Extending Software Engineering Collaboration towards the Intersection of Software and Art PhD defence presentation, NTNU March 11, 2011 Salah Uddin Ahmed
Outline Motivation and Research Context Software Dependent Artwork (SDA) Research Questions Research Methods Contributions Results Limitations Future Work
Motivation and Context Motivation Art and Science collaboration Artists seeking SE intervention Research Context SArt project at Software Engineering group, NTNU Objectives of SArt Develop knowledge on the interdisciplinary nature of software production Support artists with SE knowledge and tools Educate practitioners and researchers
Research Area Intersection of Software & Art Software Intersection of Software Engineering & Art
Software Dependent Artwork Projects Software Dependent Artwork (SDA) Artwork in which software is used for creation and display of the artwork Often interactive in nature, the output or functionality depends on software SDA Projects Sonic Onyx Open Wall Flyndre
Sonic Onyx Interactive art installation Receives user sent files via Bluetooth Convert them into sound files Plays music back via speakers located on the arms Sphere on top changes colors
Open Wall A big display of (16x6) LED boards on a white wall creating a matrix (80x30) of light pixels. Each LED has 100 intensity levels. Users can access the wall through internet and draw images. animation
Flyndre Interactive sound Installation, takes input from environment e.g., time, temperature Real time music composition software generates music based on the input
Research Area Intersection of Software & Art Software Intersection of Software Engineering & Art
Research Questions 1. What is the relationship between art and software and how can we conceptualise it? 2. How can we characterise the development process of software dependent artwork (SDA) projects? 3. How can we increase collaboration between artists and software engineers and improve the field of computing by borrowing concepts from arts?
Research Method Literature Review 1 Literature Review 2 Case Study Observation
Study Literature Review 1 Address RQ1: What is the relationship between art and software and how can we conceptualise it? Search on: Electronic databases, ACM Digital Library, IEEE Computer, Leonardo, Proceedings of Art festivals and so on Keywords: Both art and software related terms Selection Criteria: Artists requirements, software development process, artist technologists collaboration, research issues at the intersection Result: Research Issues, Conceptual Framework (Kitchenham 2004)
Study Literature Review 2 Address RQ3: How can we bridge the field of art and computing, increase collaboration between artists and software engineers by borrowing knowledge and concepts from the arts Search on: Proceedings of CHI, DPPI, DIS, TOCHI, NordiCHI conferences Keywords: Aesthetics, aesthetic Selection Criteria: Use of aesthetics, role, impact or effect of aesthetics, authors viewpoint, context, meaning and usage of the word aesthetics. Result: Sectors of common interest in HCI, aesthetics as a bridge to connect HCI and arts (Kitchenham 2004)
Case Study Sonic Onyx Address RQ2: Strategy: Data collection: Data Analysis: Result: How can we characterise the development process of software dependent artwork (SDA) projects? Participant Observation Interviews, Documents, Questionnaires Case descriptor Identification of factors that contribute to the success/failure of SDA project (Yin 1989)
Observation Collected data and observed the development process of Open Wall Glimps, an art piece for Open Wall As part of SArt, cooperated with students in projects related to Improsculpt, the composition software used in Flyndre
Contributions C1. Identification of the research issues at the intersection of software and art. C2. Conceptual framework of different entities, and themes at the intersection of software and art C3. Identification of the features/issues that contribute to the success or failure of a software dependent art project and the features that facilitates collaboration between artists and technologists C4. Proposals on how can we bridge software engineering and art through collaborations and improve computing discipline by borrowing concepts and ideas from art.
Papers P1 SArt: Towards Innovation at the Intersection of Software Engineering and Art P2 Software Engineering Processes Under the Influence of Aesthetics and Art Projects P3 Achieving pervasive awareness through artwork P4 Conceptual framework for the intersection of software and art P5 Information technology and art: Concepts and state of the practice P6 Aesthetics in Human Computer Interaction: Views and Reviews P7 Sonic Onyx: Case Study of an Interactive Artwork P8 Developing software dependent artwork in collaboration with students
Contributions, studies and papers Identifying Research Issues Conceptual Framework Factors influencing SDA project Improve and Extend Collaboration RQ1 RQ2 RQ3 P1, P2 P4, P5 P7, P8 P3, P6 Lit. Review 1 Case Study Lit. Review 2 Observation
Results Identifying Research Issues Conceptual Framework Factors influencing SDA project Improve and Extend Collaboration RQ1 RQ2 RQ3 P1, P2 P4, P5 P7, P8 P3, P6 Lit. Review 1 Case Study Lit. Review 2 Observation
Results Identifying Research Issues Conceptual Framework Factors influencing SDA project Improve and Extend Collaboration RQ1 RQ2 RQ3 P1, P2 P4, P5 P7, P8 P3, P6 Lit. Review 1 Case Study Lit. Review 2 Observation
Research Issues Software Development issues Requirements Evaluation Tools Development Methods Collaboration Business Model Social and Cultural Implications Educational Issues Computer in Art Curriculum Multidisciplinary Collaboration Art in CS Curriculum Aesthetics Issues Aesthetic of the Code Software Art User Interface
Results Identifying Research Issues Conceptual Framework Factors influencing SDA project Improve and Extend Collaboration RQ1 RQ2 RQ3 P1, P2 P4, P5 P7, P8 P3, P6 Lit. Review 1 Case Study Lit. Review 2 Observation
Conceptual Framework Who (Actors) Artists Theorists, art critics Software engineers Researchers Why Artists need tool supports SDA needs SE expertise Computing needs aesthetics Technological advancements Where Educational Institutes Software Industry Research Institutes Art Projects Art Festivals What Tools Programming Languages Support tools
Results Identifying Research Issues Conceptual Framework Factors influencing SDA project Improve and Extend Collaboration RQ1 RQ2 RQ3 P1, P2 P4, P5 P7, P8 P3, P6 Lit. Review 1 Case Study Lit. Review 2 Observation
Factors Influencing the Success/Failure of SDA Project Positive Factors Artist s know how and understanding of the technology Good communication between the developers of the team Good communication between the software developers and the artist(s) Agile development method/rapid development method Pair programming
Factors Influencing the Success/Failure of SDA Project Negative Factors Lack of agreement between the stakeholders of the project Lack of communication between artist and developers Lack of awareness of the sponsors about subsequent maintenance Not considering every phases of development important
Results Identifying Research Issues Conceptual Framework Factors influencing SDA project Improve and Extend Collaboration RQ1 RQ2 RQ3 P1, P2 P4, P5 P7, P8 P3, P6 Lit. Review 1 Case Study Lit. Review 2 Observation
Improve and Extend Collaboration Extension and enrichment through Utilising SDA in pervasive awareness, ubiquitous computing Aesthetics as a bridge between HCI and Art Utilising SDA in SE and Computer education
Limitations For literature review only articles published in scientific media were considered Statistical analysis was not conducted on review Features influencing success/failure of an SDA project was collected from one project.
Future Work Survey on user evaluation and engagement can be carried upon in future. Further case studies and experiment on which SW development method is more suitable for a SDA project development Development of Tools For capturing artists requirements Collaborative tools that takes care of both artistic process and engineering process
Implications Stakeholders who can use the results include Artists Software engineers and developers Sponsor of SDA projects Academics in computing discipline Researchers
Implications SE/Computer Science Education SDA projects in Software Engineering Education Collaboration with art to enhance creativity, innovation
Implications SE Research Agenda SDA requires SE expertise SDA is a domain and it has its own specific requirements SDA is more than just art project, it can be part of many computing research areas such as pervasive awareness, ubiquitous computing Agile /iterations based development for SDA projects
Conclusion Intersection of Software and Art includes many issues interesting for both artists and software engineers SDA requires SE intervention SE research agenda can be extended to include SDA projects with a special focus on development method, tools, requirements and maintenance
References Kitchenham, B., Procedures for Performing Systematic Reviews. 2004, Keele University Technical Report TR/SE 0401 and NICTA Technical Report 0400011T.1 Hevner, A.R., et al., Design science in Information Systems research. Mis Quarterly, 2004. 28(1): p. 75 105 Machin, C. H. C. (2002). Digital artworks: bridging the technology gap. Eurographics UK Conference, 2002. Proceedings. The 20th: 16 23. Gross, J. B. (2005). Programming for Artists: A Visual Language for Expressive Lighting Design. Proceedings of the 2005 IEEE Symposium on Visual Languages and Human Centric Computing (VL/HCC'05) Volume 00, IEEE Computer Society. ASPHAUG, T., BIELSA, C., GRYTÅ, E. M., THORSRUD, E. & TOLLEFSEN, T. (2007) Sculpture with 3D Interactive Sound. Department of Electronical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Technology. HiST. CANDY, L. & EDMONDS, E. (2002) Modeling co creativity in art and technology. Proceedings of the 4th conference on Creativity & cognition. Loughborough, UK, ACM Press. Redström, J., Skog, T., and Hallnäs, L.. Informative art: using amplified artworks as information displays. In Informative art: using amplified artworks as information displays. 2000. Elsinore, Denmark: ACM, New York, NY, 103 114.
Extending Software Engineering Collaboration towards the Intersection of Software and Art