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Experimental Validation of Visualization Benefits for Knowledge Sharing in Management Teams
Type
fundamental research project
Start Date
01 January 2008
End Date
01 October 2012
Status
ongoing
Keywords
visualization
knowledge sharing
team collaboration
team work
management teams
graphic representations
knowledge visualization
information visualization
knowledge management
communication
Description
In this research project, we aim to provide scientifically validated evidence that real-time, interactive visualization (graphic representations of information) can increase the productivity of knowledge sharing in management teams.
Through a series of controlled experiments we aim to show that real-time knowledge visualization leads to more productive and sustainable knowledge sharing, idea generation and deliberation in management teams in different collaboration situations, such as:
- in sharing experiences regarding strategy implementation,
- in jointly assessing the potential and innovation synergies of a strategic alliance,
- in communicating a business strategy to peers,
- in conducting a project planning meeting,
These experiments are conducted using real-life managers as well as students. In a later stage of the project, the experiments are replicated in different cultural settings to isolate the impact of cultural differences on the effectiveness of visualization for communication support in management meetings.
Different visualization conditions are also compared in the experiment series and compared to purely text-based communication support. These visualization formats are paper-based, software-based, and virtual-environment-based.
Through a series of controlled experiments we aim to show that real-time knowledge visualization leads to more productive and sustainable knowledge sharing, idea generation and deliberation in management teams in different collaboration situations, such as:
- in sharing experiences regarding strategy implementation,
- in jointly assessing the potential and innovation synergies of a strategic alliance,
- in communicating a business strategy to peers,
- in conducting a project planning meeting,
These experiments are conducted using real-life managers as well as students. In a later stage of the project, the experiments are replicated in different cultural settings to isolate the impact of cultural differences on the effectiveness of visualization for communication support in management meetings.
Different visualization conditions are also compared in the experiment series and compared to purely text-based communication support. These visualization formats are paper-based, software-based, and virtual-environment-based.
Leader contributor(s)
Member contributor(s)
Bresciani, S.
Comi, A.
Schmeil, A.
Platts, K.
Mengis, J.
Blackwell, A.
Partner(s)
University of Lugano
Funder(s)
Topic(s)
Wissensvisualisierung
Method(s)
Scientific Experiment
Survey
Case Studies
Survey
Case Studies
Range
HSG Internal
Range (De)
HSG Intern
Division(s)
Eprints ID
55128
3 results
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PublicationType: journal articleJournal: IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer GraphicsVolume: 15Issue: 6
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PublicationType: conference paper
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PublicationThe Benefits of Synchronous Collaborative Information Visualization: Evidence from an Experimental EvaluationA great corpus of studies reports empirical evidence of how information visualization supports comprehension and analysis of data. The benefits of visualization for synchronous group knowledge work, however, have not been addressed extensively. Anecdotal evidence and use cases illustrate the benefits of synchronous collaborative information visualization, but very few empirical studies have rigorously examined the impact of visualization on group knowledge work. We have consequently designed and conducted an experiment in which we have analyzed the impact of visualization on knowledge sharing in situated work groups. Our experimental study consists of evaluating the performance of 131 subjects (all experienced managers) in groups of 5 (for a total of 26 groups), working together on a real-life knowledge sharing task. We compare (1) the control condition (no visualization provided), with two visualization supports: (2) optimal and (3) suboptimal visualization (based on a previous survey). The facilitator of each group was asked to populate the provided interactive visual template with insights from the group, and to organize the contributions according to the group consensus. We have evaluated the results through both objective and subjective measures. Our statistical analysis clearly shows that interactive visualization has a statistically significant, objective and positive impact on the outcomes of knowledge sharing, but that the subjects seem not to be aware of this. In particular, groups supported by visualization achieved higher productivity, higher quality of outcome and greater knowledge gains. No statistically significant results could be found between an optimal and a suboptimal visualization though (as classified by the pre-experiment survey). Subjects also did not seem to be aware of the benefits that the visualizations provided as no difference between the visualization and the control conditions was found for the self-reported measures of satisfaction and participation. An implication of our study for information visualization applications is to extend them by using real-time group annotation functionalities that aid in the group sense making process of the represented data.Type: conference paperJournal: IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer GraphicsVolume: Vol. 15 Issue 6
Scopus© Citations 55