Evaluating the InfoCanvas Peripheral Awareness System: A Longitudinal, In Situ Study

A longitudinal, in situ study of the InfoCanvas, a prototype peripheral awareness system, was conducted. The InfoCanvas provides awareness of information through "information art," acting as a kind of electronic painting in which visual elements change appearance to represent changes in the information being monitored. Eight people used the system for a month in their offices. We observed and documented the scenes they designed, how they used the system, and their opinions of the system. Overall, participants felt the system was useful, informative, and fun. With respect to aesthetics, some participants felt that it was appealing but others desired further improvement. Lessons learned from the study may benefit other forms of peripheral displays and ubiquitous computing systems.