Glossary » Application Domains

EDS

electronic discussion systems

edutainment / infotainment

an approach to education that frames the instructional material in the context of entertainment, such as a game or sensationalist video. This approach is grounded in the importance of motivation but is often criticized when the entertainment compromises the informational…

electronic ink

in pen-based computing systems, the untranslated scrawls a user makes on a screen, stored as a set of lines or points. Electronic ink may be stored as is, or translated into text or structured graphics for further editing, searching, etc.…

email

by far the most common groupware application (ignoring of course, the traditional telephone). While the basic technology is designed to pass simple messages between 2 people, even relatively basic email systems of today typically include interesting features for forwarding messages,…

embedded computers

computers built in to devices that are traditionally not viewed as containing computers and where the computer is often viewed as an invisible component. Examples of places embedded computers might be found include cars, microwaves, toasters, refrigerators, and showers. Embedded…

embedded help

text that is integrated into the user interface and provides instructions right next to the part of the interface that it applies to. It is not a separate help system and not even something that needs to be requested by…

EMR

electronic meeting room -and- electronic medical record. As a meeting room, an EMR is a room equipped with computer stations designed to aid in the meeting process. These computer systems are typically set up with Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS),…

EMS

electronic meeting systems

exploratory learning

an approach to teaching and training that encourages the learner to explore and experiment to uncover relationships, with much less of a focus on didactic training (teaching students by lecturing them). Exploratory learning does not necessarily mean an unguided or…

FAQ

frequently asked questions (pronounced “FAK”); a common form of help for users, especially on the internet. A FAQ list shows the most common questions and provides direct, useful answers. Often, it’s a convenient structure just to minimize dealing with users…

fog of war

in strategy games, explored regions are typically mapped automatically, but enemy activities are only visible on the map when they are within the line of sight. The fog of war refers to those mapped regions where activities can’t be seen.…

game balance

the proper set of features to ensure a good level of fairness, challenge, and interest in a game. Three types of balance need to be considered:

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game flow

the pace and sequence of events in a game, the range of choices in the game progression and perceived risk in each choice.

game mechanics

the rules of interaction in a game, the specific controls and immediate feedback.

gameplay

the style and experience of interaction in a game; the phenomenological experience as opposed to the mechanics of the interaction. The mood, pace, storyline, challenge, and interest.

GDSS

group decision support systems. Computer systems that are designed especially to support the decision process, especially in meetings (such as Electronic Meeting Rooms). These systems typically support aspects of the decision process such as brainstorming, idea organization, evaluation, prioritization, and…

GPSS

group process support systems. Groupware designed to support a process, as opposed to a conversation. Workflow systems are the typical example. Industrial processes are another good example — for instance, by coordinating the efforts on an assembly line to avoid…

graceful flow

a design principle which advocates that a user’s experience in interacting with a computer should involve a smooth and graceful dialog. In terms of the user’s task, this means that response time should be rapid and user errors and error…

grid

(graphic design) a system of templates used as a framework to create a document with uniform layouts between pages while still allowing each page to adapt to its content. The grid defines positions for standard elements on the page, margins,…

group calendar

allows scheduling, project management, and coordination among multiple people, and may provide support for scheduling equipment as well. Typical features are to detect when schedules conflict for people or finding a meeting time that will work for everyone. Group calendars…

heads-up display

an indicator, common in games, like a panel, that appears typically at the top of a display and provides status information.

healthcare information system

(HIS) computer systems designed for any of a wide variety of healthcare applications, including clinical (e.g. computer-based patient records – CPRs), financial, insurance, and medical education.

Some special issues in healthcare include safety and cleanliness of physical devices, necessary knowledge…

hotspot

the sensitive region of an image, such as the areas that are clickable on an imagemap displayed on a website, or the position on a pointer icon that indicates the exact point that is being pointed at.

hunt and peck

a level of novice typing skill characterized by the need to visually locate the letters on a keyboard as a person types, thus drastically slowing down typing speed.

hypertext

a collection of text documents with links from one document to another. A “hypermedia” system is the same sort of collection, but including documents of any type, such as graphics, video, etc. The links may pass between essentially any two…