The New ABCs of Research

Ben Shneiderman, University Professor, University of MarylandBen Shneiderman is a Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Founding Director (1983-2000) of the Human-Computer Interaction Laboratory at the University of Maryland. His development of user interfaces such as the highlighted clickable link for the web, small touchscreen keyboards, and information visualization concepts earned him membership in the National Academy of Engineering.

• Guiding Principles 1: Combining Applied and Basic Research: ABC Principle 2: Blending Science, Engineering, and Design: SED Principle Blending Science, Engineering & Design 3: What Science Contributes: Persistence in Understanding the World 4: What Engineering Contributes: Devotion to Focused Innovations 5: What Design Contributes: Fresh Thinking to Serve Human Needs Research Lifecycle Strategies 6: Choose Actionable Problems that Address Civic, Business & Global Priorities 7: Apply Observation, Intervention, and Controlled Experiments 8: Form Teams with Diverse Individuals & Organizations 9: Test Ideas and Prototypes with Realistic Interventions 10: Promote Adoption & Assess Impact Making it Happen 11: Why change is hard, but possible 12: Recommendations for action

Professor Shneiderman has written an original, carefully thought out and trenchantly argued manifesto for a new way of doing research in universities, which has implications for all of us...not only is this required reading for decision makers in universities and government, but designers of socio-technical systems of all kinds can learn something from it