We explore the concept of social landmarks in complex, shared information and coordination environments. Previous research in navigation and shared spaces has tended to emphasize individual navigation, formally inscribed spaces, social filtering, and boundary objects. Based on ethnographic research into complex collaborative work in organizations, we extend the concept of navigational "landmarks" to include not only individually-used documents, but also shared landmarks in the form of persons, roles, and events. This emerging concept of social landmarks may be applied in identifying and representing these coordinating points, to support the work of teams and organizations in complex projects.
By: Michael Muller; Olga Kuchinskaya; Suzanne O. Minassian; John C. Tang; Catalina Danis; Chen Zhao; Beverly Harrison; Thomas P. Moran
Published in: RC23604 in 2005
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