Open AccessThe Effects of Communication Modality on Performance and Self‐Ratings of Teamwork Components
Author(s) -
Fletcher Thomas D.,
Major Debra A.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of computer‐mediated communication
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.15
H-Index - 119
ISSN - 1083-6101
DOI - 10.1111/j.1083-6101.2006.00027.x
Subject(s) - teamwork , workspace , modalities , task (project management) , psychology , computer science , modality (human–computer interaction) , adaptation (eye) , human–computer interaction , applied psychology , knowledge management , multimedia , engineering , artificial intelligence , social science , systems engineering , neuroscience , sociology , political science , robot , law
Based on McGrath and Hollingshead’s adaptation of media richness theory and a model of team performance, a laboratory study was designed to compare the effects of three communication modalities of increasing richness on a complex psychomotor/intellective task (i.e., audio only, shared workspace, face‐to‐face). When teams worked face‐to‐face, they reported teamwork behaviors to a greater extent than when they worked via audio, and team members perceived their performance to be greater when face‐to‐face than when using audio alone. The use of a shared workspace enhanced some aspects of perceived team processes, such that distributed teams reported teamwork behaviors to a greater extent than when using audio alone. Teams also committed fewer errors when using a shared workspace than when using audio alone. Practical implications and limitations are discussed.