Triumf Desktop.

A typical TRIUMF session.

Video case studies in TRIUMF.

Triumf User Interface for System Management.

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Videoconferencing technology is now being brought into use by many organisations for recruitment interviewing. However, most of these systems have a primitive user interface and lack in tools purposely-designed for interviews. Users often feel intimidated by the technology, which is especially undesirable in a recruitment interview.

TRIUMF (Technology based Remote Interviews Under a Multimedia Framework) is a special purpose system for remote multimedia interviews. It was designed to be housed in large-to-medium sized companies, higher education establishments, government employment services, recruitment agencies and other reasonably sized organisations. TRIUMF provides an adequate alternative to face-to-face interviews. In addition to common video-conferencing elements, such as multimedia PCs and document cameras, TRIUMF also features:

• large video screens,
• head tracking cameras,
• multiple camera views supported by video splitter/mixer/recorder,
• separate user interfaces for interviewers and interviewees.

The primary use of TRIUMF is to assist interviewers in managing activities during remote interviews. These activities range from initial introduction to final data recording, and include many types of controls such as modifying camera views and interfacing with a database. In addition to a range of useful functions that supports interview management, system management and data management, we have developed a set of innovative features, including:

• relaxation gadgets - a collection of activities designed to bring a "human-touch" into remote multimedia interviews.
• case study videos - a computer-assisted interview technique for showing short videos prior to some role-play questions.
• Online form filling - a facility for displaying and completing a form electronically during an interview.
• Online testing - a facility for conducting a psychometrics or ability test electronically during an interview.

With a human-centred user interface, TRIUMF represents an innovative application of multimedia communication. It facilitates significant cost-savings in recruitment, and enhances the usability of the current video-conferencing technology.

TRIUMF is resulted from an EPSRC funded research project in the Multimedia Network Application programme. It has generated noticeable impact through its research publica-tions in a number of international conferences, including IEEE Multimedia Systems '99 and JCIS 2000. Its main research contributions include its novel use of the multimedia communication technology, its human-centred user interface, and associated human factor studies.

The initial prototyping of TRIUMF has been completed. It has been demonstrated to a diverse range of potential users, through which the feasibility for commercial exploitation has been confirmed. We are now developing a version of TRIUMF tailored for commercial release. We are in discussions with potential commercial partners and venture capitalists on the long-term strategies of developing and marketing TRIUMF.

TRIUMF is expected to be deployed in careers centres, job centres recruitment agencies, large to medium sized businesses and organisations. It will facilitate cost savings in recruitment and human resource mobility.

Main References

• M. Kiddell and M. Chen, Multimedia communications in remote interviews, Proc. the First International Workshop on Intelligent Multimedia Computing and Networking (IMMCN'2000), Atlantic City, New Jersey, February/March, 2000.
• M. Kiddell, M. Chen, D.J. Oborne and F.W. Slater, Human Centred UI Design for Remote Interviews, Proc. Eurographics UK 2000 Conference, 95-102, Swansea, UK April 2000.
• M. Kiddell, M. Chen, D.J. Oborne, F.W. Slater and M. McCulloch, A system architecture for remote multimedia interviewing, Proc. Second International Conference on Information, Communications, and Signal Processing (ICICS'99), Singapore, November 1999.
• M. Kiddell, M. Chen, D.J. Oborne, F.W. Slater and M. McCulloch, TRIUMF - a system for remote multimedia interviewing, Proc. IEEE International Conference on Multimedia Computing and Systems (ICMCS'99), Volume II, 715-719, Florence, Italy, June 1999.
• M. S. McCulloch and D. J. Oborne, Video conferencing Systems: telepresence and selection interviews, Proc. the Ergonomics Society Annual Conference, 133-137, Leicester UK, April, 1999.
• J. Ennis, M. Chen and M.K. Perrella, The integration of multimedia information and multimedia communication, Proc. 15th Eurographics UK Conference, Norwich, 157-166, March 1997.

  A full list of TRIUMF and RMI Publications can be viewed here