Prof. Moira Norrie

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Course: Mobile and Personal Information Systems

We are beginning to see radical changes in how computing devices are integrated into people’s everyday lives. Learning to think carefully about the requirements of different categories of mobile applications and the technological implications is essential. An interview with Prof. Moira Norrie.

October 2005

In 1996 you founded the Global Information Systems Group here at the Departement of Computer Science. Could you tell us something about your projects and about your main research interests?

We are interested in how people manage and access various forms of information in the workplace, at home and on the move. The systems that we are developing include a platform for experimentation with mobile information systems, a framework for mixed-media information and customizable collaborative editors. Paper is an information medium that receives special attention in a number of our projects and we are investigating how emerging technologies for digital pens and paper can be used to provide it equal footing with digital media in the modern world of hyperlinked information spaces.

Are you teaching a course this winter semester 2005/06 which is related to your research projects?

This semester, I am teaching a new course on “Mobile and Personal Information Systems”. The widespread introduction of mobile computing devices has led to a rapid increase in demand for various forms of mobile information systems where the users, the application objects or the databases themselves may be mobile. With the increased power of mobile, personal computing devices, more and more users will carry their own personal information systems with them. In our research projects, we are interested in innovative ways of accessing and sharing information in mobile environments and developing information infrastructure to support these. As a test case for our technologies, we are developing systems for visitors to arts festival and for the past two years have tested and demonstrated our systems in Edinburgh at the world’s largest arts festival. We plan to be there again in 2006 and this time the focus will be on new forms of opportunistic information sharing in the context of recommender systems.

Who should take the course?

The course is one of the new optional courses offered in the Information Systems specialization track of the Masters programme. It is aimed at students with an interest in databases and information systems, system architectures and applications of ubiquitous and mobile computing. It is assumed that students have a good knowledge of database systems and also web technologies. Ideally, they would have visited the “Information Systems” and “Web Engineering” (formerly “Global Information Systems”) courses beforehand as the course shows how one can design and build mobile applications based on the technologies presented in these courses.

Do you enjoy teaching this new course?

It is always fun to hold a new course – especially when it is a topic closely related to current and new research projects.

In what way can students benefit from taking this course?

We are already beginning to see radical changes in how computing devices are integrated into people’s everyday lives. This presents a huge challenge for companies and organizations that are keen to exploit new technologies to provide better customer services. If they get it right it can be a real winner, but if they get it wrong it can be a major loser. By learning to think carefully about the requirements of different categories of mobile applications and the technological implications that follow, students should be better prepared to contribute to and lead such projects. It is not simply a matter of knowing about the technologies, but also learning to ask the right questions and analyze different strategies.

Are there any topics that you would like to teach but just can’t fit into the course catalog?

The answer at the moment is no as one advantage of the system at ETH Zurich is that it has always been relatively easy to add and remove advanced optional courses intended for later years of study. In some cases, as new technologies become more widely accepted they are integrated into earlier, core courses. Good examples of this are web technologies and also XML. The advanced courses therefore tend to be continually developing to take into account new technologies and computing paradigms. At some point, it makes sense to replace old courses with new courses to reflect these trends and also developments in the research and commercial sectors. I’ve always tried to evolve my courses in line with these changes and this year am replacing my previous course on “Global Information Systems” with two new courses on “Web Engineering” and “Mobile and Personal Information Systems” to reflect how the area is evolving. In addition, in summer semester, I am offering a new seminar on “Computer-Supported Cooperative Work” which is a subject area not currently covered in our curriculum.

What is most important in education? What are the most essential skills that students should learn?

Although it is essential that students have a good understanding of basic technologies so that working with them becomes almost second nature, it is particularly important that they learn to abstract from the specifics to the general concepts. They must be able to discuss projects at the level of general system models and architectures and to understand the effects of decisions made at this level. One of the most valuable things in practice is to be able to “see through” the glossy presentation materials that announce the latest products and projects to what lies behind and relate it to existing technologies and systems.

What talents or qualities do students need to be successful in their studies?

The most important thing is that students have a willingness to learn and are open-minded. This means that they must be prepared to be challenged and learn to ask questions. They must also learn to listen. Often the most valuable information in a lecture is not on the slides, but in the “words of wisdom” between the slides that comes from the speaker’s personal experience and cannot be found in text books or on the web.

ETH has an excellent reputation, but sometimes it is said that the system is too strict or school-oriented. What is your position on this?

One important factor that is often overlooked in answering such questions is the fact that ETH is not only a teaching institution but also a top international research institution and what this can bring to the students. All of my colleagues are carrying out high-quality research recognized at an international level. This means that they not only have knowledge of today’s technologies, but are also actively involved in designing and developing new technologies that will replace these. To get the most from this environment, students should learn to be curious and ask questions of Professors and assistants about the research questions they are working on.

What do you think of the education system and the curriculum ETH offers to students?

When I moved to Switzerland from the UK where the university education system has always been based on Bachelor and Master degrees, my UK colleagues were envious of the Diploma system which allowed sufficient time for students to develop solid theoretical and engineering skills, building specialist topics on top of a broad spectrum of basic courses. I think it is a pity to see the diploma disappear, especially as the move was initiated by European politicians rather than the universities themselves. But that answers a more general, political question about the studies than the specific one about our curriculum.

As far as our own curriculum is concerned, I think there are many positive factors in terms of the range and quality of individual courses offered. However, I’m a great fan of simple structures and I greatly admire the students for their ability to master the complexities of the current regulations and the overwhelming choice of specialisations and courses on offer. Also, I’d like to see more computer science in the first two years to give solid foundations for later courses to build on.

What questions or remarks from students have recently made you smile?

The autumn exam session is just over and for sure there are always some "exam howlers" that make me laugh. There are also some students who come up with delightful answers to mundane questions. But of course I would never want to embarrass anyone by repeating these.