Composite indexes as metrics of cooperative activity

This paper proposes a method based on composite indexes to reflect the level of computer–supported cooperative activity. This approach is innovative in the sense that it extends a purely quantitative approach with some qualitative contextual elements. Indeed, the indexes integrate two basic features of the computer-supported interactions within a group: the number of occurrences and the cooperative nature of the interactions. The paper describes the design of the indexes and shows their interest with simulated cases.