following two scenarios:
- A group of planners are working together on a proposed development project
for a new shopping mall. The large size of the WallBoard allows several persons
to be in front of it. As they create different scenarios, users are in close
contact with the objects on the wall and manipulate them through the use of
gestures and voice. To review their design they may step back to see the full
effect. Collaborating at the WallBoard may create a new paradigm of work for
planners as they shift from a setting of people in separate offices working on
the same spatial data set, to collaborative input at the WallBoard. Other
co-workers can also contribute to the process by observing from a distance and
viewing what is displayed there, while still using gestures or voice to
interact.
- One of the above planners gives a presentation to the local council on the
proposed development. The planner conducts the entire presentation through
manipulations on the WallBoard, making full use of its multimedia capabilities.
He or she shows before- and after-images of the proposed development, including
an animated movie of a person's view when walking along the site during
construction. Buildings or other objects of interest can be added or removed as
desired. The council is sitting in front of the WallBoard, in easy viewing
distance. When they ask questions they may interact with the WallBoard
themselves through gestures such as pointing or, if necessary, a council member
may walk up to the WallBoard and, by using markers, he or she may highlight
items of importance or suggest changes.
Interaction with the WallBoard should not be seen in isolation from other computing environments. Others may access the GIS operating on the WallBoard from other networked computing devices, and give input as desired.
Last updated on January 31, 1996.
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