Short answer

When designing virtual collaboration tools, include clearly defined 'experimental spaces' that facilitate perspective-taking to improve team communication and satisfaction.

Field: User-Centred Design
Source: Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction (2022)
Method: Controlled experiment
Sample: 110 participants
Evidence: Strong effect

Dedicated 'experimental spaces' within virtual communication platforms, designed to foster perspective-taking, improve team satisfaction and encourage open communication by mitigating social barriers to constructive interaction. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2022 study published in Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction. Using Controlled experiment with 110 participants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing virtual collaboration tools, include clearly defined 'experimental spaces' that facilitate perspective-taking to improve team communication and satisfaction.

Study

User-Centred DesignHigh ImpactStrong effect

Perspective-taking spaces increase virtual team satisfaction and open communication

Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction · 2022

Key Findings

01Empathosphere led to higher work satisfaction compared to reflection prompts.
02Empathosphere encouraged more open communication within teams.
03Empathosphere fostered more feedback within teams.
04Empathosphere boosted teams' desire to continue working together.

Application

Design takeaway

When designing virtual collaboration tools, include clearly defined 'experimental spaces' that facilitate perspective-taking to improve team communication and satisfaction.

How to apply

In a virtual meeting platform, create a 'Perspective Share' channel. Periodically, prompt team members to switch to this channel to share their understanding of another team member's viewpoint on a specific issue, or to express a 'devil's advocate' position, before returning to the main discussion.

Project actions

01When designing a collaborative app, think about adding a 'safe space' feature for empathy exercises.
02Consider how visual cues (e.g., different color chat bubbles, specific icons) can signal a change in communication norms within a digital space.

Method & Evidence

AimTo investigate whether a chat-embedded intervention (Empathosphere) that creates 'experimental spaces' and orchestrates socio-emotional exchanges to induce perspective-taking can promote constructive communication in ad-hoc virtual teams more effectively than a reflection-prompting intervention.

MethodControlled experiment

ProcedureParticipants were assigned to ad-hoc virtual teams and engaged in a collaborative task. One group used 'Empathosphere,' a chat-embedded intervention with a separate communication channel for perspective-taking exercises. The control group received prompts to reflect on their team experience. Communication patterns, satisfaction, and desire to continue working together were measured.

Sample110 participants

ContextAd-hoc virtual teams engaged in ideation/deliberation tasks.

Variables

IVType of intervention (Empathosphere with perspective-taking space vs. reflection prompts)

DVWork satisfaction, open communication, feedback, desire to continue working together

CVAd-hoc virtual teams, collaborative ideation/deliberation task, virtual communication platform

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Controlled experimental design provides strong evidence for causality.
+Addresses a practical and common problem in virtual collaboration.
+Introduces a novel design intervention ('experimental spaces' for perspective-taking).

Limitations

The study used ad-hoc teams; results might differ for established teams with pre-existing dynamics. The specific prompts used for perspective-taking could influence outcomes.

Reliability & validity

The controlled experimental setup and quantitative measures (e.g., satisfaction surveys, communication analysis) contribute to the reliability of the findings. The use of ad-hoc teams might limit ecological validity for established teams, but increases internal validity by controlling for pre-existing relationships.

Think critically

How might the design of the 'perspective-taking space' itself (e.g., its visual design, the types of prompts used) influence the effectiveness of the intervention?

Design Principles

"Dedicated Perspective-Taking Spaces Enhance Virtual Collaboration."

Humans in ad-hoc virtual teams often struggle with constructive communication due to ingrained norms and fear of voicing opinions. Creating a safe, dedicated space for perspective-taking can overcome these psychological hurdles, leading to better collaboration and outcomes.

What This Means for Your Design

If you make a special online space where people are encouraged to try and understand each other's feelings and ideas, they will be happier working together and talk more openly.

How to use in your project

1.Information Architecture could involve creating a distinct 'Empathy Zone' or 'Perspective Exchange' section within a team collaboration platform's navigation, clearly separating it from general discussion channels.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

Khadpe et al. (2022) found that integrating 'perspective-taking spaces' into virtual team communication platforms significantly increased work satisfaction and open communication, suggesting that Information Architecture should consider dedicated channels for socio-emotional exchanges.

Source

Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction

Empathosphere: Promoting Constructive Communication in Ad-hoc Virtual Teams through Perspective-taking Spaces

journal · 2022

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about perspective-taking spaces increase virtual team satisfaction and open communication?: When designing virtual collaboration tools, include clearly defined 'experimental spaces' that facilitate perspective-taking to improve team communication and satisfaction. Evidence: Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction (2022).
Why does "Perspective-taking spaces increase virtual team satisfaction and open communication" matter for design?: Humans in ad-hoc virtual teams often struggle with constructive communication due to ingrained norms and fear of voicing opinions. Creating a safe, dedicated space for perspective-taking can overcome these psychological hurdles, leading to better collaboration and outcomes.
How can designers apply this research?: When designing virtual collaboration tools, include clearly defined 'experimental spaces' that facilitate perspective-taking to improve team communication and satisfaction.
What were the main findings?: Empathosphere led to higher work satisfaction compared to reflection prompts.. Empathosphere encouraged more open communication within teams.. Empathosphere fostered more feedback within teams.. Empathosphere boosted teams' desire to continue working together.
What research method was used?: Controlled experiment with 110 participants.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2022 journal from Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction.
What should I do differently in my next project?: In a virtual meeting platform, create a 'Perspective Share' channel. Periodically, prompt team members to switch to this channel to share their understanding of another team member's viewpoint on a specific issue, or to express a 'devil's advocate' position, before returning to the main discussion.
What are the limitations?: The study was conducted with ad-hoc teams; long-term team dynamics might differ. The specific tasks and context might influence the generalizability of the findings.