New To The HCIL

New to HCIL?

The most important things you should know

• The HCIL coordinator is Charley Lewittes charley@cs.umd.edu. Introduce yourself and ask to be added to the mailing list (and tell her a few words about you and who you are working with)
• The hcil@cs.umd.edu mailing list is used to broadcast local HCIL lab announcements
• There is a HCIL Wiki with lots of info like how to print, etc. https://wiki.umiacs.umd.edu/hcil/

(or add /wiki at the end of the HCIL website URL)

• Come to the HCIL BrownBag, every Thursday 12:30-1:30 - see the wiki for schedule. Plan to present your work there as well. Because this is sponsored by Yahoo, there is free food! Thanks Yahoo!
• Every year at the end of May we organize the HCIL Symposium. Every one of you will present their work and help organize the event

The HCIL website is www.cs.umd.edu/hcil : in the future, make sure your work is mentionned there.

• Students: parking lot 5 is your first choice, then lot 9 / 11.
• How do I do X? If it is not answered below, start by asking Charley, or your advisor (and once you find out--add it to this page!)

Working together:

Desks

• If you want a desk: ask your advisor to request it (we can only assign desks to grad students working with HCIL faculty, but others are welcome to use the lab, tables, unassigned desks etc. Some cubicles have a lock, some have “bring your own lock”, others have a built in lock so ask for a key from the iSchool office. Assigned desks are reviewed on a semester basis. Remember that there is a “use it or you may lose it” policy, I.e. If you don’t use your desk and we need more space for new students we might ask you to share - or give up - your desk.
• Shared desks. Some desks are marked as “shared desks” (as of oct 2014 they are the ones next to the printers, on both side (east and west) of the 2nd floor). You are welcome to use them as much as you want (if you do not have an assigned desk), on a 1st come 1st serve basis, for each visit. Of course you can also use the tables and sofas elsewhere in the lab. We know that chairs move every time there is an big event in the lab so we realize you may have to go find one in the big lab. Be considerate and also leave the space neat when you leave.
• Room for impromptu small meeting: We have a “shared space” room for small meetings and study (Room 2118???? still labelled eDiscovery lab). Please leave the door unlocked, and opened when you leave. Soon a calendar will be setup for reservations.
• The big HCIL room/lab is also a shared space - with priority to the HCIL folks. Everyone can use the whiteboard wall. Take photos as you are done as everyone is allowed to erase everything on the wall. You can have informal work meetings there anytime you want (just expect people to walk in and out to get to the hackerspace/fridge/coffee/calendar). There is a paper calendar on the bookcase to reserve the space (which then allow you to close the door for a semi-private meeting).
• Other meeting rooms can be reserved via the iSchool (see Daisy on the 4th floor).
• The 2nd floor main door is closed at night (there is a printed sheet above the sink with more details and emergency info). Your advisor can get you expanded access, if needed, for the evenings.
• The printers are for HCIL use ONLY. Ask your advisor how you are supposed to get paper for the printer (it depends what department you are in). HCIL cannot buy paper for everyone. Use color only when absolutely necessary. And use the b/w printer whenever you only need black ink (it’s cheaper). (see wiki for more info)
• Other less important things
  • Charley will add you to the HCIL website people page
  • When you make your work available online with a webpage, tell Charley so she can link to it from the main HCIL website
  • TODO: Add something about papers and TRs

Living together

• You don’t have to wait for Thursdays to eat with us! There is typically a contingent of people eating together around 12:30 every day. Come find us! We are most often in the lab but if it’s nice outside we will go outside on Hornbake Plaza to eat.
• For organizing fun outings there is a special smaller list hcil-play@cs.umd.edu You can add yourself to this list here: https://mailman.cs.umd.edu/mailman/listinfo/hcil-play
• We have our own little sink, fridge and coffee machines but WE have to keep the sink area clean by ourselves (the building cleaning staff will not touch it). And the fridge! Don’t leave old gross food in the fridge!
• HCIL does NOT have a budget for coffee and other such supplies so in general we use a “bring your own” method, or get together with other HCILers with similar needs to share the cost. HCIL makes the supplies leftover from events to everyone. Please only use what is next to the fridge, NOT what is in the cabinets as it is reserved for special events.
• Other less important things
  • If you use the sofas to nap/relax… please tidy them up when you are done

QUESTIONS?

• Can I come to the brownbag even if I don’t officially belong to HCIL?
  • YES
• I am not part of HCIL, can I be on the mailing list?
  • yes but you might find that there are a lot of emails
  • and you might find you want to be part of the HCIL after all…

• ADD YOUR QUESTIONS HERE (and we will answer here)