Collaboration in the large: Using video conferencing to facilitate large group interaction

Sonnenwald, D. H. and Soloman, P. and Hara, N. and Bolliger, R. and Cox, T. . Collaboration in the large: Using video conferencing to facilitate large group interaction., 2002 In: Knowledge and Information Technology in 21st Century Organizations: Human and Social Perspectives. Idea Publishing Co, pp. 115-136. [Book chapter]

[img]
Preview
 PDF
VC-book-chapter-formatted-final.pdf
Download (343kB) | Preview

English abstract

This chapter discusses the social, organizational and technical challenges and solutions that emerged when facilitating collaboration through videoconferencing for a large, geographically dispersed research and development (R&D) organization. Collaboration is an integral component of many R&D organizations. Awareness of activities and potential contributions of others is fundamental to initiating and maintaining collaboration, yet this awareness is often difficult to sustain, especially when the organization is geographically dispersed. To address these challenges, we applied an action research approach, working with members of a large, geographically distributed R&D center to implement videoconferencing to facilitate collaboration and large group interaction within the center. We found that social, organizational and technical infrastructures needed to be adapted to compensate for limitations in videoconferencing technology. New social and organizational infrastructure included: explicit facilitation of videoconference meetings; the adaptation of visual aids; and new participant etiquette practices. New technical infrastructure included: upgrades to video conference equipment; the use of separate networks for broadcasting camera views, presentation slides and audio; and implementation of new technical operations practices to support dynamic interaction among participants at each location. Lessons learned from this case study may help others plan and implement videoconferencing to support interaction and collaboration among large groups.

Item type: Book chapter
Keywords: Video Conferencing, Collaboration, Teleconferencing
Subjects: B. Information use and sociology of information > BZ. None of these, but in this section.
Depositing user: Diane Sonnenwald
Date deposited: 01 Jul 2007
Last modified: 02 Oct 2014 12:08
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10760/9931

References

Arapis, C. (1999, November). Archiving telemeetings. Proceedings of ACM 1999 Conference on Information and Knowledge Management. (pp. 545-552). Kansas City, MO.

Barefoot, J. C., & Strickland, L H. (1982). Conflict and dominance in television-mediated interactions. Human Relations, 35 (7), 559-566.

Cadiz, J.J., Balachandran, A., Sanocki, E., Gupta, A., Grudin, J., and Jancke, G. (2000, December). Distance learning through distributed collaborative video viewing. Proceedings of ACM 2000 Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work. (pp. 135-144). NY: ACM Press.

Childers, L., Disz, R., Olson, R., Papka, M., Stevens, R., & Udeshi, T. (2000). Access gird: Immersive group-to-group collaborative visualization. Proceedings of the Fourth International Immersive Projection Technology Workshop.

Cohen, M. D., & Sproull, L. S. (1996) (Eds.). Organizational Learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Eason, K. (1988). Information Technology and Organizational Change. London: Taylor & Francis.

Finholt, T.A., Rocco, E., Bree, D., Jain, N., & Herbsleb, J.D. (1998). NotMeeting: A field trial of NetMeeting in a geographically distributed organization (PDF file). SIGGROUP Bulletin, 20(1), 66-69. NY: ACM Press.

Gale, S. (1992). Desktop video conferencing: technical advances and evaluation issues. Computer Communications, 15 (8), 517-525.

Gowan, J. A., & Downs, J. M. (1994). Video conferencing human-machine interface: A field study. Information & Management, 27, 341-356.

Heath, C., & Luff, P. (1991). Disembodied conduct: Communication through video in a multi-media office environment. Proceedings of CHI’91, ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, (pp. 99-103). NY: ACM Press.

Herring, S (1999). Interactional Coherence in CMC. Journal of Computer Mediated Communication, 4 (4) June. [Online]. http://www.ascusc.org/jcmc/vol4/issue4/index.html

Iivonen, M., & Huotari, M.-L. (2000). The impact of trust on the practice of knowledge management. Proceedings of the ASIST Annual Meeting, 37, 421-429.

Isaacs, E. A., Morris, T., Rodriguez, T. K., & Tang, J. C. (1995) A comparison of face-toface and distributed presentations. Proceedings of CHI '95, ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, (pp. 354-361). NY: ACM Press.

Jarvenpaa, S. L., & Leidner, D. E. (1999). Communication and trust in global virtual teams. Organization Science, 10(6), 791-815.

