Paper Reading 8 - Planz to Put Our Digital Information in Its Place

Comments
Paola Garza
Jessica Gonzales

Reference Information
Planz to Put Our Digital Information in Its Place
 - William Jones, Dawei Hou, Bhuricha Deen Sethanandha, Sheng Bi, and Jim Gemmell
 - CHI 2010, Atlanta, Georgia

The Planz layout with documents links to entries.

Summary
Planz is an alternative method to storing files and ideas.  A point was made that it is difficult to keep track of files when they are in folders.  Once the folder is closed, it is quite easy to forget its contents.  The Planz system allows ideas to be laid out in an outline format.  Next to each entry, a direct link to a specific file can be given.  They argue this is a more visual method to laying out files and ideas, so they tested the system.

For a week, eight people tested out Planz while performing tasks they do every day.  They were asked to manipulate documents, manage emails, and utilize web references both with Planz and with the normal methods they usually use.  While inconclusive as to which is better, Planz was favored as the most visually efficient method.  They plan to continue work on Planz and add better support for email integration and web page applications.

Discussion
I don’t think I would have any use for this system right now, but it is a different twist on information management.  They mentioned conducting a much longer test and I would like to see the results of this.  While I don’t have a use for this, it could become a nice and robust system for business uses.  Maybe later on I will run into a situation where Planz would be handy.  I will keep this system in mind in case this happens.