Virtual

The seminars and research workshops will enable up to 600 Indian academics and practitioners to directly participate in IESUP. However in order to extend the number of individuals who are indirectly involved other routes are planned

Virtual communities

We plan to establish a Virtual Community to further support the aims of IESUP. Of course this website is a start. Over time it will form one permanent source of information on the project. The website will enable:

i. an easily available source of information on future IESUP activities

ii. the Chairperson from each of the seminar / research workshop to publish an overview of the proceedings and outcomes

iii. access to other on-line resources

Networks

As a result of the seminars / research workshops and virtual communities it is expected to identify key areas for further collaboration after the period of the project. These will form the focus on a small number of key networks of individuals.

Networks will be discipline based and it is possible that the networks will gravitate around the four key themes of this project proposal. However the whole project is intended to promote a shared understanding and it to be expected that these themes will develop as the project progresses.

Networks will:

i. identify a specialist sub-discipline within HCI,

ii. document priorities for further development of the sub-discipline in the Indian context,

iii. consider possible further funding opportunities (European Union, European industry, Indian industry) to take the relevant aspect of IESUP further forward after the project.

Planning Groups

To supplement the work of the discipline based networks it is also proposed to establish one or more Planning Groups. Each planning group will be activity based and will aim to deliver a key physical outcome from the project.

One probable outcome is that of one or more Usability Support Centres in India. A usability support centre could be based in either a University or commercial environment. It would provide a focus for systems usability within its regions and in particular would:

i. act as a source of information on HCI and usability,

ii. enable access to a range of physical usability equipment,

iii. provide consultancy services to local and regional industry in the user-centred design of interactive products

Although IESUP will not directly fund the establishment of usability support centres, it is expected that it would enable a planning group to be established and for such a group to promote the concept and seek funding opportunities.

Other planning groups may emerge as a result of the project.