Instant Messaging - for grown ups too

Instant messaging is no longer simply a facet of teenage life. It now speeds up everything from military systems to customer service.

Many software developers are now making instant messaging (IM) tools and programs for this area of technology that has suddenly exploded. Software applications range from stock broking to business systems, from e-commerce to emergency services, and the military. Of course lets not forget that for teenagers, this is now their tool of choice for communicating. I think it is called "cool" or should that be "koool"

We are now talking about tapping into a market with over 100 million unique home users and about another 18 million in offices, and that is just the start.

As it emerges from the world of teenage chat, Instant Messaging, or the sending of text messages and, eventually, audio, video, or for that matter, files of any type interactively, is already a part of the scene at many companies. Employees of these companies are using it to exchange documents remotely, quickly ask a question of each other, or to simply swap notes during a meeting, albeit a few metres or thousands kilometres apart.

Isn’t instant messaging something you use on mobile phones?

IM is also migrating from its traditional computer base to mobile phones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), and other devices. IM uses its ubiquitous "buddy list," which is a continuously updated display window that tracks and indicates those of your family, friends, or colleagues are online and available at any one time. In this way IM connects you to your select inner circle in ways that phones and e-mail never could.

What is this thing called "Presence"?

What will make IM more than just the next "great idea" is one key feature called "presence". Essentially presence is a method (protocol) that tells the world that you're available on a particular device. Presence is also being developed outside of IM; it is being built in programs like collaboration tools, word processors, e-mail directories, and even online games.

Is presence a "good" thing?

Always being available may not always be desirable of course. All too often, work and other obligations already invade our private lives. Many find the prospect of always being able to colleagues, friends and family, just a bit daunting. If designers and developers get it wrong, presence will end up being a burden, not a benefit.

Of course if the designers do get the usability right by delivering just the right amount of availability to the right people, IM may very well become our method of choice when initiating contact with the people we seek to communicate with most often. Telephone and e-mail will either have presence built into them, or become secondary to IM.

Why not just pickup the phone and simply call?

As a method of interactively exchanging a great deal of information, the phone is still by far and away the best. As a way to initiate communication, though, it's terrible. Until the ‘70s, when it rang, we responded. Since then, we've erected walls of voicemail and answering machines, pagers etc. Some commentators state that only two in five office phone calls actually make it to direct conversation. Right now it is up to unreliable caller-Identification systems alerting us to who is calling.

Some people would also say the phone can also be an imposition and put the person answering at a severe disadvantage, they don’t know who is calling, or what it's about, or the urgency of the call. IM levels the playing field between sender and recipient.

Here's how: first you set up the buddy list, adding the IM system user (screen) name of those you want to be able to message. The other person need only have an account on the same system you're using, or one that can exchange messages with yours.

The buddy list tells you if someone is available. For example, in most systems there are two lists, one a list of everyone you've tagged as a buddy and the other, those among them who are currently logged in online. When someone on your list comes on-line, the instant messaging system then advises all who have him or her on their buddy lists.

Simply knowing someone has switched on may not be enough. They may have left their device and not have it with them. More detail can be provided through an "away" message, such as "back in ten" which tells you the other person's status. Each time a persons availability status is changed a message is pushed out to every body on their list.

Is Instant Messaging safe?

Business use of IM has increased dramatically. Most users are downloading one or more of the free commercial IM software packages. Not all firms are happy about this practice however. There is basically no security on IM at the moment. Potential for viruses of course is always there. Thus far no major outbreaks have occurred, but many feel IM is a perfect breeding ground for them.

Where is IM finding its niche?

Integration with other software programs on a users system is another area that still needs much development. Some large developers are starting to tackle the situation; we have seen IM occurring in some E-mail programs of late.

Not all applications are so serious. Disney has inserted real-time messaging in dozens of their networked games; others have added chat functions to their Webcasts of live music performances so the e-audience can interact as they would at a real concert. While one teen magazine offers an automated piece of software to "talk" about fashion tips, members of car racing teams are using IM at track so pit crews members can communicate.

On the more serious side America’s Navy has built presence into IM and chat functions with a Web browser screen. After the September 11 attacks, they built a program that maintained IM communications took less than a month. The bombing destroyed many offices of the top Navy brass. Many found themselves without access to the Navy's secure telecommunications network.

What about the sheer volume and clutter of information overwhelming people at the moment?

Many people, especially in business are feeling overwhelmed. People talk about 'islanding' that is "I'm not going to read e-mail or answer the phone until I get such-and-such done."

Besides the sheer volume of e-mail, there's what one scientist calls the overloading of e-mail. She found e-mail being used for exchanging documents, to-do lists, contact lists, scheduling, document management, and a stack of things for which it wasn't designed.

It is hoped that Instant Messaging will cut down on communication overload. Organising a meeting in some offices can leave the schedulers feeling like they need a sheepdog to round up everybody. IM provides a way to get messages out, and answers back, almost instantaneously.

Aren’t all of these communication methods terribly disruptive?

Some studies are finding that different sounds are much less disruptive than new text appearing on the screen. Some find that messages relevant to the current task may are not disruptive at all.

Teenagers can hop between a dozen IM sessions at once, most adults, can't keep that many conversations going sensibly. This is where attention managers instead of windows managers are used. These are camera and microphone-like sensors. They determine the user's focus. If your head is down, the system can assign a higher probability that you're concentrating on something. Voices indicate you are already talking. Virtual visitors would be advised to come back later.

What is the take up of Instant Messaging amongst the population at the moment?

Already some users are largely abandoning e-mail in favour of IM. Teenagers hardly use e-mail, and when they do, often it's just to exchange documents, or to communicate with an adult.

Then there's the particular behaviour of many adults, those who will use the presence information without using IM. They will say: "see that person is available, I'll call." Some day soon, presence will get built directly into telephones, especially mobile phones and the Internet, e-mail, and many other systems. Love it or hate it, perhaps soon our virtual selves will be everywhere always.

Arthur Hissey
Computer Research & Technology
www.crt.net.au