CANCHID Subscribers will have noticed that in recent weeks there has been
an increase in email traffic of the "query" sort. In the past the bulk of
postings were "For Your Information" and of general interest. Queries w/r
to individual research are (of course) specific and not of general inter-
est. The change in mix is a result of a desirable step forward and runs
as a short run solution to a set of changes coming to CANCHID early in the
new year.
 
First, a note or two on the additional traffic. It is the welcomed addition
of graduate students doing research and/or field work in the area of health
and development. Second, it is part of a general trend developing in the
virtual workspace, that being that groups and sub-groups are sorting out
how and where they do their work such that people are informed but people
are not drowned in email messages. This is the source of demand for "zoning
the virtual workspace". This zoning is not the restrictive sort that we see
imposted on physical space when it is zoned residential, commerical, etc..
 
It is an enabelling zoning so that individuals, institutions and groups can
position themselves at the optimal cross-roads. The "zoning" concept is all
about where to position information, direct information flows and set up
the access points to facilitate optimum and efficient work in the virtual
workspace. In the new year CANCHID and the Health Informatics initiatives
of the York University Centre for Health Studies (working with the Dist-
ributed Knowledge Project) will present a set of proposals in cooperation
with various groups. They will have to do with how to orchestrate much of
this virtual workspace activity and the role of our information provider
site here at York University (with other cooperating units).
 
In the New Year you will be polled (short poll) with regard to ideas, likes
and dislikes (likes and dislikes impact on performance and efficiency!).
Keep tuned for future developments and be tolerant of the flow of mixed
traffic while we work toward the tomorrow in health informatics.
 
Sam Lanfranco, CANCHID ListManager,  < [log in to unmask] >