Objective The aim of the MITS project is to provide software developers with design assistance in the form of specifications and guidelines to enable them to better exploit the use of metaphors in the design of advanced telecommunications interfaces. This entails understanding the role of metaphor at the various stages of the design process and identifying if and how the use of metaphor can improve the design of advanced user service interfaces in the fields of multimedia communications and CSCW. The approach is both theoretical and practical, drawing on recent work in computing, cognitive and social sciences, semiotics and telecommunication engineering.The aim of the research was to develop a coherent set of software metaphors to allow users of all types to use advanced communications systems in an effective manner. Most previous interface metaphors have been designed within the narrow confines of office computing. One aim was to break free from these constraints. To do this, development work was extended to manufacturing and other business areas and the project carried out user trials in a great diversity of environments, including construction sites and ship to shore communications. The research focused on opportunities in synchronized multimedia, in computer supported cooperative work (CSCW) and new input and output metaphors based upon sound and gesture.As a result of the research example target services for our interfaces in the fields of multimedia and CSCW have been identified and described. The descriptions have been further developed to identify generic services and assess their takeup in the market.More than a hundred examples of existing and potential metaphors have been identified. We have collected examples from existing commercial and experimental interfaces and have built models of others. Close links have been set up with other usability projects and with various advanced communications experiment projects to whom interface models will be delivered for assessment in field trials and general user trials.Technical Approach Early theoretical studies investigated symbolic representations of metaphors in order to improve our understanding of key relationships between them such as similarities and differences, coherence, interference and extendibility. The project has steadily moved from the theoretical to the practical, from models and demonstrators to real-world pilots which will test the viability and utility of our theoretical frameworks. Key Issues - Effective metaphors critically important to service take-up.- Choice of metaphors and manner of implementation- Metaphors common to many different usage environments Expected Impact Our approach involves building a large number of working systems, but our major contribution will be practical support for designers of CSCW and multimedia services at critical decision points in the design process. The consortium is disseminating the results of the project widely through publications, seminars, exhibitions and videos. In addition, MITS is contributing to the RACE consensus and to international standards. Fields of science natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwareengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringinformation engineeringtelecommunicationssocial sciences Programme(s) FP3-RACE 2 - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of communication technologies, 1990-1994 Topic(s) T.849 - User service interaction PL5 - Project line 5 - Service engineering Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme Data not available Coordinator Universität Bremen EU contribution No data Address Hochschulring 20 28359 Bremen Germany See on map Total cost No data Participants (6) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all BICC-VERO ELECTRONICS GMBH Germany EU contribution No data Address CARSTEN-DRESSER-STRAßE 10 28279 BREMEN See on map Total cost No data Balfour Beatty United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Quantum House Maylands Avenue HP2 4SJ Hemel Hempstead See on map Total cost No data Loughborough University United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Ashby Road LE11 3TU Loughborough See on map Total cost No data NOKIA CORPORATION Finland EU contribution No data Address REVOLUNTIE 8 C 2101 ESPOO See on map Total cost No data PTT TELECOM Netherlands EU contribution No data Address 2500 GP DEN HAAG See on map Total cost No data University of Surrey United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address GU2 5XH Guildford See on map Total cost No data
