Using the Notification Collage for Casual Interaction

INTRODUCTION The Notification Collage (NC) is a groupware system designed to support casual interaction between both colocated and distributed members of a small group [1]. The NC uses the metaphor of a public bulletin board, where instances of the board appear on individuals’ wo rkstations and on a large rear-projected display located in the group’s public space. People post items to the NC (annotated in Figure 1) which displays them as a collage. Posted items are dynamic multi-media elements including: periodically updated video captured by cameras located on the public display and on individual computers; sticky notes showing characters as they are typed; thumbnails displaying web pages a person has visited; slide shows that cycle through a collection of images; desktop snapshots that present an image of an individual’s screen contents; activity indicators graphing a person’s presence over time.