Self-Obviating Systems and their Application to Sustainability

Tomlinson, Bill; Norton, Juliet; Baumer, Eric P.S.; Pufal, Marcel; Raghavan, Barath

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/73442 Copy

Description

Title

Self-Obviating Systems and their Application to Sustainability

Author(s)

• Tomlinson, Bill
• Norton, Juliet
• Baumer, Eric P.S.
• Pufal, Marcel
• Raghavan, Barath

Issue Date

2015-03-15

Keyword(s)

• human-computer interaction
• sustainable computing

Abstract

Most research in computing and information science reinforces the premise that information and communications technology (ICT) can be productively applied even more broadly than it is at present. A recent thread of research in sustainable HCI, however, has focused on the possibility that there are many situations where less ICT, not more, may be desirable. We envision an adaptation of this premise, where the goal is not just to consciously omit or remove ICT systems, but rather to create systems explicitly designed to make themselves superfluous through their use. Such a system—one in which the successful operation of the system in the short term renders it superfluous in the long term—could be called a “self-obviating system”. We present a case study in the sustainable food domain for a context in which self-obviating systems could be useful, and a typology of self-obviating systems that could be relevant to other domains. Self-obviating systems could be an important part of a sustainable future, and could be applied more broadly in ICT design.

Publisher

iSchools

Series/Report Name or Number

iConference 2015 Proceedings

Type of Resource

text

Language

English

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/73442

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