To form a deep understanding of the present; we need to find and engage history. We present an informal history capture and retrieval mechanism for collaborative, earlystage information design. This history system is implemented in the context of the Designers' Outpost, a wall-scale, tangible interface for collaborative web site design. The interface elements in this history system are designed to be fluid and comfortable for early-phase design. As demonstrated by an informal lab study with six professional designers, this history system enhances the design process itself, and provides new opportunities for reasoning about the design of complex artifacts. Keywords history management, design rationale, activity capture, web design, sketching, informal interfaces, tangible UI, CSCW.
Scott R. Klemmer, Michael Thomsen, Ethan Phelps-Go