Coping with errors: the importance of process data in robust sociotechnical systems

This paper presents an analysis of written and electronic records that document the collaborative process of packing museum artifacts in preparation for a move. The majority of data recorded detailed the process of packing, while only a small amount of the data concerned which artifacts were packed in which boxes. Museum staff members were able to use these process data to solve the numerous errors that occurred during packing. We explore the design implications for collaborative systems which focus on supporting error recovery rather than error prevention. Keywords Workflow, error analysis, workplace study, problem solving, process data

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2000
• Where: CSCW
• Authors: Michael Twidale, Paul F. Marty
• Keywords: Collaborative Process, CSCW 2000, Packing Museum Artifacts, Process Data, Social Sciences