Web Observatories are proposed as a way to discover and share data and analytics on the Web. But what exactly are they? How many are already out there and what would need to be done to extend an existing system to become a Web Observatory. This work requires a model from which to analyse and compare system that explicitly called Observatories and also those candidate systems we call Observatory-shaped Objects (OSOs)

1. DNA: Towards a method
for analysing Social Machines
& Web Observatories
Ian Brown, Wendy Hall, Lisa Harris
Web Science Institute
Notes:
This work is funded by the EPSRC under
SOCIAM: the theory & practice of social
machines, the Web Science Institute and
the Web Science Trust
I'd like to acknowledge the ideas, feedback and support
of my colleagues from SOCIAM, the WSI and the
Web Science Trust network of Labs (WSTnet)
Notes:

2. This talk is as much about the problems and challenges
that drive the proposed method as it is about the method
Because (observing) the Web is complex - both social
and technical
Because observing the Web is not all about
Web Science
Because a usable method is directly driven by the
problems is seeks to address
Scope
Notes:
Overview
What is the problem (opportunity)?
What can you measure/describe? DNA.
So what?
How can we remain inclusive whilst contributing greater
differentiation? How do we account for different
approaches?
Does this say anything about Social Machines more widely?
Conclusions & Future Work
Notes:

3. "In attempting to go beyond the
notional and yet stop before the
normative there is a fluid and
and almost fragile space in which
we understand what (the) Web
Observatory is, what it could be
and what it means to Observe.."
Notes:
An Observatory
The Observatory
A Web Observatory
The Web Observatory
The Web of Observatories
The Web Science Observatory
A social machine for observing social machines
Data on the Web?
Data about the Web?
Notes:

4. Real life is and must be full of
all kinds of social constraint –
the very processes from which
society arises. Computers
can help if we use them to
create abstract social machines
on the Web: processes in which
the people do the creative work
and the machine does the
administration.
Notes:
Social machines are Web-based socio-technical systems
in which the human and technological elements play the
role of participant machinery with respect to the
mechanistic realisation of system-level processes.
Notes:

5. Consider the raw artefact ..
Das Ding an sich ...
Notes:
Notes:

6. We need to consider how our perceptions
are shaped by roles, frames and experiences
when we come to agree on a definition for anything
Notes:
is modified by the perception of
the individual of some/all part(s)
of the artefact
Notes:

7. The n-blind men and the <insert artefact here>
Note that these people may argue later about a definition
Notes:
Brilliant Idea! Jack is the ONLY answer .... obvious really
Notes:

8. Bias
Notes:
So back to our question - if everyone is potentially
holding a different view does it make
any sense to define Observatories at all ?
I submit that it makes little difference if individual or
standalone systems decide to adopt the name or align
themselves to a single definition of an Observatory (WO) or not
HOWEVER
a Web of Observatories
(a virtual W3O) does
require some common
orientation to allow for
interoperation.
Notes:

9. Not just the Web but also Web Observatory
With thanks to David de Roure
Notes:
Types of social function
Epistemic Object
Technical ObjectBoundary Object
Notes:

10. Boundary objects are objects which are both plastic enough
to adapt to local needs and constraints of the several
parties employing them, yet robust enough to maintain
a common identity across sites. They are weakly structured
in common use, and become strongly structured in
individual-site use.
Boundary Objects
Notes:
" .. initial goal was to analyze the nature of
co-operative work in the abscence of consensus"
Susan Leigh Star
Notes:

11. What are the axes or perspectives that we can use to
distinguish, group or differentiate systems that are
Web Observatories WOs or, at least,
Observatory-Shaped Objects OSOs.
> What is a WO?
>> How is WO used?
>>> Why is a WO needed?
Notes:
> What is a WO?
>> How is WO used?
>>> Why is a WO needed?
Form / Functionality
Process / Operations
Motivations / Roles
Notes:

12. Definition:
A list of features, blocks and boundaries in order to define,
what a system comprises, what it can do and where it starts
and ends
Notes:
Facets of
Functionality
Notes:

13. Enhanced
Concept
Map
Notes:
Webscience.me
perspective is everything ..
Web Observatory Facets
Feb 2014
Here is a Concept Map for an Observatory highlighted to show which of the features/concepts have been
Notes:

14. Definition: Knife
"an instrument composed of a blade fixed into a handle"
Notes:
The physical form may be quite
similar but the application is
very different in each case ..
Notes:

15. Turns out that
"WHAT is a WO?" is not a very interesting
question on its own ..
Notes:
Nature:
Defining what a system actually does in terms of exchanges,
meaningful operations and how these are framed
Notes:

16. In addition to a list/taxonomy of features
we are going to need a vocabulary of
processes/interactions
Notes:
Settings
Use the form below to customize your map.
SIZE
COLOR
LAYOUT
OTHER
(/)
webscience (/webscience) / e5‑social‑machine‑processes
Search
e5 Social Machine
processes
SWITCH MAPS
Social machines comprise technical,
operational (process) and motivational
elements. This maps looks at the wider
field of Social Machine processes
including the external eco-system factors -
the three-phase processing cycle
(encounter, enhance and execute) and the
possible emergent efeects. This gives us
the e5 model.
e5 Social Machine Processes Notes:

17. Webscience.me
perspective is everything ..
From Search to Observation: an update
Notes:
Archetypes / Aspirations
The individuals/groups who are deriving
some benefit from the the Observatory.
Notes:

18. Notes:
DNA WO Reiss Explore Account Logout Support Download
Reiss Motivations Edit
Reiss Motivations
Behaviours
Cognitions
Emotions
Resources
Reiss Motivations
Search
Notes:

19. Where does the data for these perspectives come from:
Definition - literature survey, specs (Deductive)
Nature - literature survey explicit and implied (Inductive)
Archetype/Ambitions - Case study, Interviews (Abductive)
Notes:
Potential objection from the audience ...
"What makes you think that the functionality D is driving
the usage N which dictates/shapes how people interact
and apply this idea A
Doesn't DNA enforce a structure or sequence that may
not be there?"
Notes:

20. Choose one (or patterns) as your model/theory suggests
Notes:
Does this model carry over to Social Machines?
non-Webby social machines
Emergent or transient social machines
Summary
Flexible Method / 3D view
Covers major perspectives of social objects
(Physical, Application, Semantic/Cognitive)
Has a structure (DNA) but allows NDA, AND etc
Notes:

21. Future Work
Future work includes systematic review of WOs in different
social spaces (academic, business and community) to
validate that the Ds, Ns and As we have gathered exhaust
the space for WO we can observe (so far)
PoC work to look at the feasibility of mobilising the process
work using ODRL and LSC for policy/permission exchange
across WOs
Synthesising the A interviews into broader theory of
Observation
Notes:
"In attempting to go beyond the
notional and yet stop before the
normative there is a fluid and
and almost fragile space in which
we understand what (the) Web
Observatory is, what it could be
and what it means to Observe.."
Notes:

22. Failure to define leads to confusion, mis-direction and
wasted effort
Notes: