INTRODUCTION

Japan's status as a powerhouse of development and global marketing of consumer-oriented computing devices is unquestioned. At the same time, it is well known that Japanese companies' and researchers' attitudes and approaches to the HCI of such devices are quite different from those typical in the West. For example, in Japan the usability of a newly developed device may be explored by early and widespread deployment in the marketplace, whereas European practitioners would feel it more natural to start with controlled experiments in a laboratory.

Such differences in approach can be viewed as a kind of cultural barrier, standing in the way of collaboration or even of cross-border publication. But if the differences could instead be treated as complementary strengths, perhaps their combination would allow for particularly fruitful forms of collaboration.

At a UK/Japan workshop on `HCI Beyond the Desktop' held in Tokyo in November 2008, senior HCI researchers from the two countries met to discuss their work. The presentations confirmed the presence of some of the expected differences, but also the potential for a blending of complementary approaches. At a very practical level, even the countries' differing research-funding models offer hope for synergy.

This follow-up workshop at HCI 2010 will explore explicitly the kinds of difference that arise. We are especially interested in case studies of projects, bridging between Japan and Europe, where such differences have been experienced and overcome. Our goal is to improve our field's understanding of how a healthy synergy can be obtained from the diversity.

With the help of the British Embassy in Tokyo we are arranging a visit by six or more Japanese researchers to Scottish HCI research groups around this time; this workshop will form part of their visit. Other participants from Japan are also welcome!

PROPOSAL

The original workshop proposal can be found at http://km.meme.hokudai.ac.jp/project/east-west-hci2010/proposal.pdf. However, now that we are expecting approximately 20 participants, we are in the process of redesigning the detailed timetable.

CALL FOR PAPERS

We invited short position papers that address, in the context of Japanese and European HCI research, topics including but not restricted to the following:

• Elucidation of approaches that are especially characteristic of one side or the other
• Experiences of encountering differences in approach within collaborative projects, in conference programme committees, and the like
• Cultural factors (including typical attitudes of local users) that could help to explain the origin of differences; how persistent these factors are likely to be
• Opportunities for cross-fertilisation of attitudes and approaches, and what benefits might result
• The desirability (or not) of eliminating differences, to arrive at a unified approach to HCI research
• The importance (or not) of how differences in approach could be affecting international evaluations of science, and hence the rankings of institutions

The language of the workshop will be English.

SUBMISSIONS

Submissions are now closed.

WORKSHOP CO-CHAIRS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The precursor workshop in Tokyo in November 2008 was sponsored by the Science and Technology section of the British Embassy, with further support from the GCOE (Global Centre of Excellence) project at the Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Hokkaido University.