Nicolas Ducheneaut
Research Scientist, Palo Alto Research Center
What I studied at the iSchool:
I took full advantage of the iSchool's multi-disciplinarity (this is what attracted me to it instead of other graduate programs): in my first couple of years, I took courses ranging from seminars in sociology to core computer science lectures. This gave me the necessary background for what I wanted to do: research at the intersection between technical and social domains.
I had always been fascinated by online communities. For my dissertation (supervised by Prof. Lyman and Prof. Sack), I analyzed how Open Source projects are organized and evolve over time. I used a socio-technical approach, combining ethnography and the design of software to visualize activities in a project. By observing the trajectories of project members over time, I was able to describe why some participants succeed and some fail to become regular contributors to the Open Source world. I discussed how these results could inform the design of technology to support socialization in Open Source projects, as well as practical implications for the future of these projects. My web page (http://www.parc.com/nicolas) has more information on this part of my research.
What I do now:
I am a member of the Research Staff at the Palo Alto Research Center (formerly known as XeroxPARC). The research I am doing is very much in line with my past work at the iSchool — I am currently leading a project investigating the social dimensions of massively multiplayer online games. These so-called "MMOGs" are fascinating online spaces where millions of players spend a very significant fraction of their lives. An important component of my current work is the development of technology to help gaming companies understand and manage these massive communities of players.
An interesting stop along my career path:
If I had not gone to the iSchool I could have been... an accountant! I have a Bachelor in Finance from a French business school and I worked in two financial institutions for a while. I must say I much prefer constructing social network graphs to computing ROI and other financial metrics.
Information issue that interests me today:
Anything that has to do with "social media" (online games, blogs, wikis, social networking tools...) and how they are transforming social interactions.
A Web site I recommend:
The Terra Nova blog: http://terranova.blogs.com/ — home to several of the most respected researchers investigating all aspects of virtual worlds (including online games). The discussions are always fascinating.
How I stay connected to the iSchool:
I still know a lot of Ph.D. students there and I often ask them about what's going on in the school. I also try to participate in school activities (I was a judge for the Master's projects last year). I also talk to faculty members when we attend the same conferences.
iSchool memory:
The innumerable, always enjoyable conversations with professors and students at Caffe Strada — I probably spent more time there than at my desk. I think it should be listed as an extension of the iSchool in UC Berkeley's directory.
Something few people know about me:
That's a tough one, but here is one as-yet unpublicized story. I worked as a door-to-door copy machine salesman during my first summer in college. In two months I did not sell a single unit, I had a miserable time, and I swore never to do this again. Yet in a strange twist of fate I am now working for a subsidiary of Xerox!