Kies, J. K., Williges, R. C., Rosson, M B. (1996). Controlled laboratory experimentation and field study evaluation of video conferencing for distance learning applications. Hypermedia Technical Report HCIL-96-02. [Online]. Available: http://hci.ise.vt.edu/lab/htr/HCIL-06-02/HCIL-96-02.html

Kling, R. (1996). Social controversies about computerization. In R. Kling (Ed.) (2d ed). Computerization and controversy: Value conflicts and social choices (pp, 16-21). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

Kling, R. (2000). Learning about information technologies and social change: The contribution of social informatics. The Information Society, 16 (3). [Online]. Available: http://www.slis.indiana.edu/TIS/articles/kling16(3).pdf

Masoodian, M., Apperley, M., & Frederickson, L. (1995). Video support for shared work-space interaction: An empirical study. Interacting with Computers, 7 (3), 237-253.

Mark, G., Grudin, J. & Poltrock, S. (1999). Meeting at the desktop: An empirical study of virtually collocated teams. Proceedings of ECSCW’99 (pp.159-178.). Lyngby, DK: Technical University of Denmark.

Nardi, B. A., Schwarz, H., Kuchinsky, A, Leichner, R., Whittaker, S., & Sclabassi, R. (1993). Turning away from talking heads: The use of video-as-data in neurosurgery. Proceedings of INTERCHI’93, ACM Conference on Human Factors and Computing Systems, (pp. 327-334). NY: ACM Press.

Nodder, C., Williams, G., & Dubrow, D. (1999). Evaluating the usability of an evolving collaborative product – changes in user type, tasks, and evaluation methods over time. Proceedings of GROUP’99, ACM Conference on Supporting Group Work, (pp. 150-159). NY: ACM Press.

O'Conaill, B., & Whittaker, S. & Wilbur, S. (1993). Conversations over video conferences: An evaluation of the spoken aspects of video-mediated communication. Human-Computer Interaction, 8, 389-428.

Ochsman, R. B., & Chapanis, A. (1974). The effects of 10 communication modes on the behavior of teams during co-operative problem-solving. International Journal of Man-Machine Studies, 6, 579-619.

Olson, J.S., Olson, G.M., & Meader, D.K. (1995). What mix of video and audio is useful for small groups doing remote real-time design work? Proceedings of CHI'95, ACM Conference on Human Factors and Computing Systems, (pp. 362-268). NY: ACM Press.

Patrick, A. S. (1999). The human factors of MBone videoconferences: recommendations for improving sessions and software. Journal of Computer Mediated Communication, 4 (3). [Online]. http://www.ascusc.org/jcmc/vol4/issue3/patrick.html (January 4, 2001).

Rice, R. E. (1993). Media appropriateness: Using social presence theory to compare traditional and new organizational media. Human Communication Research, 19 (4), 451-484.

Ross, C. S., & Dewdney, P. (1998). Communicating Professionally: A How-to-do-it Manual for Library Applications. New York: Neal-Schuman.

Ruhleder, K., & Jordan, B. (2001). Co-constructing non-mutual realities: Delaygenerated trouble in distributed interaction. Computer Supported Cooperative Work, 10, 113-138.

Ruhleder, K., Jordan, B., & Elmes, M. (1996). Wiring the “New organization”: Integrating collaborative technologies and team-based work. Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management. http://alexia.lis.uiuc.edu/~ruhleder/publications/96.academy.html

Saville-Troike, M. (1989). The Ethnography of Communication. New York: Basil Blackwell.

Schön, D. A. (1983). The Reflective Practitioner. New York: Basic Books. Schwartzman, H. B. (1989). The Meeting: Gatherings in Organizations and Communities. New York: Plenum Press.

Short, J., Williams, E., & Christie, B. (1976). The Social Psychology of Telecommunications. London: Wiley.

Stringer, E. T. (1999). Action Research. (2nd ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Sellen, A. (1992). Speech patterns in video-mediated conversations. Proceedings of CHI’92, ACM Conference on Human Factors and Computing Systems, (pp. 49-59). NY: ACM Press.

Tang, J., & Isaacs, E. (1993). Why do users like video? Studies of multimedia-supported collaboration. Computer Supported Cooperative Work, 1, 163-193.

Whittaker, S. (1995). Rethinking video as a technology for interpersonal communications: theory and design implications. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 42 (5), 501-529.

Whyte, W. F. (1997). Creative Problem Solving in the Field: Reflections on a Career. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press.


Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item
Contact us
Send email Sponsors
Sponsor: AIMS Sponsor: D&P Sponsor: UniNa CAB Get connected
Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter Linkedin LinkedIn RSS RSS