Abstract
An activity is inseparably bound up with time, and interdependentcooperative activities thus need to be coordinated in time. The nature oftime is therefore an ever-present issue in the design of computer systemssupporting coordination. Based on Activity Theory this paper defines theconcept of Temporal Coordination. Then, based on in-depth studies of thesocio-temporal aspects of coordinating cooperative work at hospitals, thepaper explores this notion of temporal coordination. This analysis identifiessome of the highly intertwined temporal problems, constraints, interests,and conflicts, which arise when work subject to temporal limits is to becoordinated. The paper then introduces the PATIENT SCHEDULER, which isa prototype designed during this project to illustrate how aspects oftemporal coordination can be supported by computer technology.
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Bardram, J.E. Temporal Coordination –On Time and Coordination of CollaborativeActivities at a Surgical Department. Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) 9, 157–187 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008748724225
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008748724225