System Growth:

A significant issue in the design of an information system is in
its ability to grow not only through the addition of new
information nodes, but by virtue of its very use. The interaction
of each user with the system should contribute to the knowledge
base as a whole.  The ability of a user to mark and to annotate a
decision path is essential to building a body of context
sensitive case studies.  Each case study defines one or more
particular paths of system application.  Each marked path (and
its annotations) reveals the influence of natural, cultural,
political, administrative, social, and economic circumstances on
decision processes.  As a whole, the marked paths reflect the
context in which decisions are formulated, and they are the
foundation of a "self informing" information management system
that evolves through the collective expertise and experiences of
its user group.

The system's capabilities for documenting user perceptions and
experiences, marking context sensitive paths, permitting
participatory research and interactive dialogues are particularly
significant for an organization or agency that has a broad moral
and legal preservation mandate.  For example, in the context of
National Park Service cultural resource management obligations,
the need is clearly evident for an information gathering,
management, and dissemination system that can ultimately
represent the collective professional experiences of NPS
historical architects (see Section 4.1.0).

A collaborative system with a broad based user network would
facilitate the efficient access to the technical and nontechnical
information that will enhance (inform) the preservation
management processes which affect the integrity and viability of
historic resources.  It would lay the foundation for an effective
networking of preservation management and research interests so
that practical decision making experiences and case studies can
be shared across the local, regional, and national spectrum.

<efile31>   Prototypes Synthesis
<efile19>   Connectedness and Collaboration