A STUDY OF TURN - TAKING IN A COMPUTER - SUPPORTED GROUP TASK 3 current CSCW

Synchronous computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW) tools are intended to provide opportunities for remotely located groups to work together in a manner akin to groups meeting face-to-face. Little is understood , however, of what may innuence the eeectiveness of group work performed under these circumstances. One likely factor is the way in which``oor control', or turn management is supported, and its impact on group coordination. This paper describes an experiment designed to examine the impact of diierent turn management protocols on the performance of groups using a CSCW tool. The results are compared with the performance of a group working face-to-face. Finally, the implications for coordination in synchronous CSCW are discussed.