Supporting Collaborative Design Groups as Design Communities
Design Studies, 20 (2):
187--204 (2000)Abstract
This paper explores computer support for unstructured collaboration. A web-based online environment used in conjunction with a graduate-level architectural studio was investigated, with special attention given to patterns of online behavior and the perceptions of those who used the environment. It was assumed that asynchronous collaborative environments like the one studied naturally alleviate certain problems like evaluation apprehension and production-blocking, but do not on their own motivate contributions to a group in an unstructured setting. It was hypothesized that open participation hinges on the development of a sense of community, which itself depends partially on environmental factors intrinsic to the support environment. The environment studied failed to promote open interaction and did not appear to sustain a strong sense of community. Environmental factors thought to have played a role include page structuring, page-naming conventions, and the spatial clustering of textbased exchanges.