INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM
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access to an extensive series of mini-lessons outlining common conflict
problems and alternative strategies for dealing with those problems.
Still, successful efforts to exploit the power of the Internet require a
recognition of its shortcomings. While the Web is capable of delivering
written documents and, soon, audio and video clips at astonishing
speed, automated systems for determining what exact piece of informa–
tion to deliver are still woefully inadequate, at least in specialized fields
like conflict. The Web's search engines are pretty good at finding infor–
mation that is, at a superficial level, on a topic. The same search engines,
however, tend to be unable to find quality information specifically
focused on user interests. For example, a recent search yielded an arti–
cle that was clearly on a topic. The only problem was that it was writ–
ten by a kindergartner.
We see no alternative to the employment of old-fashioned editors–
experts in the field who can review available Web-based and print-based
information and determine what materials best address areas of likely
user interest. Editors are also needed who represent a full range of per–
spectives on conflict problems. Without such editorial assistance, Web–
based information technologies would be unable to direct people to
useful information while also avoiding information overload.
People skilled in writing for the Web are also needed.
It
is not
enough to deliver original source materials to users. Ideas must be pre–
sented using a style and vocabulary that users find comfortable. For
example, many of the conflict resolution field's most useful insights are
only available in the inscrutable lingo of highly specialized scholars.
People who don't understand the jargon will simply miss the ideas. Sim–
ilarly, ideas must be offered using examples which fall within the user's
base of experience. When an idea is described in the context of one type
of problem, people will find it difficult to see how it might be applied
in another context. For example, one of the field's most important
ideas, dispute systems design, was originally described in the context of
labor/management conflict. When presented in this form, people are
likely to have difficulty seeing how the ideas could be adapted to other
situations such as parent/teacher conflicts. Still, the ideas apply equally
well here-they just need to be translated into easily-understood lan–
guage and illustrated with familiar problems such as conflicts over
class sizes, student placement, homework loads, extra-curricular activ–
ities, etc.
Web-based resource and training programs can also be constructed,
offering users a wide range of options for dealing with conflict problems
along with an extensive discussion of the advantages and disadvantages
