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3D Collaborative Virtual Environments: Exploring the Link between Collaborative Behaviors and Team Performance
Author(s) -
Montoya Mitzi M.,
Massey Anne P.,
Lockwood Nicholas S.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
decision sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.238
H-Index - 108
eISSN - 1540-5915
pISSN - 0011-7315
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-5915.2011.00318.x
Subject(s) - computer science , collaborative virtual environment , virtual reality , human–computer interaction , virtual space , collaborative software , work (physics) , space (punctuation) , virtual team , virtual machine , knowledge management , engineering , artificial intelligence , mechanical engineering , operating system
ABSTRACT Increasingly, organizational work is conducted by virtual teams interacting across boundaries of space and time. Despite advances in collaborative technologies, members of virtual teams often find the experience challenging and a far cry from physically “being there.” In response, immersive and interactive three‐dimensional collaborative virtual environments (3D CVEs) are emerging and purported to address the shortcoming of earlier technologies. How teams will interact and ultimately perform in a 3D environment remains to be seen. In this study, drawing from group and communication theories, we explore the link between collaborative behaviors and the performance of virtual teams working in a 3D CVE. We report on the results of a controlled experiment consisting of 39 virtual teams of 91 individuals. Through cluster analysis, we identify distinct patterns of collaborative behaviors associated with differential levels of performance. Our findings provide a deeper understanding of how the unique spatial and visual characteristics of 3D CVEs may transform virtual work.