A toolkit for publishing Web discussion documents: design principles and case studies

We are looking at how new forms of document interface can be used to support new forms of scholarly discourse, and ultimately, new models of scholarly publishing. The vehicle we use to conduct this research is the Digital Document Discourse Environment (D3E). D3E is an experimental system supporting the publication of Web based documents with integrated discourse facilities and embedded interactive components. We report on three applications-an e-journal, a hybrid Web/face-to-face conference, and a national policy document-where we have used D3E to promote critical discourse between participants. These cases illustrate four principles guiding our design actions. We conclude by reflecting on interacting factors which motivate participation in the different sites.