Context Switching and Working Domains

The power of tangible interaction resides in its potential to support cognition and interaction with digital information. This research projects explores how tangible interaction may support information workers in how they manage their unique and multiple projects on their personal computers. Using an “research-through-design” approach, I’ve developed “Working Context Manager” (WCM). The system consists of a reader, RFID cards, and a desktop application that provides explicit representations of information workers’ project work states (i.e, the specific set of documents, webpages, and applications at a given time). Using WCM, I evaluate how such a system can support information workers to maintain awareness of their projects and understand what this may suggest for the future of tangible user interfaces