A Technique for Evaluating Shared Workspaces Efficiency

We propose a technique based on human-performance models to evaluate the efficiency of shared workspaces, where individual and collaborative actions are intertwined. We apply the technique to an illustrative case and report that it: 1) facilitates the fine-grained analysis of workspace collaboration; 2) provides time predictions about collaborative actions; and 3) enables quantitative comparisons of alternative designs via multi-dimensional team performance estimates. The technique may be used to complement existing practice and knowledge with the ability to make quick measurements and calculations without users or functional prototypes, thereby enabling faster design iterations.