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Problem Structuring Aids (PSA) Project

Goal: Develop a computer-based system to help an analyst (researcher, scholar) collect, structure, and interpret information ("idea processing") and document the results (word processing).

Early emphasis: Argumentation structures, knowledge representation, knowledge encoding, and retrieval.

Current metaphor: Electronic notetaking — NoteCards.

Themes:
—allow easy, informal user entry
—support movement from informal to formal structures
—integrate new tools into the environment
—evolve designs through use and experimentation





Tom Moran / 26 June 1984

PSA Project Players
(PA only)

Tom Morandesign, nag

Frank Halaszdesign, implementation

Ken Allensurrogate analyst

Terri Doughtydocumentation

Lissa Montyuser and task analysis

(Randy Trigg)frank halasz

(Art Farley)argumentation analysis

Basic concepts in the NoteCards system

NoteFile (database)

NoteCards
—text
—sketch
—graph

FileBoxes

Pointers
pointer icons

Browsers

First uses of NoteCards

Nato Missiles analysis (Allen)

Goal analysis of FIP (Moran, Jordan)

NoteCards support (Halasz)

Thesis notes (Monty)

AI-List management (Shrager)

Some proposed uses:

NoteCards documentation
Xerox organization chart
ISL information
Copier brainstorming discussion
Lisp programming documentation
Argumentation analysis

Next Steps and Issues

Enhancements:
new card types
more powerful pointers
programmer’s interface
interface to Lafite
better searching and browsing
tabletops
hardcopy displays
multiple Notefiles
et cetera

Major facilities:
document compilation
argumentation epistemology
semi-automatic indexing
shared NoteFiles

User studies

Major issues:
user interface
tailorability