Developing methods to understand discourse and workspace in distributed computer-mediated interaction

This paper presents on-going research towards understanding the discourse and workspace in computer mediated interactions. More specifically we present the development of a series of methods to study non-collocated computer mediated interactions. These methods were developed originally to study interactions involving teams composed of architecture, engineering, and construction management students as part of the AEC Global Teamwork course offered at Stanford University in collaboration with universities worldwide since 1993. The methods stress the value of using ethnographic approaches, particularly the role that both discourse and workspace have in developing the communication processes involved in the interactions. Because of the context of the teamwork course we used as a test bed to develop these methods, we focused on issues regarding the nature of the communication act in building design projects when mediated by computers. We successfully tested these new methods and present in...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2006
• Where: AIS
• Authors: Renate Fruchter, Humberto Cavallin
• Keywords: AEC Global Teamwork, AIS 2006, Artificial Intelligence, Construction Management Students, Teamwork Course