Over the Shoulder Learning: Supporting Brief Informal Learning MICHAEL B. TWIDALE Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA (E-mail: twidale@uiuc.edu) Abstract. The paper reviews work on informal technical help giving between colleagues. It concentrates on the process of how colleagues help each other to use a computer application to achieve a specific work task, contrasting this with the focus of much prior work on sur- rounding issues like the choice of whom to ask, information re-use and the larger work context of encouragement or otherwise of such learning. By an analysis of the literature and a study of office activity, some strengths and weaknesses of the method are identified. The difficulties of talking about the process of performing graphical user interface actions are explored. Various design implications for functionalities to improve the efficiency of informal help giving are explored. A consideration of informal learning can help in designing more effective, learnable, robust and acceptable CSCW systems. It also provides a different perspective on interface design as an exploration of features to support human–human interaction, using the computer screen as a shared resource to support this. In this way CSCW research may contribute to HCI research, since during such help giving, all computer systems are at least temporarily collab- orative applications. Key words: computer supported collaborative learning, help giving, informal learning, inter- face design, workplace learning 1. Introduction Learning how to use a computer application is often a collaborative activity. This is hardly a novel claim, nor a surprising one to CSCW researchers. And yet strangely in the discussions about CSCW applications development, evaluation and real world use, collaborative learning of how to use them seems to get overlooked. This paper draws together a variety of work on informal collaborative learning of computer applications in order to draw attention to certain aspects of the phenomenon which might inform CSCW design, and to which CSCW research can contribute. Naturally people need to learn how to use any CSCW application, and also to learn its more advanced features incrementally. Problems with learnability have long been noted as a potential barrier to adoption of collaborative applications (Grudin, 1989). Nevertheless, learning issues can get overlooked Computer Supported Cooperative Work (2005) 14:505–547 Ó Springer 2005 DOI 10.1007/s10606-005-9007-7