One of the most significant developments in computing over the last ten
years has been the growth of interest in computer based support for
people working together. Recognition that much work done in offices is
essentially group work has led to the emergence of a distinct subfield
of computer science under the title Computer Supported Cooperative Work
(CSCW). Since the term was first coined in 1984, there has been growing
awareness of the relevance to the field of, and the valuable con-
tributions to be made by, non-computing disciplines such as sociology,
management science, social psychology and anthro- pology. This volume
addresses design issues in CSCW, an- since this topic crucially involves
human as well as technical considerations - brings together researchers
from such a broad range of disciplines. Most of the chapters in this
volume were originally presented as papers at the one-day seminar,
"Design Issues in CSCW", held at the Department of Trade and Industry
(DTI), London, on 17 March 1992, one in aseries of DTI-supported CSCW
SIG seminars. We would like to express our gratitude to the series
editors, Colston Sanger and Dan Diaper, for their useful comments on,
and suggestions for revisions to, the final draft of the manuscript; to
Linda Schofield, our editor at Springer, for her continued encouragement
throughout the preparation of the manuscript; and, finally, to our
respective families for their support and patience over so many months.
